Main Buildings
A Shintō shrine is typically made up of two parts: the Haiden, where followers say prayers to the kami, and the Honden, or inner sanctum where the kami dwell. The Honden is always built behind the Haiden and is usually closed to the general public. There is a small structure between the Honden and Haiden called the Heiden, or Hall of Offerings, which is only open only to the priests when they are making offerings on behalf of visitors.
Purification The concept of purity is central to Shinto. Spiritual and physical purity is thought to connect people to the kami, while impurity separates them. As a result, most Shinto practices are performed to ward away evil spirits through purification, prayer, and offerings to the kami. Follow the steps below if you would like to purify yourself at the temizuya or chōzuya before you enter the shrine:
• Hold the ladle in your right hand first and allow the water from the fountain to fill it about half way. Pour the water over your left hand to wash it.
• Now hold the ladle in your left hand and repeat. • Transfer the ladle back to your right hand and fill it with water. Cup your left hand and tip the water from the ladle into it. • Sip the water you just poured into your left hand. Do NOT bring the ladle to your mouth.
• Wash it around your mouth but do not swallow it. Spit the water out onto the rocks below - not into the water fountain. • Still holding the ladle in your right hand refill it and angle it up it so the water runs down the handle to rinse it and place the ladle upside down where you found it. • You are now purified to enter the shrine!
Oshogatsi
(New Year’s): January 1
Major Shinto Holidays
Seijin Shiki
Pray at a Shinto
(Adult’s Day): January 15
Shrine
• Wait your turn if someone else is praying at the shrine. You should not talk in front of the prayer hall, especially when there are other visitors there to pray. • Approach the shrine and toss a coin into the offering box. Five-cent coins are considered lucky!
• Ring the bell once using the long rope in front of the prayer hall. This calls the kami into the shrine. • Bow twice. • Clap your hands twice. • Place your hands together and silently make your wish or prayer. • Bow one last time.
Wishes & Fortunes
When visitors go to shrines they often purchase fortunes and charms to ward off evil. Most shrines will sell omikuji, or paper fortunes for about Y100. They are folded strips of paper that will give you a good or bad fortune. If you draw a good fortune, take it home with you. If you get a bad fortune, it is customary to tie it to a tree or wire rack at the shrine. In this way, the kami take care of the bad luck for you and the bad fortune will not come true.
You will also notice small wooden tablets with pictures and writing on them, called ema, which are displayed around the shrine. The ema can be purchased at the shrine entrance and are used for writing down wishes.
Setsubun
(Advent of Spring): February 3
Shimenawa
Sacred places are typically marked with a rice straw or hemp rope, called a shimenawa, and strips of zig zagged white paper called shide. They are placed at the entrances of holy places to ward off evil spirits or placed around trees or objects to indicate the presence of kami.
After writing your wish, place it on the ema stand in the shrine where the shrine’s kami will
receive them and hopefully grant your wish. TWC: Shinto | 19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
