Power spots and shrine etiquette

1.Enjoying power spots

• Learn the story: looking up the deity enshrined and the history of the place before you go makes the visit much richer.
• Feel the nature: savor the trees of the grounds, the sound of water and the clearness of the air.
• Mind your manners: shrines and temples are places of worship. Follow the rules on photos and where you may go, and pray quietly.

2.Guardian buddhas of the twelve animals

In Buddhism, each birth-year animal is said to have a buddha who protects it (mamori honzon). Use it as a guide for visiting temples.

Check your birth year’s eto in the birth chart reading or the eto by year list (in divination, the year changes at Risshun).

3.Choosing a kind of place by element or Nine Star Ki

You can also enjoy choosing the kind of place to visit by your element (found from your Nine Star Ki main star or day stem). This is one way of thinking about it.

You can also check your element in the chart in feng shui by the five elements. If the direction you travel in matters to you, see the Nine Star Ki reading and lucky directions.

4.Well-known power spots by region

All of these have drawn worshippers since long ago. Enjoy their blessings as things they are “known for” or “said to bring”.

5.How to visit a shrine

1. Pass through the torii

Bow lightly in front of the torii gate before passing through. The middle of the approach is said to be the path of the gods (seichū), so it is best to walk a little to one side.

2. Purify yourself at the basin

1. Take the ladle in your right hand and rinse your left hand
2. Switch to your left hand and rinse your right hand
3. Switch back to your right hand, pour water into your left palm and rinse your mouth
4. Rinse your left hand once more
5. Tilt the ladle upright so the water runs down the handle, and put it back

3. Worship: two bows, two claps, one bow

1. Ring the bell if there is one, and quietly drop in your offering
2. Bow deeply twice
3. Put your hands together in front of your chest, slide your right hand down a little, and clap twice
4. Bring your hands together and pray (first give thanks for everyday life; some people also say their name and address silently)
5. Bow deeply once

4. On leaving

After you pass back through the torii, turn and bow once.

6.How temples differ

At a temple you don’t clap; you put your palms together and bow. Step over the threshold of the temple gate rather than on it, and offer incense or a candle if they are there.

7.Goshuin

A goshuin is a seal and inscription you receive as a record of your visit. Ask for it at the counter after you have prayed. It isn’t a stamp rally, so wait quietly while it is written.

8.Good days to visit

You can visit any time, but many people choose the 1st and 15th of each month (tsuitachi-mairi and jūgonichi-mairi), or lucky days such as Tenshabi and Ichiryū-manbai-bi. See the kinds of lucky days for their meanings and the lucky day calendar for dates. For looking after your omamori, see how to carry and return omamori.

9.FAQ

Do you bow twice, clap twice and bow once at a temple too?

At a temple you don’t clap; the usual way is to put your palms together quietly and bow. Two bows, two claps and one bow is shrine etiquette.

How much should I offer?

There is no set amount. A well-known pun is the 5-yen coin (go-en), which sounds like “a good connection”, but what matters most is the gratitude you put into it.

I heard some shrines use four claps.

Some shrines have their own way of worship. Izumo Taisha, Usa Jingū and Yahiko Jinja use two bows, four claps and one bow, and the priests of Ise Jingū use a special form of eight bows and eight claps. Follow the guidance of the shrine you visit.