Shrine or temple? How to tell
Two different religions share Japan happily. A shrine (神社, jinja) is Shinto: you'll see a torii — the gate made of two uprights and a crossbar, often vermillion. A temple (お寺, otera; names usually end in -ji, like Sensō-ji) is Buddhist: look for a big roofed gate, incense smoke, and Buddha statues. The etiquette overlaps, but prayer differs in one famous way: you clap at a shrine, never at a temple.
- Torii gate + ropes & paper zigzags (shimenawa) = shrine.
- Incense burner + pagoda or Buddha hall = temple.
Approaching: bow at the gate, keep to the side
Pause and give a small bow before you pass under the torii or through the temple gate — you're entering someone's sacred space. Then walk along the side of the path, not straight up the middle: the centre (seichū) is reserved for the deity. Take your hat off, lower your voice, and don't eat or drink as you wander.
- Bow once before passing through the gate.
- Walk to the left or right of the central path.
- Don't stroll down the dead-centre of the approach.
- Don't show up in a singlet — modest dress, shoulders covered.
Purify at the water basin (temizu)
Near the entrance there's a stone water basin (temizuya) with bamboo ladles. This little ritual cleanses your hands and mouth before you approach. Do it in one ladleful of water, in order — and never put the ladle to your lips directly.
- Take the ladle in your right hand, rinse your left.
- Switch hands, rinse your right.
- Right hand again: pour water into your cupped left hand and rinse your mouth quietly (don't swallow — spit beside the basin, not into it).
- Rinse your left hand once more.
- Tip the ladle upright so the leftover water runs down the handle to clean it, then set it back face-down.
Praying at a shrine: 2 bows, 2 claps, 1 bow
At the main hall, toss a coin into the offering box (a 5-yen coin, go-en, is the lucky classic — it puns on 'good connection'). If there's a bell rope, give it a ring to greet the deity. Then the sequence everyone remembers: 二礼二拍手一礼 — bow deeply twice, clap twice (at chest height), hold your hands together for a quiet moment of thanks or a wish, then bow once more.
- Coin in, (ring the bell), bow ×2, clap ×2, pray, bow ×1.
- Keep it unhurried and quiet.
- Don't clap at a temple — that's shrine-only.
Praying at a temple: hands together, no clap
Same coin offering, but the prayer is silent. Put your palms together in front of your chest (gasshō), bow your head, and reflect — no clapping. If there's a large incense burner (jokoro) out front, buy a stick or two, light them, and gently waft the smoke over yourself; it's said to be purifying and good for what ails you.
- Light incense from an existing flame, never blow it out with your breath — wave it out.
Charms, plaques & stamps
Most shrines and temples sell small souvenirs that are part of the experience. Omamori are little brocade charms for luck, safety, study or love — pick one as a keepsake or gift. Ema are wooden plaques you write a wish on and hang up. Omikuji are paper fortunes; if you draw a bad one, tie it to the rack provided to leave the bad luck behind. And a goshuin-chō (stamp book) lets you collect a beautiful hand-brushed seal at each place for a small fee — bring one, it's a lovely trip diary.
- Goshuin are devotional, not a stamp-rally — receive them calmly and don't haggle.
Photos & quiet respect
Grounds are usually fine to photograph, but inside prayer halls it's often forbidden — look for the no-camera sign or simply ask. Never use flash near artwork, don't photograph people praying, and step aside for worshippers and any ceremony in progress. These are working religious sites, calm and a little solemn; match that energy and you'll fit right in.
- Ask before shooting indoors: 写真を撮ってもいいですか？
- No flash, no tripods in crowds, no climbing on structures for a shot.