Shrine Visit

Mom had very busy week, but now it's a holiday week in Japan! We have 4 National hoidays studded in the first week of May and we call it "Golden week" as it is a good vacation season.

Many people travel extensively at home and abroad, and everywhere is so crowded. Dad, Mom and I hate crowded places, so we just stay at home and have some relaxation time.

Today, we went to Oharano Shrine, which is one of my favorite places for a walk.

I love these fresh greens in this season.

Greeting Racoon Statues. :D

This is where we wash our hands and rinse our mouths so that we can purify our bodies and minds before we make a prayer to gods (or goddesses).




This is the "torii" gate. The straw rope you can see on the gate is believed to ward off evil spirits and means inside of this rope, it's a sacred area where gods ore goddesses are.


This is "Honden" or sanctuary, where gods (or goddesses) are enshrined.

There are some rules to make a prayer to Japanese gods (or goddesses).
1. Make a money offering to the offertory box.
(The amount is up to you. 10 cents to 1 dollar would be fine.)
2. Ring a bell in front of honden.
(Most shrines have a bell, but this shirine does't, so you can skip this.)
3. Bow twice.
4. Clap twice.
5. Bow once.

Then, make a prayer.

Hatsumode

We went to the Oharano Shrine for Hatsumode, or the first shrine visit of the New Year. In Japan, it is a custom to go to a shrine or temple to pray for a long life and happiness during the new year. Many people goes to Hatsumode on the first, second, or third day of the year, so usually every shrines and temples are so crowded on these days. That's why we go to the shrine after the new year holiday so that we can avoid crowds.

I believe the gods can take care of our prays when not so many people are around!
I always make a wish for one thing.

Oharano Shrine

We went to Oharano Shrine, which is about 10 minites ride from our place.

Japanese shrines usuallyl have 2 or 3 gates (or "Torii" in Jpanese). This is the first Torii.


This one is the second Torii. You can see "Shimenawa" (or lengths of braided rice straw rope) on the Torii, indicating that inside of this gate is sacred area where gods (or goddes) are.

This is a pond. Japanese temples usually have a pond to enjoy the view.


This is the third Torii.


In front of the third Torii, there is a place you wash your hands and mouth. All visiters are to rinse their hands and mouth to purify our body before we pray to a god.

This is guardian deer. Japanese shrines or temples usually have a pair of guardian dogs placed at each side of a shrine or temple entrance; believed to ward off evil spirits. This shrine is unique that the guardian figures are deer, instead of dogs. This is because this shrine is derived from the Kasuga Shrine, which is located in the city of Nara and one of the most famouse shrines in Japan, and it is believed that deer are the messanger of gods of the Kasuga Shrine. (Kasuga shrine is famouse for tame deer roaming free aroud the Nara park.)

This is a hall of worship, the place you pray for gods. Inside of the building, the gods are enshrined.


This is the place you tie a fortune telling paper. In Japan, it is a custom that if the prediction is bad, you fold up the fortune telling paper and attach it to a tree in the temple or shrine, and if the prediction is good, you keep it in your purse for the good luck.

Have you enjoyed my guiding the temple??