A Tokyo temple held a "memorial service" Monday for around 50 hanko seals that companies have discarded as part of their move toward telework and administrative digitalization.
The chief priest of the temple in Shinjuku Ward chanted sutras over traditional company and employee seals, brought by three companies including Sakura Internet Inc.
In Japan, there is a custom to hold "memorial services" for tools and other items that have been used for a long time, ranging from needles, scissors, dolls, and even Aibo robotic dogs, to express their owners' sense of appreciation, rather than simply discarding them.