Shrines vs Temples; what are the differnces?

A few weeks ago (sorry it has taken so long for this “follow up” posting) I blogged about Ueno Park and how my visit to the park sparked the curiosity to learn the differences between Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples – both of which abound in Japan.  Shinto, original Japanese religion and Buddhism, imported from China in the 6^th century, are the two most practiced religions in Japan – or at least they were in decades past.  Nowadays, it seems a very small % of Japanese follow or practice any religion at all.

My quest to find answers to my questions and identify the differences between the two began online but then I got smart and ask my friend Miyuki if I could “interview” her. What follows is a compilation of Miyuki’s contribution, coupled with bits and pieces found in www.nihonsun.com, www.mustlovejapan.com and (of course) www.wikipedia.com.

Here it goes…

Let’s pretend it is a beautiful fall day in Tokyo and you are out and about for day of discovery.  You have just finished an “oishī” (delicious) lunch with sushi and miso soup, and now you are in search of temples and shrines, shrines and temples. 

Torii...gate to a Shinto Shrine...not found in Buddhist Temple

Walking down the street you go until you see what looks like a temple or, wait a minute!  Is it a shrine? You are not sure and that’s the very reason you are exploring!  Well, if you are standing under or near a gigantic gate (called torii - usually red) then you have entered or are about to enter a Shinto shrine.  If you look a little closer you will also see statues of lions or dogs flanking main structure.  As you go further into this shrine you will see a large washbasin with long-handled ladles.  Time to purify yourself!  You MUST wash your hands and mouth before you continue. 

  

Washing your hands purifies your body and washing your mouth purifies your soul.  After you are pure, then you are ready to proceed and go all the way in and reach the statue of ….hmmmm…..well….a higher being  (kami in Japanese) – for lack of a better term.  There seems to be some discrepancy about whether these statues are gods, spirits, elements of nature or ancestors or all of the above.   You will not see our jolly-big-bellied friend Buddha anywhere near a Shrine…Buddha lives in temples.

wahsbasin to clean hands and mouth...purify!

Now that you have purified yourself, it is time to pray but WAIT!  Do not press your palms together and bring them to your chest…that’s not what a Shinto worshiper looks like.  Instead you will stand in front of the kami statue, you will bow twice, clap twice to wake up the kami and make sure he is listening (I am not making this up), then bow once more…WAIT you are not done yet!  After that single bow, look around you, you will find a box with what looks like a grill on top, do you see it?  That’s where your much appreciated donation goes…so chop, chop…produce some coins and make a contribution.  NOW, you are ready to pray!  Tell kami all about your dreams and whishes, ask for what you need and want and do not forget to say thank you for what you have.

"saisen-bako" - donation box...do NOT skip this step!

incense burner

Now, you are done at the Shrine, take a few pictures and enjoy the scenery – Shrines are usually surrounded by great natural beauty.  As you continue your journey of exploration, you are sure to come across a Buddhist Temple.  How do I know?  Well, there are many so you are bound to see one even if you don't want to, but you do, right?  How do you know you have encountered a Buddhist Temple, you may ask?  Aha!  Well, for starters there is no red gate/torii visible.  Buddha doesn’t require purification so you will not see the washbasin.  It seems Buddha is always on duty as you will not see any Buddhists clapping their hands to wake him up either.  You will, however, find burning incense believed to have healing powers.  Get beyond the incense and you will see a, most likely, ginormous statue of Buddha.  Most Buddha statues I have seen around here don't look like the jolly, big-bellied figurine my mother used to have and whose belly she used to rub for good luck.  

incense burner

Once in front of the statue DO press your palms together and place them against your forehead, this is the time to say your prayers.  If there are other statues in the Temple make sure you say a prayer to all of them so no one gets upset but always start with Buddha.  In case the towering statue of Buddha is not enough confirmation that you are in a Buddhist Temple, look around and up to find a large, huge Chinese bell or a Chinese gong or a Chinese drum or all three for additional confirmation.  Buddhism came from China, remember?

statues of Buddha

    
Both Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples have “ema” & “omikuji”.  “Ema” are thin wooden blocks where people write their prayers and wishes.  “Omikuji” are pieces of     paper with “fortunes” written on them.  They are folded and tied to a tree or a string.  You are meant to take one and unfold it to reveal your fortune, kinda like a fortune cookie without the cookie.

"ema"

omikuji

One last thing, if you have the fortune to witness a Japanese wedding, then you are in a Shrine.  If you come a cross a funeral you are in a Temple.  Not sure why, but weddings are held in Shrines & funerals in Temples.

Hope you found this interesting.  Something to talk about around the water cooler tomorrow or at the dinner table tonight ;)

Please feel free to share comments, questions or pictures…

Next: Kamakura: unexpected colors & celebrations!

Until then...go explore a new place!