How to pray ?

Do you know how to pray in shrine?

Before entering into main temple, purify your mouth and hands at washbasin. You take the scoop in your right hand, pour some water into your left hand, and rinse out your mouth. Then take it in your left hand, our some water into your right hand. Then raise the scoop upright and pour water onto the handle of the scoop.

Go to the main tempe, ring the bell, throw coin into an offertory box.

Then, bow two times, clap your hands two times and bow one time.

This manner is only in shrine, not do in temple. In temple, only putting the palms of your hands together, close your eyes and pray.

However many peple clap their hands at temple.

An enshrined deity in shrine is a great person, such as Meiji Emperor (in Meiji Jingu) or Tokgawa Ieyasu (in Toshogu shrine.)

Today's guest in usual tour is from Singapore, who said wearing smile, he will be a deity in the future. We went to Asakusa and saw Sensoji temple after the tour. I said him Sensoji is temple, so don't clap your hands. Then we went to see Ninja Show on the street in front of Hanayashiki amusement park. This is interesting. Would you go there if you have time?

YASUNORI