THE NEW BUSINESS OF BUDDHISM

Abstract

This paper examines the recent phenomenon of Japanese Buddhist organizations engaging in economic ventures such as restaurant businesses. Although most people in Japan still practice some religious activities, their level of engagement has declined, and Japan’s population is shrinking. As a result, traditional Buddhist temples face an existential crisis. This article shows how this crisis has forced those institutions to turn to new economic strategies. While these businesses have been fairly unsuccessful economically, they have helped the organizations invent new ways to engage with people, exposing them to the principles of Buddhism and nurturing a new generation of patrons