Buddhist Temple in Kyoto Launches Free NFT Collection
Date: 2024-11-06 Author: Oliver Abernathy Categories: CRYPTO PAYMENTS, IN WORLD
Anyone can get one of 1,500 non-fungible tokens by completing a short survey on the temple’s official website and connecting a crypto wallet.
Starting November 9, a QR code will be installed in the temple itself, by scanning which visitors will be able to become owners of an exclusive digital asset. The NFT is based on the Ethereum protocol using the ERC-721 standard. Inside the token, users will find a video with views of the temple gates and the main hall, as well as animated calligraphy created personally by the head priest.
This NFT collection from the Ryuganji Temple is inspired by the tradition of Japanese temples to provide so-called “goshuin” — special calligraphic marks that pilgrims can collect while visiting various shrines. The signs serve as reminders of visiting Buddhist temples and are popular among travelers.
As stated on the temple's official website, the project is supported by the advertising company Goshuin and aims to popularize Japanese culture among foreign visitors. There are about 80,000 shrines and 77,000 temples in Japan, and the Goshuin initiative aims to bring them to the attention of an international audience.
Ryuganji's chief priest, Ryuho Ikeguchi, said he hopes that the digital collection will encourage more people to become interested in the temple and Buddhist culture, which he considers an integral part of Japan's heritage. Ryuganji Temple was founded in 1616 on the former site of the residence of Shibukawa Harumi, the first astronomer under the Edo shogunate.
