Japanese company Waka to launch Buddhist temple-stay website as spiritual answer to Airbnb
Spokeswoman says it could help people experience daily life in the religious venues, and raise much-needed funds for them
A Japanese company is taking the online homestay business to another level, offering holidaymakers and hotel-seekers a more spiritual alternative to traditional accommodation and Airbnb.
New laws set to come into effect on June 15 will permit anything from a spare bedroom to a beachfront home to a Buddhist temple to be registered as accommodation and rented to guests.
And with many religious sites planning to open their doors to visitors for the night, Osaka-based firm Waka Corporation is preparing to launch its new website called Terahaku – the two kanji characters that mean temple and stay.
The company said it hopes the site will become the Airbnb of Japan’s religious accommodation world and help introduce foreign tourists to traditions such as the vegetarian temple cuisine of shojin ryori, listening to sutras, meditating and, for particularly keen guests, middle-of-the-night prayer sessions.