Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

On September 6, Kura Sushi cancelled its collaboration campaign with the popular character “Chiikawa” after it emerged that an employee had improperly taken campaign prizes. The chain posted apology notices at the entrances of every store, and as a gesture of apology began offering 10% off all items starting on the 6th — but many customers who had come specifically for the merchandise turned around and left without even entering once they learned the campaign was cancelled, and reservation cancellations piled up as well. On 5ch, discussion ranged from comparisons with the string of scandals at rival conveyor-belt sushi chains like Hama Sushi, Sushiro, and Kappa Sushi, to debate over how far the prize theft could be pursued as a criminal matter, to criticism of the chain’s lack of anti-scalping measures and flaws in its reservation system.

Sponichi Annex, delivered 9/7 (Mon) 5:30

Kura Sushi cancelled its collaboration campaign with the popular character “Chiikawa” on the 6th. On the 5th, the company had announced that an employee had embezzled campaign prizes. The following day, every store put up a notice at its entrance reading, “Due to the discovery of misconduct by one of our employees, we have decided to cancel the campaign. We deeply apologize.” The company also began offering 10% off all items from the 6th “as a token of our apology.”

At a store in Tokyo, staff stood at the entrance all day dealing with customers. Many people who had come for the Chiikawa merchandise turned around and left as soon as they heard the campaign had ended. A staffer sighed, “Even though it’s lunchtime, quite a lot of people are turning away without coming in.”

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Express+) thread “Kura Sushi Cancels Chiikawa Collab — 10% Off Everything, But No One’s Coming In… Reservation Cancellations Pile Up Too.”

Reports say that Choyu Otani (75), head priest (monshu) of the Otani-ha branch of Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land Buddhism), has published a book titled “Bom Amigo” chronicling his upbringing in Brazil and his path to becoming monshu, and spoke to the Kyoto Shimbun about it. It’s said to be unusual for a sitting head of the Otani-ha to publish a book of his own while still in office. On 5ch, the resulting thread’s discussion centered on just how different Jodo Shinshu’s doctrine is from other Buddhist sects — pointing to its lack of customs like memorial tablets or the welcoming/sending-off fires (mukaebi/okuribi), and its teaching that believers are reborn in the Pure Land immediately upon death. Frank reactions to the doctrine flew, including comments like “That’s basically no different from having no religion at all.”

“Bom Amigo,” a book by Choyu Otani (75), monshu of the Otani-ha branch of Jodo Shinshu (head temple: Higashi Honganji), was published this past July. It chronicles his life from childhood through the many years he spent in Brazil, as well as his journey as the 26th monshu. Otani recently spoke with the Kyoto Shimbun about what led him to write the book, his day-to-day life as monshu, and his thoughts on Shinshu teachings.

It’s rare for a sitting Otani-ha monshu to publish a book. The impetus came from a writing request by the naikyoku, the branch’s executive body.

“I took office as monshu in 2020. Since last year marked the fifth anniversary of that, and with the World Fellowship Assembly being held in Brazil this month, the naikyoku asked me, ‘Would you be able to write a book if possible?’”

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Read the original article here

※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Breaking News Plus) thread “[Kyoto] “Shinran Shonin’s Teaching Is One”: From Physics Professor in Brazil to Head of Jodo Shinshu Otani-ha — How Monshu Choyu Otani Engages with the Various Shinshu Sects“.