Japanese Buddhism & Shinto, explained from Japan
Practical guides to visiting shrines and temples: the etiquette, the meaning behind what you see, and the places worth the journey. Written by a Japan-based learner who walks the grounds.
New to shrines and temples?
Shrine vs Temple: How to Tell the Difference in Japan
Gates, buildings, prayers and who is enshrined: the five clues that tell you where you are.
Coming soon
How to Visit a Shinto Shrine, Step by Step
From bowing at the torii to the two-bows, two-claps prayer, with what to skip if you are unsure.
Coming soon
Goshuin: A Complete Guide to Temple and Shrine Stamps
What they are, how to ask for one, what it costs, and how to choose your first goshuin-cho.
Coming soonVisiting a shrine at New Year: a hatsumode guide
When to go, how to avoid the longest lines, and what to do with last year’s charms.
Go beyond sightseeing
Stay overnight, sit, copy a sutra, or walk a pilgrimage. What each is really like, and how to book it.
Temple stays (shukubo)
Morning prayers, vegetarian meals, and where to book.
Coming soon
Zen meditation (zazen)
Where visitors can join a sitting in Kyoto and Kamakura.
Coming soon
Sutra copying (shakyo)
A quiet hour with a brush, no calligraphy skills needed.
Coming soon
Pilgrimages
Kumano Kodo and the Shikoku 88 temples for first-timers.
Coming soonPlaces worth the journey
Ise Jingu: the heart of Shinto
Coming soon
Koyasan: a mountain of temples
Coming soon
Izumo Taisha: where the gods gather
Coming soon
Fushimi Inari without the crowds
Coming soon
Kamakura’s Zen temples in a day
Coming soon
Nara’s great temples
Coming soon
Learning as I walk
I live in Japan and visit shrines and temples whenever I can, studying Shinto and Buddhism as I go. This site shares what I learn, carefully and with sources, for anyone who wants to understand what they are seeing.
Read: Nature Worship in Shinto →One place, one practice, once a month
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