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Japanese monks go viral with online protest against police claim that robes are a driving hazard

Oona McGee Jan 4, 2019
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Buddhist monks juggle, box, dance to show their garments are no hindrance after monk refuses to pay fine for driving in his robe.

If you’ve been to Japan, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a monk in robes driving a car or riding a scooter, travelling to fulfil work duties that include conducting memorial ceremonies in people’s homes.

On 16 September, though, a Buddhist monk who was driving a car in Fukui Prefecture was stopped by police and fined 6,000 yen (US$55.38), with officers claiming that the long sleeves and hem of his robes hindered proper operation of the vehicle.

The monk has refused to pay the fine, and his sect is supporting his decision.

After the story came to light in a news report published on 29 December, monks around the country were quick to show their support for their fellow monk, refuting claims that their robes are a hindrance with a hashtag that’s now gone viral.

The peaceful protest is being catalogued under #僧衣でできるもん (“I can do it in a Buddhist Monk’s Robe“), with monks adding to the collection every day. So far we’ve seen monks riding exercise bikes…

エアロバイクだって乗れるし、車の運転は支障ないと思うんだ！#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/tB2eLkEczT

— 焼け石に肉 (@yakeishininiku) January 2, 2019

▼ Boxing…

お坊さんの衣は、動きやすいですよ。
運転に支障がないですね。#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/x8zVxzm3Tz

— マナップ (@manappuland) January 2, 2019

▼ Skateboarding…

僧衣を着ててもこんくらい出来るので、車の運転で僧衣が邪魔になることはないのです。#僧衣 #法衣 #僧侶 #お坊さん #リップスティック #安心安全の僧衣 #パジャマより気楽に着れちゃう pic.twitter.com/bFnjmVgxYV

— 麻田弘潤　僧侶で消しゴムはんこ作家です (@gokurakusan) December 30, 2018

▼ And dancing to Da Pump’s USA

#僧衣でできるもん
今年最初のおバカな行動、正直このタグを見つけてからやりたかったww

僧衣でも動けます( ◜ω◝ )
ダンス未経験者が15分で覚えてやったやつです pic.twitter.com/f8bB5UeTxp

— 和尚 (@Lispon_zi) December 31, 2018

The Assistant Chief Priest at Hensho-ji in Fukushima Prefecture showed his support with an impressive juggling performance.

https://twitter.com/detteiu1109/status/1079715414400163841

A number of other juggling priests joined in with their own videos, showcasing the fact that their sleeves don’t hinder them.

#僧衣でできぬもん　
ほら、できぬでしょ。　#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/QZwvlze4a0

— SHUNKOU　MASU (@PRINCO) January 3, 2019

運転に支障があるとの事ですが、お坊さんの衣は足もちゃんと動きますよ。

#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/PVb1jepZQP

— とっしゃん@お坊さん大道芸人 (@tossyan753) December 31, 2018

もちろん手もちゃんと動きますよ。

運転し辛いと思った事は無いですね。#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/fuZ6pMAeht

— とっしゃん@お坊さん大道芸人 (@tossyan753) December 31, 2018

These chief priests took out their jump ropes to show that long hems don’t interfere with their footwork.

あった。
回数微妙ですが二重跳び。#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/heMgVnv1wM

— 横山瑞法@TempleHotel 南アルプス法源寺オープン！ (@zuiho_yokoyama) December 30, 2018

これだけできるんだから、運転ぐらい困ることはないよね。#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/TneoRtCNMD

— へんも｜布教使.com管理人｜善照寺住職｜ブロガー｜フットバッグパフォーマー｜三原貴嗣 (@henmority) December 31, 2018

▼ While other monks played drums…

https://twitter.com/kossan1108/status/1080662390113366016

And even death metal. Although we don’t recommend driving with a straw basket on your head. That’s a non-driving activity best left to the strolling Edo-period komuso monks.

ヘドバンにも問題ないようです。腰と首を痛める可能性はありますので、お気をつけて！！#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/sUHITCNARJ

— THE 南無ズ (@thenamuzu) January 2, 2019

This xylophone-playing monk likened robes to suits, saying that they’re formalwear, and there’s nothing they can’t do while wearing them.

https://twitter.com/yasu_f18/status/1080391469049868288

Back in the day, fighting monks swung long swords while dressed in robes, making driving much easier by comparison.

過去には、僧兵の皆さんはこのような僧衣で薙刀を振るって戦をしていたわけですから、オートマ車の運転くらいなら容易いものだと思いますが…（笑）
それにしても。お坊さんというのは何か一つは芸を持っていないと成り立たないのでしょうか？と思うくらい皆さん多芸…。
#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/wdanFqNxii

— 瀧波一誠 | 地理と珈琲を愛する人 (@mokosamurai777) January 2, 2019

And let’s take a moment to remember the fact that the Jedi in Star Wars wielded lightsabers with ease in their monk-like robes.

#僧衣でできるもん #StarWars
改良衣ですが参加！
動きやすくてとても便利です。 pic.twitter.com/oXZEHv0Dw0

— 祥山(療養中) (@showzan331) January 2, 2019

Road Traffic Laws in Fukui Prefecture prohibit driving in “attire that hinders proper operation of a vehicle”. However, police say driving in monk’s robes is not a blanket offence; instead being determined on a case-by-case basis by individual officers. The offence written by police on the infringement ticket was “Driving in Japanese clothes that hindered driving“.

With such a grey area surrounding the by-law, some monks took the opportunity to use the hashtag to share some useful advice to fellow monks to prevent possible infringements in future.

▼ Best to wear proper shoes rather than woven geta sandals when driving.

お坊さんの運転のことから始まったこのタグ、雪駄で運転しているイメージあるかもしれませんが私は足袋向けの靴を履いて年中運転しています！これお坊さんにオススメ、リラックシューっていう靴です👞（笑）僧衣はベージュ推しです
#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/N17xeU0ax7

— 筒井章順｜函館／写真とお寺 (@tsutsu111111) January 3, 2019

▼ And keep your sleeves up and away from your wrists.

僧衣で車を運転すると危険？

皆さん気になる
袖はどうなるか問題

こうなります
(※エンジンを切って撮影してます

恐らく一般の方の想像より、袖は手首や腕についてきません

他の方の投稿で僧衣の動きやすさは伝わったと思いますので足は省略
(※運転中はもちろん靴はいてます#僧衣でできるもん pic.twitter.com/51TvrLUnTg

— 🍅住職人形【苫小牧正光寺】苫小牧１ひとが集まるお寺🙆✨ (@tomakomshokouji) December 31, 2018

According to media reports, the monk booked by police in September was in his 40s, and was on his way to conduct a memorial ceremony while dressed in his usual robes, with a hemline that fell below the knee. The monk said this was the first time for him to be fined in over 20 years of driving in his robe to carry out his daily work duties.

Sources: Yomiuri Shimbun, Net Lab
Featured image: Twitter/@showzan331