Post by Jembru on Jan 2, 2016 0:18:48 GMT
Firstly, Happy New Year to you all! I hope 2016 brings you all you hope for!
Those of you in our Line groups will already have seen this, but I think it's cool enough to share with the wider Gaiwa community! As it's the New Year, I wanted to visit a shrine for hatsumode (first shrine visit of the new year) so I could pray for a good year ahead. I did a quick search and found this virtual shrine for people who can't get to an actual shrine.
Sakura Jinguu
It's in Japanese, so for the benefit of those who can't read it, here's a quick guide to the site;
1. The page I linked brings you to the main entrance. You can see a map of the shrine grounds on the right. Click on the '次へ進む' button with the sakura blossom flowers on the left to enter.
2. You come to the shrine itself. You are told that if this is a regular visit to pray for something specific, bow twice, clap 4 times, then bow once. For more formal occasions such as seasonal festivals, bow 4 times, clap 8 times then bow again. You can press the buttons for this if you like. Then click the sakura flower button again to make your prayer.
3. You can just say your prayer to yourself, but your can also fill in the form so your name and prayer (or you can keep your prayer private by writing it in the '非公開' box) will appear in the box for other visitors to see. It looks like you need to sign up to the site to do that though, so if anyone needs help doing that, let me know and I'll sign up myself to talk you through the process. Once you've prayed, click the button on the left again.
4. Now you can pick up an 'omikuji', a slip with your fortune on, like at a real shrine. To get your omikuji, click on the month of your birthday at the top of the page. The options you might receive are;
大吉 (daikichi) Great blessing
中吉 (chuukitchi) Middle blessing
小吉 (shoukitchi) Small blessing
吉 (kitchi) Normal blessing
半吉 (hankichi) Half blessing
末吉 (suekitchi) End blessing
末小吉 (sueshoukitchi) end small blessing
凶 (kyuou) curse
小凶 (shoukyou) small curse
半凶 (hankyou) half curse
末凶 (suekyou) end curse
大凶 (daikyou) great curse
(Bokusenou checked and it looks like it doesn't actually give out the curses, so don't be scared!)
There will then be a short prediction for you. This is an image, so you won't be able to use translation tools, however, I'm sure those of us who can read will be more than happy to help you out with a translation if you need it.
5. You can then choose to write your prayer on an ema, which is a wooden plaque that is hung at the shrine. Again, you will need an account to do this.
6. Now you're at the omamori stall. Click the one you want, to see it blown up. You could even save the image and print it out to hang somewhere for luck! (the website claims that the temple priest has blessed them for you!).
7. Consultation with the Temple Priest. Users can contact the temple priest for advice via the site. I'm going to assume the people at the temple at the temple won't speak English, but you can browse an archive of common concerns/questions if you're interested.
And that's it! All your shrine visiting needs met by a virtual shrine!
あけましておめでとう！
Those of you in our Line groups will already have seen this, but I think it's cool enough to share with the wider Gaiwa community! As it's the New Year, I wanted to visit a shrine for hatsumode (first shrine visit of the new year) so I could pray for a good year ahead. I did a quick search and found this virtual shrine for people who can't get to an actual shrine.
Sakura Jinguu
It's in Japanese, so for the benefit of those who can't read it, here's a quick guide to the site;
1. The page I linked brings you to the main entrance. You can see a map of the shrine grounds on the right. Click on the '次へ進む' button with the sakura blossom flowers on the left to enter.
2. You come to the shrine itself. You are told that if this is a regular visit to pray for something specific, bow twice, clap 4 times, then bow once. For more formal occasions such as seasonal festivals, bow 4 times, clap 8 times then bow again. You can press the buttons for this if you like. Then click the sakura flower button again to make your prayer.
3. You can just say your prayer to yourself, but your can also fill in the form so your name and prayer (or you can keep your prayer private by writing it in the '非公開' box) will appear in the box for other visitors to see. It looks like you need to sign up to the site to do that though, so if anyone needs help doing that, let me know and I'll sign up myself to talk you through the process. Once you've prayed, click the button on the left again.
4. Now you can pick up an 'omikuji', a slip with your fortune on, like at a real shrine. To get your omikuji, click on the month of your birthday at the top of the page. The options you might receive are;
大吉 (daikichi) Great blessing
中吉 (chuukitchi) Middle blessing
小吉 (shoukitchi) Small blessing
吉 (kitchi) Normal blessing
半吉 (hankichi) Half blessing
末吉 (suekitchi) End blessing
末小吉 (sueshoukitchi) end small blessing
凶 (kyuou) curse
小凶 (shoukyou) small curse
半凶 (hankyou) half curse
末凶 (suekyou) end curse
大凶 (daikyou) great curse
(Bokusenou checked and it looks like it doesn't actually give out the curses, so don't be scared!)
There will then be a short prediction for you. This is an image, so you won't be able to use translation tools, however, I'm sure those of us who can read will be more than happy to help you out with a translation if you need it.
5. You can then choose to write your prayer on an ema, which is a wooden plaque that is hung at the shrine. Again, you will need an account to do this.
6. Now you're at the omamori stall. Click the one you want, to see it blown up. You could even save the image and print it out to hang somewhere for luck! (the website claims that the temple priest has blessed them for you!).
7. Consultation with the Temple Priest. Users can contact the temple priest for advice via the site. I'm going to assume the people at the temple at the temple won't speak English, but you can browse an archive of common concerns/questions if you're interested.
And that's it! All your shrine visiting needs met by a virtual shrine!
あけましておめでとう！
