Free etiquette guides
How to visit Japanese shrines, properly.
Free, in-depth guides covering the etiquette, history, and practical mistakes most tourists make. Written by a Kogakkan University alumnus.
How to Pray at a Japanese Shrine: A Step-by-Step Guide
The full prayer sequence used at every Japanese shrine — torii, sandō, temizuya, ni-rei ni-hakushu ichi-rei. Eight common mistakes and what you do not have to do.
Temple vs Shrine in Japan: The Difference Explained
How to tell a Shinto shrine from a Buddhist temple in Japan — visual cues, etiquette differences, the clap rule, and famous examples of each. Stop making the most common tourist mistake.
Fushimi Inari Etiquette: A First-Timer's Guide to Kyoto's Most Famous Shrine
Practical etiquette guide to Fushimi Inari Taisha — torii bow, temizuya purification, prayer at the honden, and the eight mistakes most tourists make at the Senbon Torii.
Meiji Jingu Etiquette: A Visitor's Guide to Tokyo's Forest Shrine
Visitor's etiquette guide to Meiji Jingu in Tokyo — torii bow, temizuya, prayer at the honden, sake-and-wine offerings, and the eight most common tourist mistakes.
Omikuji Meaning: How to Read Your Japanese Fortune Paper
What omikuji actually mean — the seven ranks from daikichi to daikyō, the categorical advisories, what to do with a bad fortune, and the conventions around tying or keeping your slip.