Horyuji Temple Raises 7 Times Its Crowdfunding Target
Horyuji temple in Japan's ancient capital of Nara has raised more than seven times its crowdfunding target to supplement a decline in revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The crowdfunding website shows that more than 7,400 people had donated a total of more than 146 million yen, or roughly 1 million dollars, when the funding campaign closed at 11 p.m. on Friday.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site began the campaign on June 15 to raise 20 million yen to be able to carry out maintenance on the compound.
Horyuji needed donations because its main source of income from admission fees had fallen to about half of pre-pandemic levels due to the plunge in the number of visitors.
The temple says the donated funds will be spent on maintenance including taking care of the trees and ensuring the facilities are kept in good condition. Any extra money will be used to repair the temple's artifacts.
The crowdfunding company says the final sum of the raised money will be announced on August 6 after the donations transferred to bank accounts separately are included.