Category: General (Page 19 of 25)

Many of Shinto’s 22,000 priests work in straightened circumstances.  Their income from Shinto is not enough, and they are forced to do part-time jobs to survive.  Some get by as best they can.

Britain’s Guardian newspaper carries a piece today … Read the rest

Here is a sad update on the poisoning of sacred trees, which featured in an earlier entry.  The poisoners have not yet been caught, but the number of their crimes has grown considerably.  In the passage below, there is … Read the rest

There was another short quiz on an entertainment show ast night on television. It may be that competition with all the Christmas publicity is bringing up thoughts of Hatsumode…

There were only two questions on the show last night. … Read the rest

One of the items in the morning’s news on television concerned the death of a sacred tree in Ehime prefecture in Shikoku.  Because it had withered, it was due to be cut down at considerable expense to the shrine.  However, … Read the rest

Here are the quiz questions again, followed by the answers:

1) What is the correct way to pass through a torii at the entrance to a shrine?

Before passing through the torii, one should bow towards the shrine in respect … Read the rest

I don’t usually watch Japanese tv but I happened to turn it on the other night, and lo and behold there was a quiz about shrine etiquette.  A curious coincidence.

The quiz was intended to prepare people for Hatsumode (New … Read the rest