Let’s visit Shrine!
Let’s visit Shrine!
~let’s learn how to visit shrine in a right manner~
Hi. I’m Yukako who lives in the northern part of Europe, and teaches and tells people about Japanese traditional culture such as tea ceremony, kimono, etc. offline and online.
Have you ever been to Japanese shrines? Shrines are called “jin-ja” in Japanese, where Shinto Gods are worshipped. Japanese worship about eight hundreds of Gods, and each shrine has Gods for studying, thriving, health, etc. We have a certain way to visit Gods, so please remember how to do it when visiting Gods in Japan.
“Two – two – one “!
When entering the shrine gate (torih), you will see the area for purification. There are usually bamboo ladles, so pick up one and wash your hands from the left side. After washing the both hands, you lightly squish your mouth too. Watch out you don’t splash water to others! This is a process of purification before actually meeting Gods.
After cleansing, you finally can step forward to where God sits. When you see someone walking in front of you, don’t forget to greet them too. It’s just to be more friendly. When arriving the God’s house, there is usually a bell hanging in front. You can shake it gently a few times to tell him that you arrived. Afterwards, you have a step back and face toward God.
How to make a wish
- Close your eyes and bow two times toward God.
- Clap two times, and talk to God in your heart.
- After finishing a talk, bow one more time and you may leave.
This style is named “ni-rei ni-hakushu ichi-rei” (bow & clap twice, bow once). It usually applies to most shrines in Japan. So, please visit shrine in this right manner!
Thank you for reading!!