Japanese Buddhist monks strutted their stuff Wednesday in a contest highlighting sutra chanting skills, giving funeral sermons and, surprisingly, loud karate chops.

The contest, held on the sidelines of Japan's first ever expo on the business of death and dying, was aimed at winning back public interest in funeral services offered by priests and monks as more people seek alternatives to traditional burial customs.

Wearing pale gold, purple, or black and white robes, the eight monks walked calmly onto a stage one by one, bowing to an audience of about 100 people with their palms together.

They gave short sermons and also chanted solemn sutras and Buddhist songs, key requirements for conducting wakes and funerals according to ancient religious rites.

But one of the contestants, Taigen Yokoyama, showed off a different talent, demonstrating his technique in the Japanese martial art of karate by breaking a pile of 10 tiles with his bare right hand.

"Ha!" he shouted, followed by the cacophonous sound of tiles shattering. "I'm sorry to have frightened you," he added.

The event was held in conjunction with the Life Ending Industry Expo, which attracted more than 200 companies. 

It followed another unique competition the previous day that highlighted the work of the declining number of specialists who prepare the dead for Buddhist funerals and cremations.

Observers say an increasing number of people are cutting ties with traditional Buddhist temples and are not building  new tombs in graveyards, citing growing individualism and shortage of younger family members to take care of graves.