Higashi Honganji Assesses Damage, Security After Attack
GoFundMe campaign launched to boost security at temple.
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By GWEN MURANAKA, Rafu Senior Editor
The graceful curved roof and ornate lanterns of Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple have long reflected the temple’s status as a sanctuary of peace and reflection within Little Tokyo.
Bishop Noriaki Ito noted that unlike Japan, the temple is constructed of concrete and that may have been a saving grace in the wake of a horrific act of vandalism last Thursday night.
An unidentified suspect scaled the fence, toppled two decorative metal lanterns and set fire to two wooden stands, melting the light fixtures on the pillars.