Japan's primary religions are Buddhism and Shinto, both of which are widely practiced across the country, with countless temples and shrines dedicated to these faiths. The term "Omairi" refers to the traditional act of visiting a shrine or temple for religious observance.
What is the difference between a Shrine and a Temple?
A Shrine or 神社 (jinjya) is a structure that houses the deities of the Shinto religion whereas a Temple or 寺 (tera) is the place of worship for Buddhists.
What is the difference between お参り and お詣り？
Both お参り and お詣り are pronounced as "Omairi", however お参り refers to praying to Buddha while お詣り refers to praying to the deities at a Shinto Shrine.
Etiquette for visiting a Buddhist Temple (お寺)
Omairi お参りProcess:
Once you pass through the 山門 (Sanmon Gate), you will find yourself in the realm where the Buddha resides. Before entering the gate, put your hands together and bow in front of the gate. When passing through the gate, men should enter with their left foot and women with their right foot and also being careful not to step on the threshold.
The 手水舎 (Chōzuya or temizuya) is a purification fountain for visitors to cleanse themselves. Pour a cup of water into a ladle and purify yourself in the following order:
Left hand
Right hand
Pour water into your left hand and rinse your mouth (do not touch the ladle with your lips)
Left hand again
Finally, raise the ladle vertically and pour out the remaining water to rinse the handle and place it back. The key is to purify yourself with the first cup of water, without having to refill in between.
Some temples have permanent incense burners, so you can also purify yourself by covering yourself in smoke.
Offering and Prayer:
Approach the main hall (本堂, Hondo).
Gently place your offering in the offering box (賽銭箱, Saisenbako).
Put your hands together in prayer (合掌, gassho) and bow once.
Pick some incense with your right hand using your thumb, index finger, and middle finger and raise it in front of your forehead while lightly supporting it with your left hand.
Afterwards, gently drop the incense into the incense burner.
Bow again.
When leaving the Temple, be sure to put your palms together and bow toward the main hall. Note, do not clap at a temple.
Etiquette for visiting a Shinto Shrine (神社)
Omairi お詣り Process:
Before entering the 鳥居 (Torii) Gate, bow once before heading to the shrine grounds. Note, that at Shrines with multiple gates, bow once each time you pass through a gate.
The path leading from the torii gate to the shrine grounds is called the 参道 (Sando), but the middle section, called the 正中 (Seichu), is the path of the deities, so it is polite for worshipers to walk along the edge of the Sando and not the middle.
The process at the Temizuya is the same as a Buddhist Temple and you pour water in the order of: left hand, right hand, mouth, left, and the handle of the ladle.
Offering and Prayer:
Approach the main hall (拝殿, haiden)
Place your offering in the offering box
Ring the bell (if there is one) to greet the deity.
Bow twice and clap your hands twice.
Pray to the deity with your palms clasped together, and bow once at the end.
When leaving a shrine, bow in front of the torii gate before heading home, just as you would when visiting a temple.
How much money should you offer?
There is no fixed amount to offer at temples and shrines, but many visitors choose to offer 5-yen coins. This is because the Japanese word for 5 yen, 五円 (go-en), sounds like 御縁 (go-en), which means good luck or good fortune. Thus, may people offer 5-yen coins or multiples of 5 to increase their luck.
In a nutshell:
Here are the differences between a Shrine and a Temple and visitation etiquette.
Shrine (神社, Jinjya) | Temple (お寺, Otera) |
Affiliation: Shinto | Affiliation: Buddhism |
Guardian: Komainu (lion-like guardians) or foxes for Inari Shrines. | Guardian: Nio. Two muscular guardians of Buddha. |
Select Shrines: Meiji Shrine, Ise-Jingu, Fushimi Inari | Select Shrines: Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizudera, Todai-ji |
Terms: Visitation: Omairi (お詣り) Gate: Torii (鳥居) Main Hall: Haiden (拝殿) | Terms: Visitation: Omairi (お参り) Gate: Sanmon (山門) Main Hall: Hondo (本堂) |
Entering the Shrine: Bow before each gate.Don't walk in the middle of the path leading to the Shrine. | Entering the Temple: At the Sanmon Gate, Males: Left foot first. Females: Right foot first. Do not step on the border. |
Temizu Process: Left, right, mouth, left, handle. | Temizu Process: Left, right, mouth, left, handle. Or, purify yourself with smoke. |
Prayer Process: 1) Place offering 2) Ring the bell 3) Bow twice and clap twice 4) Pray, then bow. | Prayer Process: 1) Place offering 2) Pray 3) Bow once 4) Pick some incense and raise to your forehead. 5) Bow again. |
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