As Japan reopens to tourists, why does Kanda Shrine suddenly need guards and surveillance cameras?
- A rise in thefts from collection boxes, and worryingly the stealing of religious statues and ancient artefacts has forced shrines to implement security measures
- In previous centuries, treasures were largely protected by the notion of ‘bachi ga ataru’ meaning that gods would take revenge on anyone who attempted to steal
The Kanda Shrine was constructed in the Akihabara district of Tokyo in 1616, and in all that time it has never required security measures – until now.
In centuries gone by, the shrine’s treasures were largely protected by the notion of “bachi ga ataru” meaning that the gods would take their revenge on anyone who attempted to steal from within its walls.
But that has changed, says Teppei Kato, a priest at one of Tokyo’s most famous shrines.
“We have never before had a real problem with theft, but two years ago we decided that things were changing and we needed to protect the shrine,” he said. Today, security guards are on the premises 24 hours a day and a network of security cameras have been installed to monitor visitors.
“It was not just worry about theft, we were also concerned about a fire breaking out”
“It was not just worry about theft, we were also concerned about a fire breaking out,” he said, but admits. “But theft was becoming a bigger problem.”