A couple pray at the door of a temple shrine. Afterwards, they pull the thick rope in front of them, which rings a huge gong (to summon the 'god'). Very few people enter the main doors of the shrine (in front of them), but as I watched a family went inside. There was a chorus of loud and fast drumbeats from within as they performed ritual prayers there. I'm not a Shinto believer by any means, but the religion has fascinating rituals that many non-believers are attracted to perform (not including myself). Worship at a shrine like this involves sight (nature, buildings and idols), smell (incense), touch (the water, the rope, and the drumstick), taste (the water), sounds (bells, drums and the gong), giving money (offering boxes at every building and idol), and movement (bowing heads, and climbing lots of stairs). Obviously, the emotions are involved as well. People who come and do all these things usually have a problem or worry that they want help for. In a culture that professes no faith in God or religion, most Japanese become believers -- if just for a day -- when they visit a temple or shrine. One man said to me that he prays at temples and shrines, even though he doesn't have any personal belief or faith in religion. As he explained, "I believe, but I don't believe 'in' personally..."
Copyright Andrew Gray 2004
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