An American tourist was arrested in Tokyo on November 13, 2024, for allegedly vandalizing a torii gate at the Meiji Shrine in Shibuya.
The suspect, 65-year-old Steve Lee Hayes, is said to have used his fingernails to carve five letters into the sacred wooden pillar. The shrine’s representative discovered the damage, which was around 135 centimeters off the ground, and immediately notified the authorities.
Hayes, who admitted to the allegations, stated that the carved letters were meant to represent the names of his family members, showing little initial understanding of the cultural significance of the site.
Caught on Camera
Tokyo police were able to identify Hayes from security footage captured near the shrine. The video showed him committing the act around 11:15 a.m. on November 12, 2024, the day before his arrest.
Authorities confirmed that Hayes arrived in Japan on November 11, 2024, for a sightseeing trip with his family and was apprehended at his hotel in Tokyo.
According to The Japan Times, the suspect admitted to carving the letters into the gate, stating they represented his family’s names. The investigation also uncovered similar etchings resembling kanji on another pillar of the shrine, which police are continuing to examine.
Meiji Shrine: A Site of Cultural Importance
The Meiji Shrine is one of Japan’s most respected Shinto sites, built to honor Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The Torii gates, which mark the boundary between the secular and the sacred, are deeply significant within Shinto traditions.
Acts of vandalism are considered highly offensive and disrespectful.
Defacing a shrine gate is not only seen as disrespectful but also poses challenges to preserving cultural heritage.
Similar Incidents at Japanese Shrine
This incident involving shrines in Japan was not an isolated case. Recently:
- August 22, 2024: A 61-year-old Austrian tourist was arrested for engaging in sexual acts with a woman at Kesennuma Shrine in Miyagi Prefecture, witnessed by a passerby in broad daylight.
- October 2024: A Chilean influencer faced backlash after posting a video of herself performing a pull-up on a torii gate at a Shinto shrine, which many saw as disrespectful to the sacred site.
Both incidents sparked outrage over disrespect for Japan’s cultural and religious sites.
Watch the video here:
More from Wake Up Singapore:-
Chilean Influencer Apologizes for Pull-Up Stunt on Japan’s Sacred Torii Gate
French Artist Detained in Japan for Drawing Facial Hair on Election Posters
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