Japan's Monk Cafe

Koyasan, a sacred Buddhist site located over 400 kilometers from the capital, offers some solace, albeit temporary, to would-be Tokyoite pilgrims by opening the doors to �Koyasan Cafe� in the central business district of Marunouchi.

Buddhist monks attending the caf� won�t be offering the early morning liturgy practiced at Koyasan, a Unesco World Heritage site that dates back about 1,200 years on the densely forested mountain southwest of Tokyo. But the caf� which opened on the seventh floor of the Shin-Marunouchi Building near Tokyo station on Sept. 1, monks from Koyasan would give instruction in Buddhist teachings during seminars that proved popular with local office workers during last year�s version of the now-annual event.

The purpose of the caf�, which remains open until Sept. 12, is to promote travel to Koyasan. Last year�s edition, the third, drew about 3,500 visitors in just six days. And organizers � the event is led by the Kongobuji temple and the Nankai Electric Railway Co. that links Osaka to Koyasan � say it�s a particular hit with female office workers in their 30s or 40s stopping by after work, accounting for more than 80% of all visitors.

Koyasan Caf�-goers can try making a handwritten calligraphic copying of Buddhist sutras called �Shakyo� (free of charge with no need for reservation in advance). Also visitors can experience �Ajikan� meditation (similar to �zazen� practices), as well as attend seminars about Buddhist statues � reservations required, and already those seminars are fully booked. For the more casual visitor, typical Koyasan dishes are on offer, including versions of �Shojin Ryori� vegetarian cuisine.

It�s not just contemplative Japanese citizens who�re coming to appreciate the charms of Koyasan: While the overall number of tourists to Koyasan in the year 2009 grew 3.2% to 1.265 million, according to Wakayama Prefecture data, the number of overnight foreign guests among the total grew 7.8% to 38,108. Tourists from France accounted for about a third of the overseas visitors.