八衢マンション(Yachimata Mansion) [+ 八衢神社 (Yachimata Jinja)]

How to visit a temple

Behave calmly and respectfully. Show your respect by making a short prayer in front of the sacred object. Do so by throwing a coin into the offering box, followed by a short prayer.

At some temples, visitors burn incense (osenko) in large incense burners. Purchase a bundle, light them, let them burn for a few seconds and then extinguish the flame by waving your hand rather than by blowing it out. Finally, put the incense into the incense burner and fan some smoke towards yourself as the smoke is believed to have healing power. For example, fan some smoke towards your shoulder if you have an injured shoulder.

When entering temple buildings, you may be required to take off your shoes. Leave your shoes on the shelves at the entrance or take them with you in plastic bags provided at some temples. Wear nice socks.

Photography is usually permitted on the temple grounds. It is forbidden indoors at some temples. Watch for signs.



How to visit a shrine

Behave calmly and respectfully. Traditionally, you are not supposed to visit a shrine if you are sick, have an open wound or are mourning because these are considered causes of impurity.

At the purification fountain near the shrine's entrance, take one of the ladles provided, fill it with fresh water and rinse both hands. Then transfer some water into your cupped hand, rinse your mouth and spit the water beside the fountain. You are not supposed to transfer the water directly from the ladle into your mouth or swallow the water. You will notice that quite a few visitors skip the mouth rinsing part or the purification ritual altogether.

At the offering hall, throw a coin into the offering box, bow deeply twice, clap your hands twice, bow deeply once more and pray for a few seconds. If there is some type of gong, use it before praying in order to get the kami's attention.

Photography is usually permitted at shrines. Watch for signs.


What to do on a shrine
It is best to not to be barefoot or wearing shorts or camisole when visiting the Shinto Shrine, but there aren't any real dress codes. Cleanliness is very important to Shinto, so it's a respectful to bathe if you have done any strenuous exercise before hand. When you get to the Shrine:

First visit the Temizuya (hand washing basin) and rinse your hands and mouth to purify yourself inside and out. The clean water is to remove impurity and is a simplified version of the Misogi ShuHo (ritual purification in moving water).

1 Holding the dipper in your right hand pour a bit of water on your left hand.

2. Transfer the dipper to your left hand, then pour a bit of water on your right hand.

3. Transfer the dipper back to your right hand. Fill the dipper again and pour water into your cupped left hand. Then rinse your mouth out and spit out the water into the area provided (not back into the basin). Some Jinja don't follow the mouth rinse part anymore, so before you do this step make sure there is a place to spit.

4. Pour water one more time over your left hand.

5. Tilt the dipper up and let the remaining water pour over the dipper's handle.

Note that many Japanese don't get the order right, so don't be embarrassed if you don't get it perfect the first time. Making an effort counts more than dotting all the "i"s.

Second, approaching the Shrine building:

Bow slightly to the inner Torii (gate) then proceed. Don't walk in the centre of the path because that's a kind of bragging.

Third, prayer:

1. Move to Saisen Bako (offeratory box) and the Suzu (bell) rope. Straighten your mind/body/spirit and stand on center line. You may drop Saisen (monetary offering) into box (A monetary offering is not obligatory).

2. Hold Suzu rope in both hands and swing the rope to ring the bell (Don't pull on the rope).

3. Look towards the Kagami (mirror) in front of the inner Shrine doors and then bow twice deeply. (Some Jinja may not have a mirror showing).

4. Clap twice

5. Bow once again

6. Pray while keeping your hands together in front of your heart.

7. Clap twice more when finished praying.

8. Bow once again

Various Jinja have different numbers of bows and claps and you'll see a wide variety of styles because most people practice the way their parents taught them. Variations include: Bow, clap, bow, pray, clap, bow, Bow, clap, pray, clap, bow, and Bow, clap, pray bow.

Optional things to do:

1. Hang an Ema (prayer plaque) with your wishes written on it. There will be a place provided where you'll see a number of Ema hanging (Emaden). Ema can be purchased at the Shrine office or you can bring one that you've gotten elsewhere. Periodically the priests gather up the Ema and burn them in a special ritual. Because this is Shinto, worldly requests (love, money, health, and school grades) are the norm. Some Jinja are famous for a particular kind of request.

2. Omikuji. A fortune telling lottery. You visit the Shrine office and they will provide a box that you shake and pull a stick out with a number on it. You then go to the drawer with that number and take out a fortune from that drawer (all the fortunes in a particular drawer will be the same). The fortunes range from very bad luck to very good luck. They often have a lucky colour and lucky number as well. You then tie the fortune paper to a tree to make it come true.