A major Buddhist temple in the city of Narita near Tokyo has been spruced up for the New Year.
Monks and staff wearing masks met in the main hall of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple after 5:00 a.m. to dust Buddhist statues and altar ornaments. They used long bamboo poles to clean carved wood panels near the ceiling. They then swept the hall's 300 or so tatami mats.
About three million people typically visit the temple during the first three days of January. But temple staff are asking people to stay away on those days to mitigate the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Visitors that do visit will be asked to observe social distancing.
(Suzuki Shojo)
"The impact of the coronavirus was large this year. We wiped away that concern along with the dust."
Monks and staff wearing masks met in the main hall of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple after 5:00 a.m. to dust Buddhist statues and altar ornaments. They used long bamboo poles to clean carved wood panels near the ceiling. They then swept the hall's 300 or so tatami mats.
About three million people typically visit the temple during the first three days of January. But temple staff are asking people to stay away on those days to mitigate the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Visitors that do visit will be asked to observe social distancing.
(Suzuki Shojo)
"The impact of the coronavirus was large this year. We wiped away that concern along with the dust."
◆spruce up きれいにする、こぎれいにする、おめかしをする If something is spruced up, its appearance is improved. If someone is spruced up, they have made themselves look very smart.
◆altar 祭壇
◆or so ～ばかり、～くらい If something is spruced up, its appearance is improved. If someone is spruced up, they have made themselves look very smart.
◆stay away 近づかない、離れている
◆mitigate 和らげる、軽減する、緩和する To mitigate something means to make it less unpleasant, serious, or painful. /to make or become less severe or harsh; moderate