Temple Collection Apparel Brand SAMGHA Secures 3 Million Yen in Financing
The financing backs a revenue-return model that treats temple collections as licensed design assets, offering rural temples an income path that does not depend on tourism.
Reporting from 1 source: ASCII.jp.
Web-Design.LINK LLC and Shrine and Temple Online Inc. have strengthened the financial base of their design brand SAMGHA by approximately 3 million yen. The funds come from a 2 million yen Japan Finance Corporation loan and acceptance into the Small Business Sustainability Subsidy of up to 1 million yen. The brand converts genuine temple collections into apparel, returning a portion of sales to temples to support cultural heritage preservation.
The brand draws on sutras, Buddhist paintings, and old documents held by actual temples, rather than modern Japanese-style patterns. Small characters from sutras, previously hard to print, are processed into fine print materials through AI and design work. Products in the lineup include the Monju Bosatsu Sanskrit Zip Hoodie, Kiriiku Sanskrit T-shirt, and Toshitotama Goddess Tote Bag.
The funding is allocated to new product development, marketing, and PR. The project formally borrows collections from temples and shrines, converts them into high-definition data, and develops apparel. A portion of product sales revenue is donated back to temples, building a self-reliant cycle for cultural asset preservation that does not rely on tourism.
- Monju Bosatsu Sanskrit Zip Hoodie
- Kiriiku Sanskrit T-shirt
- Toshitotama Goddess Tote Bag
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.