NAGOYA - Where samurai once shaped history, visitors now whisk matcha.
Nagoya's Banshoji Temple, linked to powerful 16th-century warlord Oda Nobunaga, has opened a cafe as it seeks to attract more visitors by reimagining its heritage.
Launched last year, the cafe allows visitors to experience Japanese culture in a hands-on way, including preparing their own matcha tea and pouring it from a teapot into a cup.
The initiative is aimed at both domestic visitors and overseas tourists expected for Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which run from Sept. 19 through Oct. 4.
"To preserve the temple, what's needed is a proactive stance rather than a defensive one," said head priest Genyu Daito, who has drawn inspiration from Nobunaga's reformist spirit in shaping the project and pursuing further expansion.
On a weekday in early May, the cafe named "Manoma" was full, with visitors seated at low tables on the second floor of the main hall. The space is designed to resemble a traditional Japanese home, offering a relaxed atmosphere for guests taking part in the experience.
The menu includes self-prepared matcha and lattes decorated with the Oda family crest, allowing visitors to engage with elements of Japanese culture in a casual setting.
Banshoji Temple was founded in 1540 by Nobunaga's father, Nobuhide, as the Oda family's ancestral temple. While it has long attracted worshippers and tourists, Daito, 68, said he felt the site needed to become more open to the public.
The Asian Games, the continent's biggest sporting event held every four years, will take place in Nagoya and elsewhere in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan, marking the third time the country has hosted the event after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
Daito saw the event as a key opportunity to increase foot traffic and began developing the cafe concept around the growing popularity of matcha, which has been boosted by health-conscious trends.
The idea took shape through a series of trials before the cafe opened last November. Daito said the approach reflects an "aggressive" mindset inspired by Oda Nobunaga's reforms during the Sengoku period of warring states in the 15th-16th centuries, including the abolition of checkpoints and promotion of free markets.
Visitors say the cafe offers a different way to experience the temple.
Mika Smith, a New York resident visiting Japan, said she came to pay her respects at the ossuary where her grandfather is buried.
"I usually just prayed and left, but it's nice to have a space where I can stay and talk in peace," she said.
Terumi Nakagawa from Tokyo visited after seeing social media posts about a K-pop idol at the temple. She felt that the traditional clothing worn by staff added to the experience.
"The staff wear traditional Japanese clothing, which makes it enjoyable for foreign tourists as well," she said.
Daito is now considering further ideas to appeal to visitors, including counter seating and new menu items such as matcha porridge, as he looks to expand the concept while balancing tradition with accessibility.
