Shrines and Temples
- Ondrey
- Jun 1, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 26, 2022
Visiting the Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan and the etiquette you need to know before walking into either of their sacred grounds.
Japan has two major religions in the country: Shintoism and Buddhism. I am not going to delve into the religious beliefs or differences of them in this blog, however I will be comparing the difference in their architecture so that you, the traveler, will know how to tell them apart and understand best practices for etiquette while visiting either temples or shrines.
As you travel the country you will see the landscaped speckled with shrines and temples. How could you not? there are roughly around 86,000 Buddhist Temples and 90,000 Shinto Shrines. If you are traveling the country, you will undoubtedly come across at least one Shrine and/or Temple. They will range from small single standing Hokoras (mini shrines), along a roadside to elaborate manicured grounds with multi-tiered pagodas.
Shrines are used in the worship of Shintoism while temples are for Buddhism. If you are reading literature on nearby shrines, they will normally have the ending "jinja" or "Taisha". To the left is a typical layout of a shrine. Starting with No. 1 the Torii gate letting you know you are walking into sacred grounds. No. 2 & 3 are the stone steps and pathway to Haiden and Honden. No. 4 is the Temizuya or Couzuya which is a small pavilion with running water meant for those entering to cleanse their hands and mouth. Do Not Drink the Water. There is a small ladle that you can use to poor water over your hands. What practitioners will do is poor some into their hand shaped like a bowl and then touch it to their mouth. Make sure the water you use is done just outside the basin so that the water does not go back into the basin of pure water, and don't poor any water left in the ladle back in either. This is not a requirement for entering the shrines but if you want to participate in prayer, please follow all the proper steps in doing so.
No. 5 are Toro or stone/metal/bronze lanterns meant to guide you to the Haiden. Originally used at Buddhist temples, they started appearing in Shinto Shrines during the Heian period. No. 6 Kagura-den which is a small building dedicated to the sacred kagura "God entertainment" dance. No. 7 Shamusho is an administrative building. When walking around the Shrine you will notice this building selling Omamori or small pouch charms that are meant as protection charms said to contain the Busshin or part of the Kami enshrined. No. 8 Ema, is a small stand holding wooden plaques with handwritten prayers on them from visitors praying at the shrine. You can purchase them at the Shamusho building. No. 9 Sessha or Massha are smaller shrines that may house other deities that are affiliated with the main Kami of the shrine. No. 10 Komainu are the lion dog statues that stand in front of the Haiden as guardians of the shrine. If you visit an Inari shrine you will see the Kitsune or fox guardians. No. 11 is the Haiden or the place of worship. There is usually a small box with slats in it to put a few coins as an offering. if they have a bell attached you then ring the bell, bow twice, clap twice then pray, once you're done praying bow once more and you are done. No. 12 is the Tamagaki or fence surrounding the Honden. No. 13 Honden is where the Kami is enshrined and usually off limits to the public.
Like Shinto Shrines, you can tell if you're reading a name for a Buddhist Temples by looking at the ending "-ji", "dera" or "taishi". Buddhist Temples will vary in architecture and form depending on the denomination of Buddhism and the era when it was built. the below picture depicts three of the most common layouts for the Buddhist Temples. Buddhist Temples were built with taking into consideration the surrounding areas and facing specific directions for protection or warding off evil.
The Sanmon gates are a clear distinction that you are walking onto the grounds of a Buddhist Temple. There will be three openings that you can walk through which symbolize they three gates to enlightenment. Depending on which opening you enter you can free yourself of one of three vices: greed, hatred, and foolishness. As you continue walking you may come across a Nimon gate which will be smaller than the Sanmon gate and have two Nio or Kongorikishi which are warrior guardians that protect the Buddha on the sides of the gate. There are several different guardians that could be guarding a Temple, but I won't go into detail about them here. Larger Temples can include a Monastery where the Monks live and train. The grounds of these temples will be much larger with more buildings pertaining to the Monks living quarters. Depending on the time of your visit you may here a drum signifying the passing of time.
The Butsuden is a large building that will look like it is two stories but in fact has very tall ceilings. This building is where you will find the statue of Buddha or a Bodhisattva. When praying at the Butsuden after giving your offering you just have to put your hands together and pray, once done bow once. Do not clap at the temples. An exception to having a Butsuden is the Temple in Kamakura (picture to the right), where Buddha is out in the open. Another location that does this is the Ofuna Kannon where this Bodhisattava is seen peering down from a hilltop.
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