Kyoto Temples Introduce Cashless Payment System Omairi Pay in Response to Increasing Number of Foreign Tourists

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:20 JST, April 11, 2026

KYOTO — A cashless payment system called Omairi pay can now be used at some temples and shrines, the Kyoto Buddhist Organization announced.

The organization, which represents about 1,100 temples in Kyoto Prefecture, said on April 2 that the system was developed in collaboration with a business partner.

Visitors have been able to use the system to purchase souvenirs and amulets at some temples and shrines since April 1, but it is expected that the system will be able to be used to pay for admission fees as early as July.

In 2019, the organization said it opposed the use of cashless payments because there were concerns that visitors’ personal information could be seen by third parties. It said that it could infringe upon freedom of religion and could potentially be used for religious control or oppression.

However, the organization decided to look for a solution in response the increasing number of foreign tourists who do not carry cash. Many temples and shrines including Higashi Honganji in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, had already started accepting cashless payments.

The organization, in collaboration with Tokyo-based payment system company Valuedesign Co., developed the system for religious organizations.

Visitors will be able to use their credit cards or electronic money, such as IC cards, at designated terminals at temples and shrines. However, it will not show where the payment was made, only the amount and that Omairi pay was used.

Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto and Kotoku-in in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, home to the Great Buddha of Kamakura, are set to adopt the system, according to the Kyoto Buddhist Organization.

The organization aims to promote the system’s adoption at shrines and temples nationwide.

“We will explain the system carefully and strive to ensure its acceptance,” said Sojun Saburi, the executive director of the organization.