9th January – 睦月

お参り　- Omairi

When you go to the shrines and temples, there are specific ways to worship the gods or Buddha. Even many of Japanese do not know how to worship (お参り Omairi), so maybe you can be the role model for them at the temples or shrines!

Shrine

1. Bow one time before going into the 鳥居 (Torii gate)
2. Do not walk in the middle of the road as it is considered as the road for the god. Therefore, walk on the side
3. At the Chouzu-sha(手水舎: Where the water to clean the hands and mouth), fill the Hishaku (柄杓: Water scooper) and hold it with right hand
4. Wash the left hand, then hold Hishaku with left hand to clean right hand.
5. Hold Hishaku with right hand again and grab the water with left hand to wash the mouth (do not swallow the water)
6. Hold the Hishaku to vertical level and wash the handle with the rest of water in it
7. Place Hishaku back where it belongs
8. Stand in front of the main worship area and bow one time
9. Toss the coins (お賽銭:Osaisen). – the amount you want to donate to the shrine
10. Bow twice
11. Clap the hands twice (Shift the right hand position slightly different to left hand to make the loud clap so that god can hear: this way is called 柏手 Kashiwa-de)
12. Tell the wish to the god
13. Bow one once
14. After getting out from the Torii gate, bow towards the god inside the shrine

Perfect!

Temple

1. Bow to the 山間 (Sankan: main gate) with putting the palms together (合掌 Gassyou) in front of the chest
2. Walk toward the gate from right foot for ladies, left foot for gents (Do not step on the gate sill)
3. Clean the hands and mouth at Chouzu-sha (手水舎) with the same style as at the shrine
4. Go to the main worship area and toss the coins (お賽銭 Osaisen)
5. Bow once with putting the palms together (合掌 Gassyou)
6. お焼香 (Oshoukou): Burning incense, it is believed that burning incense will clean the mind and take the impurity away. take the pinch of incense with left hand and bring it in front of the forehead, then put it back. *In the other case, there might have it in a huge vase. soaking oneself with that smoke to clean the mind.
7. Put the palms together again (合掌 Gassyou) then pray and bow once.
8. After getting out from the Sankan gate, bow towards the main worship area.

Great Job:)

Now you know how to behave in the shrines and temples, why don’t you actually visit there to impress all the Japanese there!