Apparently the gods like sake! These are holy sake barrels in supplication to the gods outside the temples.
Temple concessions: you can buy omamori (lucky charm doodilibobbers, little fabric pouches that have written blessings inside). You are NOT supposed to open them! And, you should burn them at year-end; the luck only lasts one year.
Looking down on a shrine. Temples seem to have a lot of stairs.
This is what I call a preparation hut. There is a guy inside (a priest's assistant I'm told) that prepares food on a stand to give to the gods. This hut is below the main temple.
At at the hut. The temple is somewhere in Yokohama.
Prayer cards: you can purchase them, to tell the gods your wishes. The sign says that the gods answer them for 500 yen!
1 comment:
Have you ever read The Good Earth by Pearl S Buck? I know it's about China, but the obsession with $=prayers is in there. It's a really good asian-themed 'classic' if you're in the market for English reading.
-Ellen
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