Yesterday an organization in Japan held its second annual “Most Handsome Monk Contest” in Tokyo. One participant chopped through 10 cement blocks as part of the talent round. Another monk, a DJ, presented a mock radio program for the audience. But Koyu Osawa, the first ever female participant, won over the audience by leading them through a short meditation practice.

In her post-victory interview, Osawa said “I want to connect with people who have never tried it before, or have always wanted to try it,” said Osawa.

The contest was organized by Obosan.com / Monks.com, a web-based platform for Buddhist services in Japan. The lead organizer, Kazuma Hayashi, who runs a Buddhist funeral service, expressed his intent for the contest as spreading the word of Buddhism to as many people as possible and making it more accessible in their daily lives. Japan Today quoted him as saying, “The distance between Buddhism and people have widened. For example, they would only meet monks during funerals or a memorial service. If that chasm were to remain, the purpose of Buddhism, which is something that should affect our daily lives, will become something more and more distant.”

Japan’s rich Buddhist history, violently interrupted by WWII and its aftermath, have made the country a fertile ground for new approaches to Buddhist practice, especially for and among the laity.