Notice
Shinto is a polytheism targeting multiple gods for its beliefs.In Shinto, there are no founders and lessons, so everyone can join with any religious beliefs.
A Jinja a Shinto facility which is a specific Japanese religion.There are more than 100 thousand Shinto shrines in Japan, including small shrines that are not officially registered.
When you visit a Shinto shrine, the first thing to do is to wash your hands and mouth at a structure in a shinto shrine called 'temizusya'.
Clean water is believed to remove impurity. This process is a simplified version of full body bathing.
１．Scoop some water with a ladle with your right hand and pour water on your left hand.
２．Swap the ladle to your left hand and pour water on your right hand.
３．Swap the ladle to your right hand again and pour into your left palm.
４．Wash your mouth lightly with the water.
５．Wash your left hand with the remaining water.
６．Position the ladle vertically and wash it.
７．Put the ladle back where it was.
Now you are pure and clean to stand in front of the deities. At the hall of worship, please worship with sincerity.
In most cases, worship takes place by clapping hands at the front of haiden; in some cases, such as for purification ceremonies, people may enter the haiden building.To make a formal sanpai, visitors inform a clerk at a shrine office of their intention of making a formal sanpai and then enter into the haiden.
I will introduce the general manners .
1. Proceed toward the altar .
2. Bow lightly once（Offer some coins in the offering box,if you wish.）※It is not polite to throw change in the offering box.
3. Bow deeply twice.
4. Clap twice.
5. Make a wish or declare
6. Bow deeply once.
7. Bow lightly and lastly leave.
The procedure mentioned above is for informal sanpai done in front of the main building of a shrine; additionally, there is a formal sanpai done (entering) inside the haiden (worship hall).
Tamagushi-hoten (the offering of a tamagushi)
Making an offering of tamagushi before the gods is called tamagushi-hoten
The word ' tamagushi ' refers to a branch of sacred trees , such as Sakaki , with " shide " ( a zigzag-shaped paper streamer ) being attached to the branch .
Tamagushi-hoten is offered in the following manner .
After a Shinto priest performs shubatsu ( purification ceremony ) and chants norito to gods , they present tamagushi ( branch of a sacred tree ) before the gods and then bow .
When tamagushi is handed by a Shinto priest , the base of tamagushi is held from above by the right hand , and the leaf apex is supported by the left hand
.
1. Step forward to the front of the desk to make an offering of tamagushi , and bow lightly once
2. Pull back the right hand so that the base of tamagushi looks your direction ( the leaf apex pointing the altar ) , and shift the left hand to hold the base , and pray .
3. Hold the leaf apex of tamagushi by the right hand , move tamagushi clockwise so that the base points the altar .
4. Place tamagushi on the desk , perform nirei nihakushu ichirei ( bowing twice , clapping hands twice , and bowing again ) , bow lightly once , and return to the original seat .
The origin of tamagushi is said to be the description in Japanese Mythology mentioning that when Amaterasu Omikami ( the Sun Goddess ) hid in Ama no iwato Cave , Futodama ( another god in Japanese Mythology ) held Ihotsu no masakaki , a branch covered with foliage and decorated with balls and mirrors , reverently with both hand.