 for free.Anyone can claim a free NFT on the temple’s website, and from November 9, visitors to Ryuganji can also secure their NFT in person.){kind=link}
To bring Japanese Buddhist culture into the digital age, Kyoto’s historic Ryuganji Temple, founded back in 1616, is launching 1,500 animated NFTs (non-fungible tokens) for free. Starting November 1, these digital collectables aim to spark global interest in both the temple and Japanese Buddhism.
Anyone can claim a free NFT on the temple’s website, and from November 9, visitors to Ryuganji can also secure their NFT in person by scanning a QR code on-site.
What are the Ryuganji Temple Free NFTs?
The “Ryuganji NFT” is more than just a digital token; it’s a blend of tradition and technology. The NFT features a video capturing the temple’s main gate and hall, along with animated calligraphy called Goshen.
Created by the temple’s head priest, this unique artwork symbolises a digital version of Ryuganji’s original goshuin stamp, traditionally given to worshippers as a token of their visit.
Historically, goshuin—handwritten calligraphic stamps—has held a cherished place in Japanese culture. For centuries, pilgrims have collected these stamps as keepsakes from their temple visits, symbolizing devotion to the temple’s deities.
Today, Japan is home to some 77,000 temples and 80,000 shrines, and collecting goshuin remains a well-loved tradition. By creating a digital version, Ryuganji hopes to preserve and share this custom with people around the world.
Claiming the Ryuganji NFT is designed to be easy: users complete a short survey on the temple’s website and link their blockchain wallet via Ethereum or credit card, paying only a small gas and service fee. The NFT follows Ethereum’s ERC-721 standard, which provides a secure and widely compatible format for digital collectables
More on the NFT Project
This project is a partnership with Goshuin Japan, an organization dedicated to sharing Japanese temple culture worldwide. Together, they hope to renew interest in local temples like Ryuganji by transforming goshuin into NFTs.
This collaboration also addresses a growing concern in Japan, which is fewer people, especially younger generations, are visiting temples. By embracing digital technology, Ryuganji aims to connect with a global audience and spark new interest in Buddhism’s teachings.
Ryuganji Temple occupies a special place in Kyoto’s history. Built on the site of Edo Shogunate’s first astronomer Shibukawa Harumi’s residence, the temple has served as a spiritual centre for the community for centuries.
Ryuganji’s head priest, Ryuho Ikeguchi, expressed hope that these NFTs would promote Japanese Buddhist culture on an international scale. “I hope that by sharing the beauty of Japanese culture with people abroad, Japan and the world will grow closer,” he said.
Ikeguchi hopes that connecting people to the temple online will encourage them to visit in person, experiencing Ryuganji’s peaceful atmosphere and unique traditions firsthand.
The Ryuganji NFT project highlights how ancient customs can adapt to the modern world, creating a new, accessible way for people to engage with Japan’s spiritual heritage.
This digital initiative marks an exciting step for Japanese temples, showing how tradition and technology can come together to preserve cultural values and reach new, diverse audiences.