KOTOHIRA, Kagawa Pref. -- In order to visit the 3,000-year-old Kompira Shrine, which still attracts millions of pilgrims and tourists here each year, a long, steep slope of 1,368 stone steps must first be conquered.
But the weary or the lazy can be carried on a palanquin midway up the slope, past the most difficult part of the mountain, for just 5,000 yen.
Unfortunately for palanquin carriers, the number of visitors to the shrine has dropped since Japan's economy began to slow down. "Now our business is in its worst condition in recent years. I think the number of customers is nearly one-tenth what it was at our best time," said Hiroaki Tokunaga, a palanquin team leader, as he waited for visitors.