Japan’s Shrines and Temples Goes Cashless to Thwart Donation Box Thefts
With Hatsumode — the first shrine visit of the New Year — fast approaching, some shrines say they’re going digital to stop criminals.
More Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan are going cashless, accepting one or more of Japan’s various forms of e-payments in lieu of traditional cash donations. Some shrines and temples say they’re joining the cashless party this New Year’s season — with at least one saying they’re making the shift mainly to stop people from stealing their donations.
With the New Year approaching, many in Japan will do Hatsumōde, the traditional first visit of the year to a Shinto shrine. It’s courtesy while visiting to toss a small amount of money into the donation box, or saisenbako (賽銭箱).
In recent years, however, more shrines and temples are accepting digital payments. Most support some form of QR code or barcode payment popularized by the service PayPay. In a recent press release, PayPay announced that seven shrines and temples had signed up before the Hatsumōde season. In August, the company announced a new type of business account specifically for non-profits to accept donations.
