Episode Details

Benmou Suzuki is a religious worker at a 420-year-old temple that is not in very good condition. 

铃木本谋 (Benmou Suzuki) 是一座拥有 420 年历史、状况不佳的寺庙的宗教工作者。 

It is deep in the forest near a small Japanese mountain village. It does not look like a valuable property. 

它位于日本小山村附近的森林深处。它看起来不像是有价值的财产。 

Yet two men recently asked Suzuki if he was interested in selling. He said he thinks they did not want the old, ornate building next to a mountain that is considered holy. Instead, they wanted the special tax status that comes with running a religious property. 

然而最近有两名男子询问铃木是否有兴趣出售。他说，他认为他们不想要这座位于被视为圣山旁边的古老、华丽的建筑。相反，他们想要经营宗教财产所带来的特殊税收地位。 

"There are people out there who want a temple, even a mountain temple like this," said 52-year-old Suzuki. 

“有人想要一座寺庙，甚至是像这样的山寺，”52 岁的铃木说。 

Japan's population is decreasing and interest in religion is less intense. There are fewer people to support the country's many temples and shrines. 

日本的人口正在减少，人们对宗教的兴趣也逐渐减弱。供养该国众多寺庙和神社的人越来越少。

Suzuki's Mikaboyama temple, for example, is in a small town, which also has three other Buddhist temples, one Shinto shrine and a Christian church. 

例如，铃木的御香房山寺位于一个小镇上，该镇还有另外三座佛教寺庙、一座神社和一座基督教教堂。 

Japanese officials say they are seeing more sales of religious properties to buyers who do not continue to run them as religious centers. Officials fear many are buying them to avoid paying taxes or possibly even to hide criminal activity. 

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