星期六，日本的和尚与尼姑在东京的T台上走起了猫步，此举意在在这个日益老龄化的社会向年轻人宣扬佛教

时装秀在有近百年历史的筑地本愿寺举行，由一场在hip-pop节拍的伴奏下的祷告仪式开始。

40多名来自8个不同教派的和尚与尼姑身着精致的僧衣意在吸引年轻的信仰者

最后盛大的闭幕仪式上，5名来自各自学校的和尚走上舞台台，高声诵读经文，并不断的向观众抛洒莲花形的花瓣

依照佛教的传统，和尚一般都只穿黑色的僧袍。但是为了吸引有时尚意识的年轻人，和尚们也穿起了绿色和黄色的，有的还镶有金色的刺绣的僧袍，有的僧衣是精心制作的，设计纷繁复杂，曾层叠叠。

一个20岁左右的年轻观众Sayaka Anma在看完时装秀说：“僧袍非常华丽，一开始我都很吃惊，也深受感动

佛教从亚洲大陆传入日本已有1200多年了，僧侣们说现在却面临窘境。

在日本1亿2千万人口中有3/4的人登记是佛教徒，对于很多人来说，只是到寺院参加一个丧礼仪式，这让全国7万5千所寺院陷入经济困境。

日本的老龄化意味着有更多的葬礼，人口的减少，出生率下降意味着越来越少的年轻人愿意为佛教的兴盛出力。

筑地本愿寺一名主管僧侣说：“我们希望通过这种形式，告诉年轻人，佛教也可以很‘酷’，寺院也不仅仅是举行葬礼的地方。”

筑地本愿寺也用英语为外国游客举办神学研讨班，大殿里已经配置了管风琴以吸引年轻人对于西式婚礼的需求。其它的一些寺院也引进咖啡馆，艺术馆和其它的一些改进来为对不同生活方式感兴趣的年轻人提供服务。

本次活动的组织者，一位37岁的僧人Kosuke Kikkawa说；“我们中的许多人都有危机感，必须要采取措施来吸引年轻人的关注，我们不想改变佛教的教义，但是我们需要一种与已往不同的展示方式来吸引现在的年轻人。”

Japanese monks and nuns hit the catwalk in Tokyo on Saturday in a bid to spread Buddhism among younger people in this rapidly aging society.

The fashion show opened with a Buddhist prayer set to a hip-hop beat at the centuries-old Tsukiji Honganji temple, where nearly 40 monks and nuns from eight major Buddhist sects showed off elaborate robes in an effort to win back believers.

Five monks from each school walked on the runway, then chanted prayers and wrapped up in a grand finale with confetti resembling lotus petals.

Buddhist monks traditionally wear simple black robes. But to appeal to more fashion-conscious youth, the monks wore green and yellow clothes, some with gold embroidery. Others wore elaborate, multilayered robes.

"Their robes were gorgeous," said Sayaka Anma, one of the audience in her 20s, after the monks' show. "I was a bit surprised in the beginning, but it was very moving."

More than 1,200 years after it first arrived from mainland Asia, Buddhism in Japan is in crisis, priests say.

Almost three-quarters of Japan's population of 120 million are registered as Buddhist, but for many, the only time they enter a temple is to attend a funeral. That has sent many of the country's 75,000 temples into financial trouble.

Japan's aging population has meant more funerals, but the declining population and birth rate means fewer young people to share the bill to keep temples afloat.

"We wanted to show the young people that Buddhism is cool, and temples are not a place just for funerals," said Koji Matsubara, a chief monk at Tsukiji.

The Tsukiji Honganji offers theological seminars in English for foreign visitors, and has fitted its main hall with a pipe organ for Western-style weddings to attract young couples. Some other temples have also introduced cafes, art galleries and other innovations to reach out to young people who are interested in a different lifestyle.

"Many of us priests share the sense of crisis, and a need to do something to reach out to people," said priest Kosuke Kikkawa, 37, one of the organizers of Saturday's event. "We won't change Buddha's teachings, but perhaps we need a different presentation that can touch the feelings of the people today."