2016 marked as golden year

Seihan Mori, head priest of Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera temple, writes kanji on Monday that can be read as "kin" for gold or "kane" for money. (The Yomiuri Shimbun, The Japan News / ANN)

Head priest of the Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto writes kanji on Monday that can be interpreted as "kin" for gold or "kane" for money.

Seihan Mori, head priest of Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera temple, writes kanji on Monday that can be read as “kin” for gold or “kane” for money. The character was chosen as the best kanji to symbolize this year, receiving 6,655 votes in a poll conducted by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation. It recalls the achievements of Japanese athletes who won gold medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, as well as money-and-politics scandals including the one involving former Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe.