One of Japan’s most famous temples, Byodo-in, which features on the 10 yen coin, has created 3D footage of 5 religious statues that can be viewed as wallpaper on iPads installed in the temple’s museum space.
Part of the promotions for an exhibition of ancient artifacts running through mid-January, visitors to the temple in Kyoto Prefecture can also download images of restored Buddhist statues to their mobile phones through QR codes.
[This so-called “Keitai Omamori” (Mobile Phone Talisman) taps into the Japanese habit of hanging good luck charms on phones (or bags or other belongings). These are other “genuine” Omamori (お守り) purchased at shrines, or they might be Hello Kitty or local mascot versions.
However, much like the cellphone worship Shinto trend we reported on before, this kind of promotion is also revealing the vibrant connection that contemporary people still can have with traditions. Consumers in Japan are very supersticious and much more prone to these kinds of activities, which can be harnessed for commercial or marketing potential.
According to the temple the digital giveaways have led to an increase in younger visitors, both male and female. Religion and marketing together seem to bring whole new possible meanings to the phrase “conversion rate”.
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