Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [31]
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VISITING A SHRINE
Entering a Japanese shrine can be a bewildering experience for travellers. In order to make the most of the experience, follow these guidelines and do as the Japanese do.
Just past the torii (shrine gate), you’ll find a chōzuya (trough of water) with hishaku (long-handled ladles) perched on a rack above. This is for purifying yourself before entering the sacred precincts of the shrine. Some Japanese forgo this ritual and head directly for the main hall. If you choose to purify yourself, take a ladle, fill it with fresh water from the spigot, pour some over one hand, transfer the spoon and pour water over the other hand, then pour a little water into a cupped hand and rinse your mouth, spitting the water onto the ground beside the trough, not into the trough.
Next, head to the haiden (hall of worship), which sits in front of the honden (main hall) enshrining the kami (god of the shrine). Here you’ll find a thick rope hanging from a gong, with an offerings box in front. Toss a coin into the box, ring the gong by pulling on the rope (to summon the deity), pray, then clap your hands twice, bow and back away from the shrine. Some Japanese believe that a ¥5 coin is the best for an offering at a temple or shrine, and that the luck engendered by the offering of a ¥10 coin will come further in the future (since 10 can be pronounced tō in Japanese, which can mean ‘far’).
If photography is forbidden at a shrine, it will be posted as such; otherwise, it is permitted and you should simply use your discretion when taking photos.
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In Shintō there is a pantheon of gods (kami) who are believed to dwell in the natural world. Consisting of thousands of deities, this pantheon includes both local spirits and global gods and goddesses. Shintō gods are often enshrined in religious structures known as jinja, jingū or gū (usually translated into English as shrine; see the boxed text). The greatest of these is Ise-jingū in Kansai’s Mie-ken Click here, which enshrines the most celebrated Shintō deity, Amaterasu-Ōmikami, the goddess of the sun to whom the imperial family of Japan is said to trace its ancestry. At the opposite end of the spectrum, you may come across waterfalls, trees or rocks decorated with a sacred rope (known as a shimenawa), which essentially declares that these things contain kami (and makes them natural shrines in their own right).
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TEMPLE OR SHRINE?
One of the best ways to distinguish a Buddhist temple from a Shintō shrine is to examine the entrance. The main entrance of a shrine is a torii (shrine gate), usually composed of two upright pillars, joined at the top by two horizontal cross-bars, the upper of which is normally slightly curved. Torii are often painted a bright vermilion, though some are left as bare wood. In contrast, the main entrance gate (mon) of a temple is often a much more substantial affair, constructed of several pillars or casements, joined at the top by a multitiered roof, around which there may even be walkways. Temple gates often contain guardian figures, usually Niō (deva kings). Keep in mind, though, that shrines and temples sometimes share the same precincts, and it is not always easy to tell where one begins and the other ends.
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In contrast to Shintō, which evolved with the Japanese people, Buddhism arrived from India via China and Korea sometime in the 6th century AD. For most of its history, it has coexisted peacefully with Shintō (the notable exception being the WWII period, during which Buddhism was suppressed as a foreign import). Buddhism, which originated in southern Nepal in the 5th century BC, is sometimes said to be more of a way or method than a religion, since, strictly