Attempted Graffiti on 8th Century Temple Pillar
May Face Fine of 2.75 Million Won
A Canadian teenage boy was reported to have been investigated by the police after graffitiing on a Japanese cultural heritage site.
British broadcaster BBC reported on the 10th (local time) that a 17-year-old boy traveling from Canada was caught by temple staff while carving the name "Julian" on a wooden pillar of the 8th-century temple Toshodaiji Kondo in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
The temple where the boy attempted the graffiti is designated as a National Treasure in Japan and is also a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. According to the media, the incident occurred on the 7th, and the boy was subsequently handed over to the police for investigation on charges of violating the Cultural Properties Protection Law.
During the investigation, the boy reportedly told the police that he had no intention of harming Japanese culture. It is also known that the boy is currently with his parents.
A monk from the temple told the Japanese media outlet Mainichi Shimbun, "Even if there was no malicious intent, it is unforgivable and a sad matter."
Meanwhile, Nara Prefecture, where the temple is located, is about 45 km south of Kyoto, Japan. Before the capital was moved to Kyoto during the Heian period (approximately 8th century to late 12th century), it was the political center of Japan.
The temple is one of the historical monuments that showcase the golden age of Nara Prefecture and is a tourist attraction that draws numerous visitors. The official UNESCO website describes this temple as a "place that vividly shows the life of the 8th-century Japanese capital during a period of profound political and cultural change."
Accordingly, it is protected under Japanese domestic law, and those who damage the temple can face up to five years in prison or a fine of 300,000 yen (approximately 2.75 million KRW).
Meanwhile, this is not the first case of a tourist damaging ancient cultural heritage. Ivan Dimitrov, a Bulgarian youth residing in the UK, was recently caught graffitiing on the outer wall while visiting the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, with his girlfriend.
Dimitrov is currently under investigation by the Italian prosecutor for damaging cultural heritage, and if found guilty, he could face a fine of at least 15,000 euros (approximately 21.4 million KRW) and up to five years in prison.
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