GIFU, May 06 (News On Japan) - A wooden church in Kasamatsu, Gifu Prefecture collapsed on Saturday evening, after years of delayed demolition plans due to financial constraints.
The main hall of the Ontake Kyosho-Okyo Church headquarters in Naramachi was recorded collapsing around 7:15 p.m. by a nearby resident. The resident reported hearing creaking noises earlier in the evening and began filming out of concern.
According to people affiliated with the church who live on the premises, no one was injured. The local fire department also confirmed that no one required emergency transport, and there were no injuries among nearby residents.
Sources said the building had been deteriorating for years, and discussions about demolishing it began four to five years ago. However, the plan was never realized due to funding difficulties.
Despite the use of the word "church" (教会 kyōkai) in its name—common among groups within Sect Shinto (Kyōha Shintō)—the Ontake Kyosho-Okyo Church is affiliated with Ontake-kyō, a Shinto sect that venerates Mount Ontake as sacred. These groups sometimes adopt organizational terms like "church" or "headquarters" to reflect their structure, especially in the Meiji period when religious groups had to register formally under state-defined categories.
Source: Nagoya TV News
