Visiting a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple is a must when traveling to Japan. Just like any place of worship, knowing the proper etiquette is important. As an American exchange student who lived in Japan for a year, I’m here to explain how to visit a shrine in Japan.
How to Visit a Shrine in Japan
A Japanese temple or shrine is the same as any church or synagogue; it’s a significant religious site. Regardless of your own religious beliefs, it’s important to show respect and follow all the posted rules.
Keep voices down.
Don’t eat in a Shrine or Temple.
Dress conservatively.
Although there’s no specific dress code, it is advisable to dress conservatively when visiting a religious site. Keep shorts and skirts at a reasonable length and wear a light sweater or jacket over a revealing top.
In general, Japanese clothing is more modest, so dressing reasonably keeps you from standing out. So show respect for their culture and dress conservatively for your entire stay in Japan.
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How to Enter a Shrine or Temple in Japan
Learning the etiquette for entering a shrine or temple is important. Here are the steps, in order.
Stepping over the threshold of a temple or shrine entrance gate is one of the most important rules when visiting a Japanese religious site. At every entrance gate, find a raised threshold. The thresholds are as small as half an inch or as tall as 8 or 9 inches, and always make an effort to step over them.
Do not walk down the center of a pathway inside a temple or shrine. The center of the walkway is reserved for divine beings, not humans. This rule isn’t commonly posted, but respect it. And it increases your understanding of Japanese religious culture, and you will have a more fulfilling experience.
Find the water basin with ladles near the front of Shinto shrines. Use it for cleansing yourself before entering. Oftentimes, there are no instructions on how to do this respectfully, so here are some simple guidelines to follow.
How to Cleanse Yourself at a Shrine
Find the water basin with clean water and ladles. First, grab a ladle with your right hand and fill the ladle with water. Second, pour water on your left hand. Next, change hands to pour water on your right hand.
Then pour a bit of water into your hand to rinse out your mouth. Lastly, clean the ladle for the next visitor by allowing the remaining water to flow down the ladle’s handle. Finally, replace the ladle onto the rim of the water basin for the next visitor.
Note: Remember, don’t spit or throw coins into the clean water basin.
What You Find in Japanese Shrines and Temples
Some shrines and temples feature a section with Tatami, or woven grass mats. Since the mats are extremely fragile, you remove your shoes before entering.
As a signal to take your shoes off, find a small wooden platform at the base of some steps. Sometimes, the temples feature shelves to store shoes or plastic bags to carry your shoes while inside.
Or just take off your shoes and place them neatly in front of the wooden platform at the steps. At larger temples, find a sign in several languages telling you when to remove your shoes.
At most shrines and temples, find an offering box for coins. To offer a prayer, gently put your monetary offering into the box. Any value is fine, but a five-yen coin symbolizes a wish for good relationships.
Once you put in your offering, bow twice, then clap twice. After you do this, silently offer up your prayer.
Lastly, bow once more after you finish your prayer. And remember, don’t stand in the middle of the shrine or temple, it’s reserved for the gods.
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Most temples and shrines offer a gift shop stocked with various amulets, religious objects, and souvenirs. At larger sites, you find postcards, key chains and other souvenirs to remember your visit. At these sites, fortunes and amulets are also in English or have English translations.
For most temples and shrines, there’s no age restriction on who can enter.
Remember, you can take photos outside of the temple or shrine. However, you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside where the offerings or religious figures reside.
The interior of a temple or shrine is a sacred place, and taking pictures is very disrespectful. This will usually be marked by a universal no-photos sign. If not, you can ask someone who works at the site, and they can answer any questions you may have.
When to Go to a Shrine or Temple
Going to a temple or shrine is often a part of national holiday celebrations for Japanese people. During the New Year holidays and summer festivals are also busy times at a temple or shrine. If you want to avoid the crowds, my best tip is to go to the popular sites early on a weekday morning.
Most sites do charge a small fee for entering. This fee is usually around the equivalent of three or four dollars, with larger, more popular sites being more expensive. With this purchase, you will get a ticket unique to that temple or shrine and a small pamphlet giving a little history on the site. Most sites do have an English pamphlet, so don’t be afraid to ask.
What’s the Difference between a Shrine and a Temple in Japan
Most first-time visitors to Japan don’t understand the difference between a shrine and a temple. The answer is quite simple: a temple is Buddhist, and a shrine is Shinto.
Some differences between Shinto shrines: find a red Tori gate at the entrance of a shrine. The name of the shrine itself is always followed by the suffix “-jingu”.
A Buddhist temple houses the image of Buddha and usually has a large incense burner in front. Buddhist Temple names are always followed by the suffix “-ji”.
Cities like Kyoto or Nara seem to have a temple or shrine around every corner. A visitor to Japan may think that Japanese people identify strongly with religion. However, this assumption is quite far from the truth.
The average Japanese person doesn’t strongly identify with any one religion. Christianity is uncommon, but Buddhism and Shintoism have been practiced in Japan for hundreds of years. Many Japanese people identify with both, and there are no restrictions on doing so.
At many Buddhist temples, visitors can burn incense in large incense burners. Visitors burn incense for a variety of reasons, but most people use it to cleanse or heal themselves.
To burn incense, first buy a bundle. Each bundle is sold for a few hundred Yen. Then, light the top of the bundle and place it into the incense burner.
Wait for it to start smoking, then gently put it out by waving your hand rather than blowing directly onto it. If you don’t wish to buy incense, you can still cleanse yourself by using your hand to waft the smoke towards your body and the top of your head.
My Year Abroad in Japan
I spent my sophomore year of high school at an all-girls high school in the Suginami ward in Tokyo. As a way to document my experiences, I wrote articles to help others traveling to Japan. Additionally, I earned my Gold Award with USA Girl Scouts Overseas during my exchange year through my articles.
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