Vandalism, peeling ceiling art: Japan temples suffer damage

A painting in the main hall of Sensoji temple in Tokyo peeled off on July 8, seemingly the result of wear and tear. - ASAAAARUKO/TWITTER, CARI_MELI/TWITTER

TOKYO (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Japan’s centuries-old temples, preserved as heritage sites that are visited by millions each year, appear to be gradually succumbing to wear and tear but also sometimes as victims of tourist-inflicted vandalism.

The local police in the Nara prefecture on Friday (July 7) questioned a Canadian teenager after he was seen carving the word “Julian” into a pillar at the Toshodaiji Temple, a Unesco World Heritage Site. He is suspected to have violated laws for cultural property protection.