What is the difference between a shrine and a temple in Japan?
A shrine is Shinto and a temple is Buddhist. Shrines have a torii gate at the entrance and you clap when you pray; temples have an incense burner and a main hall, and you do not clap — you press your hands together in silence.
Where this answer comes from
- Buddhist temples are different from shrines At Buddhist temples, you bow and pray silently—no clapping. The atmosphere is similar…
- The Shinto prayer ritual At a Shinto shrine, the typical prayer is: two bows, two claps, one bow. Drop a coin in…
- Bow at the torii gate Shinto shrines mark their sacred boundary with a torii gate. A small bow before…
Say it in Japanese
Show the card to the staff. The Japanese, how to read it, and the recorded voice.