Japan Diaries 2.0. Japanese Shrines and Temples. A Note by an Absolute Beginner

2017 By justmovingaround in Sacred Grounds, Travel Notes Tags: Buddhist, Japan, Japanese culture, Japanese society, Japanese temple, Shinto, shrine, temple

During my first trip to Japan, I found myself surrounded by shrines and temples — each more striking than the last. But I quickly realised I couldn’t tell them apart. Was it Shinto? Was it Buddhist? Without a guide, I started learning by observing, taking notes, and later doing a bit of research. This post isn’t an expert take, just a beginner’s attempt to make sense of Japan’s sacred spaces — through what I saw, photographed, and slowly pieced together. Below, you’ll also find links to posts on shrines and temples I visited.

Buddhism that roots in India came to Japan from continental Asia. It is based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha and his successors. Shinto, on the other hand, is originally a Japanese ‘traditional religion’ based on the ancient belief in ancestors and deities. For centuries, the two confessions overlapped. Japan had times (XIX century, the so-called Meiji Restoration) of intensive politics to split Buddhism from Shinto or even disroot Buddhism as not originally the Japanese religion. Those efforts finally failed. Shinto and Buddhism coexist in Japanese culture. Many Japanese declare also being tied to both confessions. This religious coexistence seen is, however, not easy to tackle for an outsider.

A SHINTO SHRINE VS A BUDDHIST TEMPLE. THE BASICS

A Shinto shrine may be a tiny spot marked by a torii (Japanese gate to a sacred place). It can, however, be a more significant complex of buildings, as well. A shrine is devoted to a specific deity. Even if in the Western nomenclature we would call it a temple, it will still be called a shrine in Japan. (This is, of course, an English description. Japanese have many different names describing different kinds of shrines.) The most of the bigger (sometimes quite huge) religious building complexes we visited in Japan were, however, Buddhist temples. Buddhist temples belong to and are run by different schools of Buddhism (sects), and simultaneously play the role of a monastery, with interiors accessible only to few. This is possibly why I had the impression that temple complexes are somehow bigger (more widespread) than shrines, which is of course not a thumb rule.

Japanese shrines and temples | Sanctuaires et temples japonais | Japanische Schreine und Tempel | Santuarios y templos japoneses | Santuari e templi giapponesi | Japońskie sanktuaria i świątynie | Японские святилища и храмы | 日本的神社与寺庙 | 日本の神社と寺院 | 일본의 신사와 사찰

Entrance to the Yasaka-jinja shrine, Kyoto, well widespread, located at the eastern edge of Gion, the famous Geisha district.

At first sight, those bigger temple or shrine complexes seemed to us quite similar in construction pattern – widespread premises with many buildings and more or less complicated gates of comparable design. Now sitting at home comparing the pictures, recalling memories, and reading the information available on the Internet, I realize that they were not that similar at all. Some had statues inside, like those of the Buddha, or just gods or goddesses (deities), and the whole temple seemed to be organized around them. The others, however, were just sanctuaries with some objects inside, the figures (statues) even if the present did not play a central role. It turns out that these are the primary difference between a Buddhist and a Shinto temple or shrine.

Shinto shrines are sacred places, where a deity (kami) is present within objects stored there or in an object, around which the shrine was built (like a tree or a mountain). Contrary, to Buddhist temples, you may not find a reflection of a deity (god or goddess) in the form of sculpture inside a Shinto shrine. The very exception is animal guardians, usually in pairs, like lion-dogs, monkeys, and foxes, who are told to be the messengers of the deity. If you approach them, they will convey the message to the deity. Contrary, in the Buddhist temples, you will find bigger or smaller statues of Buddha, as well as some other symbolic figures and deities.

Foxes guarding the gate in the Shinto shrine Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto.

Buddha statue in Kotokuin, a small Buddhist temple in the greater Tokyo area.

A statue of Binzuru (deity that is known of the healing power) in the Buddhist Tōdai-Ji temple, Nara. In many places, temples, cemeteries, small shrines in the streets, we saw statues of gods/deities dressed like this one on the photo. The red clothing is supposed to expel demons and illness.

Japanese shrines and temples may have so many common characteristic features that only those well oriented can recognize the particular features at first sight.

In Japan, many of the old wooden buildings were entirely destroyed by fire, earthquakes, other disasters or as a result of political turmoil. Many of the buildings we admire today are not the originals, but the reconstructions made ages or not that long ago. The Japanese have a long tradition of rebuilding structures that have been damaged or destroyed. This process is often seen as an opportunity for renewal and improvement. We also visited at least one shrine complex (I know of) that was in full moved from one place to another. This can be due to urban development, infrastructure projects, or efforts to preserve cultural heritage.

TORII

One of the first Japanese words you learn, while visiting a shrine or monastery is torii (nouns in Japanese are used only in the singular form). Torii is a Japanese kind of symbolic gate marking the line, at which you trespass from the profane to the sacred ground. It is usually placed at an entrance to Japanese shrines and temples. In more significant shrines or monasteries, you will also find gates that mark the sacred ground that you recognize as a gate. But its construction is by far not like on the photo below. These are really solid and quite big gates. Similar symbolic gates may also be found in other Asian countries.

A ‘typical’ torii, Kyoto

Torii, in general, is made of two pillars and two horizontal bars. The construction may be, however, more complicated or a simpler one. A very simple torii may be made of only two pillars linked with a rope (called shimenawa). Shimenawa may also be an addition to the traditional construction (as on the photo above). Torii may be made of wood, or stone, or concrete, or other materials. The most distinctive ones are those made of wood and painted with a red or orange tint (vermilion). Only some parts of a torii like footing and/or the upper lintel are painted black.

There can be a couple or quite many of torii gates in a shrine. They can be of different sizes. Each torii may mark the trespassing point to the following another sacred space.

Torii may also play a different role. In Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine complex in Kyoto (called shorter Oinarisan) torii are placed one after another forming long but long corridors. Walking beneath you feels like being in a tunnel. The torii in Oinarisan do not mark the sacred land. They had been offered to its deity by worshipers as a thank you for good fortune.

Vermilion torii path, one of many in Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine complex, Kyoto.

Another photo made in Fushimi Inari Taisha. Behind a stone torii that marks the entrance to the next section of the sacred land, you can see numerous small vermilion torii that had been offered as a gesture of gratitude.

Just for a comparison – a gate to the Tōdai-Ji temple, Nara, one of the most prominent in Japan famous for its Great Buddha Hall. The gate was constructed in the XII century and is called the Great South Gate.

VERMILION

Torii and other buildings in Japanese shrines and temples are often covered with red (orange) tint called vermilion. This kind of tint contains mercury (mercuric sulfides), the size of which particles are decisive for the color. The bigger the particles, the more reddish the tint. The tint is said to protect the wood against insects, but this is not confirmed by all sources. Traditional manufacturing processes for vermilion involved grinding cinnabar, a red mineral, to produce the pigment. This process was indeed associated with the release of mercury vapors. However, due to the toxic nature of mercury, alternative pigments are now more commonly used in modern applications.

While the protective qualities of vermilion against insects are not universally confirmed, the color is believed to have symbolic protective attributes against spiritual and supernatural threats as the red color is told to protect against demons and illness. The symbolism is pretty much the same as of orange (red) clothing put on figures (statues).

THE RITUALS

Entering Japanese shrines and temples, or another kind of sacred land (like a cemetery) and paying respect to deities involves a series of rituals. I am sure I did not catch them all. Two were not difficult to notice. These were the purifying or cleansing rituals as well as paying respect by ringing a bell and clapping hands.

All Japanese shrines and temples, no matter Buddhist or Shinto are equipped with a symbolic cleansing facility. The cleansing may happen through the usage of water, fumes, sand, etc. So to begin with prayers or merely paying respect to the deity, you have to purify the body, at least symbolically.

In most shrines and temples, we saw stone sinks/basins, in which the worshipers or visitors could wash their hands and mouth. You take a kind of wooden spoon (see pictures), hold it in the right hand, and pour water onto your left hand, then the other way round. Carrying water in hand, you can also rinse your mouth. (For hygienic purposes, it is forbidden to take the spoon directly to your mouth.)

The cleansing facility in the Koyosan cemetery (Buddhist).

Cleansing facility in Ozaki shrine, Kanazawa.

The other kind of the purifying ritual we saw mainly in Buddhist temples was by lightning an incense stick. The fragrant smoke is believed to purify the surroundings and create a sacred atmosphere conducive to meditation and prayer. The most common incense used in temples is agarwood, sandalwood, or aloeswood, chosen for their pleasing scents and spiritual significance. Devotees may perform a three-step ritual of bowing, lighting the incense, and placing it in a container filled with sand or ash, signifying reverence and humility.

A purifying facility in front of a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, somewhere at the end of the Philosophers’ path.

A woman performing a symbolic purifying ritual with an incense stick in Tōdai-Ji temple, Nara.

Paying respect to a deity and praying includes ringing a bell and clapping hands. You do so by shaking a rope hanging down. Afterward, you have to bow and clap your hands. First, you ring, then you bow twice, clap your hands twice so that the deity is hearing you, then bow once. In the end, do not forget to put a coin into the offering box.

Young people paying respect to deities in Shinto Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine.

LUCK CHARMS

In a shrine or a temple (for a fee) you can also obtain lucky charms in the form of protective amulets and make wishes by hanging wooden votive plaques on special stands or discharge misfortune by leaving fortune-telling pieces/rolls of paper in the temple. We saw all of those practices in both Shinto and Buddhist temples (the exceptions I remember was the Zen Buddhist temples, but I can be wrong). I suppose this is a way how the temples finance some of their expenses.

A protective amulet (called omamori) you simply buy, take with you, keep it by yourself or hang in your car, etc. This should protect you from a lousy fortune but also helps you to fulfill your wishes, find love, prosper in marriage, etc. Each omamori is dedicated to a specific deity or purpose, such as protection from accidents, success in studies, good health, business prosperity, love, and more. Omamori are usually valid for one year. After that period, it’s customary to return the old omamori to the shrine or temple where it was purchased, and a new one can be obtained for continued protection

Amulets offered in an independent (Buddhist) temple Kiyomizudera in Kyoto.

On a votive plaque (called ema) you can write a wish (or it is already pre-written for you), and you hang it onto a special stand. Ema serve as a means to convey their wishes and prayers to the deities or spirits at the shrine. People write their hopes, dreams, and requests on the ema, seeking divine assistance or guidance. Ema typically have a distinctive shape, often resembling a small wooden board. The act of hanging the ema is symbolic, representing the offering of one’s wishes to the divine. The ema are often displayed in a communal area, creating a visually striking collection of wishes.

A young woman hanging an ema in Kiyomizudera temple.

The rolls of paper (called omikuji) are a bit more complicated. Through some kind of a lottery (even if done by a vending machine) you obtain a small piece of paper. It reads you your fortune. The omikuji are often available in various categories, such as general fortune, love, health, and more. Fortunes can vary widely, ranging from very favorable to very unfavorable. After reading the fortune, it is common for visitors to tie the omikuji to a designated area near the shrine or temple. Tying the fortune is believed to either secure the positive aspects predicted or to ward off potential misfortune..

Ozaki (Shinto) shrine, Kanazawa. The omikuji stand is located close to one of the lion-dogs guarding the temple (look at the right-hand side). Omikuji message will be passed by the guardian-messenger to the deity of the shrine.

SAKE BARRELS ON DISPLAY

During more significant festivities in shrines (the Japanese celebrate many religious festivals), it is customary to drink sake, as a symbolic act of unification with gods. It is also customary that the sake producers donate barrels of sake to the shrine. As only as much sake is ordered as it is needed, some of the producers are asked to donate empty barrels for display purposes. Many shrines display empty barrels, sometimes seasonally, but sometimes permanently.

Learning Japan and the Japanese culture.

Empty sake barrels on display at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine, Kamakura.

The ritual around breaking open the wooden lid on the top of the sake barrel is called kagamibiraki. It is performed during other kinds of festivities, as well, like to celebrate the New Year or during wedding parties. It symbolizes joy, good fortune, and the sharing of blessings.

MAKING PHOTOS

In most Japanese Buddhist temples, it is forbidden to photograph the core interior of the main hall. Those places, if accessible for tourists, are well-marked as such. As I understand the very core of the temple is not a place of worship, but a place where the temple holds its most sacred objects. Besides, you may make as many photos as you want. Contrary to Europe, where photographing people delivering service in public is by definition not forbidden, in Japanese shrines and temples the monks or employees often give you a sign that they do not wish to be on the photo. But it is not a thumb rule.

On FUSHIMI INARI TAISHA

On NARA

On KIYOMIZUDERA

On GOLDEN and SILVER PAVILIONS

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Japan Diaries 2.0. Japanese Shrines and Temples. A Note by an Absolute Beginner

Japan diaries 2.0. Late hours in Shinjuku

2017 By justmovingaround in Travel Notes Tags: Japan, Japanese, Japanese society, Shinjuku

Japan, already a year ago. But looking through my original photos, I still discover petty memories that summed up changed for good my initial comprehension of Japan and the Japanese society.

During our two weeks trip, we spent four nights in Tokyo. Each of those days sooner or later in the evening, we went to Shinjuku, which is a special ward (kind of district) of Tokyo known for its nightlife. In popular language, Shinjuku is the area in the neighborhood of the Shinjuku railway station (considered the biggest in the world). People enjoy there the nightlife or to be precise late evenings as most commuter trains depart around midnight. People come there straight after work.

THE LIGHTS OF SHINJUKU

The first thing that attracted our attention as we arrived there for the first time was the street views full of colorful neon advertisements and the atmosphere, the noise, the crowds, and the party feeling. Below some pictures.

The streets of Shinjuku during night-time, only a few of many.

THE CITY OF CONTRASTS

If looking closely, Shinjuku is a place of contrasts. At first sight, the streets have a modern fleur. Office building, quite many lights, modern transport infrastructure including railway flyovers, very modern underground passages. In quite close neighborhood from the ‘neon’ streets, there are many elegant office skyscrapers and other office buildings like those on the photo below.

But if you look closer and visit some side streets full of small izakaya (restaurant and pub all in one), which are usually full of locals and tourists enjoying delicious food and alcoholic drinks you will see pictures you do not expect to see in that kind of modern place. They look like out of a different world.

Learning Japan and the Japanese culture. Shinjuku, Tokyo

An entrance to an izakaya in one of the side streets of Shinjuku. If you look closer on the left upper corner, you will see a small fragment of a railway flyover. The office district you can see in the picture above was just behind it. Would you believe it?

The inside of a small izakaya. I did this picture from the street, a quite narrow one, maybe of two meters width, quite close to the main roads that can be seen in the series of pictures above.

Of course, not all izakaya and restaurants look like that. Most of those in the main streets have quite a regular look. You will also find there many international and Japanese chain restaurants.

Inside a more regular Japanese style izakaya. The first one we visited in Japan. In one like that you will be asked to take off your shoes. I photographed it as we were about to leave. Only a quarter before the room was full of Japanese enjoying a drinking party. If you look closer, you can see the frames when movable panels may be installed. This way, the open space may be turned into private lounges. They are of course not soundproof, but still, you are among yourselves

SAKE FOR BEGINNERS

In all Japanese izakaya, you may drink sake, which is the traditional Japanese rice wine. Unlike typical wine, sake is produced in the brewing process (and not by fermentation). Sake may be drunk either cold or hot (warm). In most restaurants during our journey, we were served sake in simple glasses. However, while in Shinjuku, we visited one izakaya, where we knew the sake was served traditional way. We wanted the experience.

Cold sake served the traditional way.

We decided to try the sake served cold. The glasses were first put into small boxes. Then sake was richly poured into glasses, so it overran the glass edge. First, we were supposed to drink that what was inside the glass, then we drank the sake that overran either directly from the box or from the glass after pouring it back into it.

Of other Japanese alcoholic beverages, we tried in Japan were the Japanese beers (most popular), shochu (a kind of vodka made of rice), umeshu (plum wine) and Japanese whiskey.

A small hint: In Japan, you theoretically do not give tips. However, you are served some small appetizers of your host, choosing like the one on the picture, for which you will be billed.

THE DRINKING PROBLEM

Japanese drink much alcohol, one may say too much. However, the alcohol consumption per capita in this country fell in recent 20 years or so. Tokyo ranks top on the alcohol consumption map. Drinking parties, among co-workers, are considered as a way to bond and build a team. Although Japan is quite low in international comparisons that assess the consumption of pure alcohol per capita (around 70th position), looking at that what is going on in Shinjuku one can only confirm the opinions that the Japanese have a drinking problem. Our observation was that unlike here at home (our country ranks much higher in those ranking lists than Japan), this may lay in constant drinking parties (a couple of those a week) and weaker heads. But this is only speculation.

White-collar, who seemingly missed the train home. I made this picture in one of the major Japanese cities at the entrance to bank premises. Around 8 am.

The late trains from Shinjuku are full of more or less sober people. But often you can see white collars indeed very drunk, barely keeping straight. Sometimes they do not manage to take the last train like this one on the picture. The view like that is rare, but not unusual.

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Japan diaries 2.0. Late hours in Shinjuku

Transport in Japan. Japan diaries 2.0.

2017 By justmovingaround in Travel Notes Tags: Japan, Japanese society, public transport, transport in Japan

Japan, already a year ago. But looking through my original photos, I still discover petty memories that summed up changed for good my initial comprehension of Japan and the Japanese society. As professionally I deal with transport and infrastructure economics, one of my special interests all around Japan was how the transport in Japan was organised. And already on our first day in Japan, I got quite a nice experience pack.

Kanazawa railway station, transport in Japan

A photo made a couple of days later. The very impressive entrance to the Kanazawa railway station.

A JUMBO JET ON PILED PIERS

My first ‘wow’ happened as our aircraft was rolling alongside the taxiway at Haneda, the Tokyo airport. Haneda is ranking the fifth busiest airport in the world. I was aware that because of the increasing traffic the airport had to be extended several times. At a certain point, this was possible only by additional land reclamation. That what I did not know, was that the airport runways/taxiways were built on a combination of reclaimed land and piled pier sections. Our jumbo jet indeed moved on a taxiway constructed upon piled piers!

THE JR PASS

The first thing we had to do after we cleared the airport closed area was to claim our Japan Rail Passes (or shortly JR Passes). (We paid for them earlier at home.) The JR Pass is a document that for a lump sum paid upfront allows traveling by most Japanese trains without limits within a certain period of time, for which the pass was bought. Only a couple of times we had to pay some additional amount to use a Shinkansen (high-speed) train.

As I understand, the concept of the JR Pass is about making the railway transport affordable to those, who come to visit Japan. Almost all of us traveled on a tourist visa. Only our guide/interpreter was supposed to stay longer upon a working visa. This excluded him from the JR Pass system. Each time he had to pay the full ticket price.

Transport in Japan | Transports au Japon | Verkehr in Japan | Transporte en Japón | Transporte no Japão | Doprava v Japonsku | Transport w Japonii

As a tourist with a JR pass issued on your name, you can use all Japanese Railways (JR) lines for a lump sum up-front payment. However, you must be prepared to pay an additional fee in some Shinkansen (high-speed) trains. You must also reserve a sitting place. The JR pass is not valid in metro trains.

EXPENSIVE RAILWAY TICKETS

The tickets were expensive even if compared to Western European standards. Railway prices in European countries differ. But two months later I paid less for the Eurostar ticket (from Paris to London) than he paid for even shorter Shinkansen trips in Japan.

The Shinkansen and Japanese Railways (JR) ticket machines.

As I understand, most employers in Japan offer their employees (on a regular contract) a travel allowance (for commuting purposes) that is tax-deductible. Without it, even the Japanese would not be able to afford the train tickets.

The tickets are expensive because unlike in Europe the Japanese railways are not subsidized. The European authorities subsidize railways upon the assumption that passengers can afford only tickets that pay for train operations as well as regular maintenance of infrastructure. In the case of commuter trains, this would be even less. But if ticket prices had to include the investment costs, including building new infrastructure, upgrading or heavier repairs, the prices would be prohibitive. In Japan, the problem was solved by means of privatizing the railway companies, that are allowed to keep a relatively high price of railway tickets. On the other hand, the government grants the employers tax deductions on travel allowances they pay to their commuting employees (indirect subsidy). Besides that, the railway companies are given incentives to finance their railway business through other business activities with higher rates of return (like housing).

PEOPLE IN WHITE GLOVES, QUEUING AND THE MUSIC PLAYING

People in white gloves, always ready to assist.

Of things that are noticeable at first sight about the Japanese railways is that there are relatively more employees working in the passenger service (than in Europe). You can recognize them easily as they wear uniforms and white gloves. The other thing is that on most railway platforms there are marks on the floor indicating the place where the passengers should queue. So it is the role of the train driver to stop the train so that the door opens exactly in front of the queue. I do not understand Japanese. But a friend of mine, who speaks the language says that if the train driver does not manage to fit the exact spot a speaker says a polite excuse formula through megaphones. To be frank, all of us had a problem of queuing this way (preferred to spend the waiting time on conversations standing in a circle). Once even we were brought to order by a man in white gloves (Ops!).

Us (this time orderly) queueing to get to the train. Shinkansen platforms are protected like this one. The door opens only when a train is standing at the platform. The regular trains usually do not have protection like that.

Of other specific things we noticed was that when trains were about to depart music was playing for several minutes indicating to people approaching the platform to hurry up.

THE SHINJUKU AND THE MIDNIGHT COMMUTERS

Our first day in Japan was a short one. We were tired after the eleven hours flight from Munich. As we landed at Tokyo Haneda airport it was already 2 p.m. We needed an additional 4 hours or so to get to the hotel. We lost about an hour and a half because of not knowing the specifics of public transport in Japan. Accidentally, we took a train that serviced commuters living far outside the city center. As the train left the city center, it did not stop for the first 30 km or so. In Europe we call them sprinters, but they are not widespread. Quite quickly we were approached by a Japanese, who explained the system to us but it was already too late to leave the train. After we got to the hotel, we gave us some time for a shower and left for Shinjuku, the Tokyo district (to be exact the so-called ‘special ward’) combining office and leisure area.

The lights of Shinjuku. As I did this photo the entrance to the Shinjuku railway station was to my right. If you watch closely you will see a train flyover. There are many like that in Japan.

As we arrived, it was raining. The streets were full of colorful lights of all possible kinds of advertisements and of Japanese, who just left offices crowding in the restaurants (izakaya) and game plazas (pachinko). Going out after work with work colleagues and often the boss is traditional in Japanese companies. We joined the crowds and quickly landed in an izakaya. We enjoyed the evening. But, we were under a time constraint – the last commuter trains leave the district around midnight. So before midnight, we came back to the Shinjuku railway station, that together with other public transport means stopping there is considered the biggest railway station in the world. And we were not alone. Around us were thousands of Japanese, who after spending the evening in Shinjuku, more or less sober, headed home.

Shinjuku Transport in Japan | Transports au Japon | Verkehr in Japan | Transporte en Japón | Transporte no Japão | Doprava v Japonsku | Transport w Japonii

Shinjuku railway station. It is at 11.57 p.m.

And already on the train. It is at 11.58 p.m.

I do not recall the name of the station we headed for, but as we left the train and looked at the crowds the first thing some of us did was to check the hour. I have a colleague, age 28, who works in a Japanese company. He parties with his colleagues 3-4 times a week. At first, he had fun, but after two or three months the fun was gone. Nevertheless, that evening in the crowded midnight commuter train, the first time I realized why it is said that many (more or less younger) Japanese do not have a private life.

The crowd of commuters at the local stations somewhere in the greater Tokyo area. It is already 12.30 am.

SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH TO KNOW ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN JAPAN

On many Japanese buses, you enter by the middle / back door(s), and leave by the one close to the driver’s seat where you validate your ticket. So if it is crowded inside, it is better to prepare for the exit a bit earlier.

You cannot drive a car in Japan unless you have a local driving license. So you have to rely on public transport. Japanese public transport closes lines relatively early during the day, sometimes beyond bigger cities area at unexpected hours. It is better to check the public transport itinerary in advance.

In most places the train and bus schedules contain names of stations and stops written in English letters. But it is not the thumb rule. A photo in your cell of a line map with names in English and in Japanese can help you sometimes out.

The air conditioning works extremely well on public transport in Japan. Even on warm days, it is good to have something with long sleeves.

I many big cities we walk miles changing the metro lines. But I was under the impression the Tokyo transport nodes are at the extreme. Be prepared to walk miles.

Loud talking, in particular on the cell phone, is considered as impolite.