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Jinja - Shrines of the Shinto Religion
 Gods
are everywhere in Japan. And shrines called jinja can be found in
nearly every sacred spot as well as at the heart of every city, town and village
throughout the country. Traditionally serving as the
center of the community, Shinto (native religion of Japan) shrines
and the grounds upon which they reside are used not just for worship, but also
serve as a venue for community events, festivals and even as playgrounds.
Shinto shrines typically consist of a large patch of wooded ground with a
gate-like structure called a torii providing passage from the secular
world into the spiritual. Fierce stone dog statues (one is actually a
lion) called komainu stand guard along a stone path leading from the
torii to the foot of the shrine complex.
 Before reaching the shrine,
visitors will normally stop to rinse their hands and mouth at a stone water
basin (chozubachi) provided for this purpose. This is done as an
act of purification before coming into the presence of the resident deity.
Upon reaching the actual shrine one must typically then ascent a short staircase
to a platform where worship may be performed. Looking through the
structure's open doors one might spot a second, more secluded building visible
beyond the first. This other building is the actual shrine itself and the
true residence of the enshrined deity. Legend holds that any who
improperly enter the inner-sanctuary will be blinded by the magnificent power
residing therein, and for this reason most Japanese are happy to pay their
respects from the safety of the doorway of the outermost building. Large Japanese
Shinto shrines often have numerous smaller shrines located elsewhere on the
shrine grounds. These smaller structures are often only slightly larger
than a doll house and are the symbolic homes of lesser deities who are perhaps
in some way associated with the god of the main shrine.
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Click
here
to see small jinja available for purchase from our eBay store
The Old Tokaido |
Related Features
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Shinto
Religion
Japan's native faith. Click
here
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Japan's Seven
Luck Gods - Shichifukujin
An interesting
group of Shinto deities from various Asian religious traditions.
Click here
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Inari
Fox Messenger
Magical protector of Inari
Shinto shrines. Click
here
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Dosojin
Highway Gods
Shinto gods protecting travelers and village
borders throughout Japan. Click
here
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Kappa
Evil Water Imps
Learn what really lurks beneath
the calm, still waters of Japanese lakes and streams. Click
here
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Komainu
Shrine Dogs
Watchdogs of Japanese Shinto
shrines. Click
here
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