Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In

Temple and shrine wells, Kyoto

Search:
email to friend | help
Home » Travel Guides » Asia » Japan » Kyoto-fu » Kyoto » Local Customs » Temple and shrine wells Reviews

Kyoto Travel Guide

Sponsored Links for Kyoto

Kyoto Vacation Sale
Book now for 30% off your vacation! Deals on travel to 220 destinations

ANA Hotel Kyoto
Ideal for business or leisure. Book online for low rate guarantee.

Kyoto Hotels & Inns
Kyoto hotels & Japanese inns at Discount rates. English support.

Holiday Inn
Comfortable hotel accommodations in Kyoto. Official Site.

Kyoto Hotels
Great Rates on Kyoto hotels Best Rate Guaranteed!

Temple and shrine wells, Kyoto
See all Kyoto Local Customs
Inside the Temple. - Kyoto
Inside the Temple.
by musicinme
Kyoto Local Customs: Travel tips and advice posted by real travelers and Kyoto locals.
Temple and shrine wells
• 23 Photos
• 17 Reviews
Kyoto Temple and shrine wells ReviewsTips 1 - 10 of 17  
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Temple and shrine wells: Before Entering a Buddhist Temple
  • Tip Rating:
  • Updated By bkoon on May 25, 2004
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • Instructions - Kyoto
    Instructions
    by bkoon
    Send Photo to a Friend
    Before entering a Japanese Temple, there is a washing ritual which worshippers need to take note of. If you do not know how to do it, follow what others do. Basically, you will need to wash your hands with the water in the Temple Well. It is not really a well per se. It is usually a big concrete container with long wooden ladles for you to use. From my understanding, the step-by-step approach of the washing ritual is as follows: 1. Use right hand, pick up the ladle, scoup the water. 2. Pour over your left hand and wash it. 3. Change hand and wash the other hand. 4. Drink/seep a little of the spring water. 5. Place the ladle back on the rack..

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: Ringing bells to wake the gods
  • Tip Rating:
  • By BorderHopper on January 10, 2005
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • Quit ringing that bell! - Kyoto
    Quit ringing that bell!
    by BorderHopper
    Send Photo to a Friend
    At Shinto shrines you can place a small donation in a box that sits below a long rope which leads to a bell. You should pul on the rope to ring the bell which is supposed to wake the gods. Bow twice, clap loudly twice, bow again twice, then step back.....and ther eyou have it. As you can see below my little son got it all wrong. He didn't quite like the tolling of the bell and instead of waking the gods it got McKinley all worked up.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: Wash your hands before you enter sacred places
  • Tip Rating:
  • By AyurinHiro on June 6, 2003
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • Temple and shrine wells - Kyoto
    by AyurinHiro
    Send Photo to a Friend
    In front of temples or shrines, you will often notice a pond filled with water. It is for washing your hands. Since temples and shrines are sacred places, we usually "clean" ourselves before entering. There you find a ladle. Draw water with it. But don't worry, this is not mandatory. We clean our hands when we want to do so.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: How to visit a temple
  • Tip Rating:
  • By hundertmorgen on September 3, 2004
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • Temple and shrine wells - Kyoto
    by hundertmorgen
    Send Photo to a Friend
    Behave calmly and respectfully. Show your respect by making a short prayer in front of the sacred object. Do so by throwing a coin into the offering box, followed by a short prayer. At some temples, visitors burn incense (osenko) in large incense burners. Purchase a bundle, light them, let them burn for a few seconds and then extinguish the flame by waving your hand rather than by blowing it out. Finally, put the incense into the incense burner and fan some smoke towards yourself as the smoke is believed to have healing power. For example, fan some smoke towards your shoulder if you have an injured shoulder. When entering temple buildings, you may be required to take off your shoes. Leave your shoes on the shelves at the entrance or take them with you in plastic bags provided at some temples. Wear nice socks. Photography is usually permitted on the temple grounds. It is forbidden indoors at some temples. Watch for signs.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: How to visit a shrine
  • Tip Rating:
  • By hundertmorgen on September 3, 2004
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • Temple and shrine wells - Kyoto
    by hundertmorgen
    Send Photo to a Friend
    Behave calmly and respectfully. You are not supposed to visit a shrine if you are sick, have an open wound or are mourning because these are considered causes of impurity. At the purification fountain near the shrine's entrance, take a provided ladle, fill it with fresh water and rinse both hands. Then transfer some water into your cupped hand, rinse your mouth and spit the water beside the fountain. You are not supposed to transfer the water directly from the ladle into your mouth nor to swallow the water. You will notice that quite a few visitors skip the mouth rinsing part or the purification ritual altogether. At the offering hall, throw a coin into the offering box, bow deeply twice, clap your hands twice, bow deeply once more and pray for a few seconds. If there is some type of gong, use it before praying in order to get the kami's attention. Photography is usually permitted at shrines. Watch for signs.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: "Reservoir" in Temples.
  • Tip Rating:
  • By A2002 on October 3, 2002
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • Higashi Hyoanji Temple. - Kyoto
    Higashi Hyoanji Temple.
    by A2002
    Send Photo to a Friend
    I noticed many temples has a water point. I called it a small "reservoir". There are usually wooden scoop available. Use the scoop to get the water from the pool. It is use for cleaning your hands or face. Do be considerate not to dirty the water for others' use. In some temples, the water can be drank.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: Drinking sacred spring water at Kiyomizu temple
  • Tip Rating:
  • Updated By AyurinHiro on June 9, 2003
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • Temple and shrine wells - Kyoto
    by AyurinHiro
    Send Photo to a Friend
    At Kiyomizu temple.there are three lines of water from sacred spring above. Each line means ... "wisdom","wealth",and "Long life & Health". Choose one from them and drink it! Then it makes your dream come true! :-)

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: No Smoking inside Temples.
  • Tip Rating:
  • By A2002 on October 12, 2002
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • No Smoking Sign. - Kyoto
    No Smoking Sign.
    by A2002
    Send Photo to a Friend
    As the temples are built from wood, smoking is banned inside the temples. The picture shows the sign for "No Smoking". I can read that cos I am literate in Chinese characters, not that I know Japanese.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: Wash first before you enter the temple!
  • Updated By joiwatani on March 9, 2008
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • W/permission from mom, her girl in kimono attire - Kyoto
    W/permission from mom, her
    girl in kimono attire
    by joiwatani, 4 more photos
    Send Photo to a Friend
    It's tradition but a lot of visitors of the temple miss this local custom! There is a covered fountain fronting the gate of the Ginkakuji Temple. The water fountain has a bamboo scooper where you can scoop the water to drink or to wash hands. Before entering the temple, a visitor should scoop the water and splash it on the ground close to the fountain or wash their hands or drink the water for cleansing. I can understand why people don't drink the water. They are probably unsure whether the water is safe or clean to drink!


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Temple and shrine wells: Wishing for good fortune
  • By stmlnyc on October 14, 2003
  • Email Me
  • See My Kyoto Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • Wishing for good fortune - Kyoto
    Wishing for good fortune
    by stmlnyc
    Send Photo to a Friend
    Along the route and atop of Kyomizu Temple, there are specific 'wishing wells' where you can pray for a good fortune. One well may be designated for good health while another for career success, etc. It is all in good fun...although some true believers take it seriously.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on Temple and shrine wells
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    1 | 2
    More Kyoto Tips
    Overview
         		General Tips
    Tips: 177 - Photos: 161
    Restaurants
    Tips: 190 - Photos: 158    		Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 166 - Photos: 107
    Things To Do
    Tips: 767 - Photos: 711    		Nightlife
    Tips: 68 - Photos: 60
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 107 - Photos: 93    		Tourist Traps
    Tips: 26 - Photos: 18
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 23 - Photos: 12    		Transportation
    Tips: 138 - Photos: 101
    Local Customs
    Tips: 112 - Photos: 102    		Packing Lists
    Tips: 17 - Photos: 9
    Shopping
    Tips: 67 - Photos: 55    		Sports Travel
    Tips: 5 - Photos: 4

    More Sponsored Links for Kyoto

    Luxury Tokyo Hotels
    Stay at the Intercontinental Hotel & experience Tokyo Japan in style.

    Kyoto Hotels - Low rates
    Save money on your hotel reservation in Kyoto, Japan.

    Luxury Tokyo Hotel
    Book Four Seasons Marunouchi From ¥62,000/night & Get 4th Night Free!

    Search Hotels
    Find the best room rates
    All Kyoto Hotels

    Check-In Date:


    Check-Out Date:


    Guests

    Hotels by OneTime.com

    Popular Hotels and Accommodations in Kyoto

    » More Hotels and Accommodations in Kyoto

    Popular Things To Do in Kyoto

    » More Things To Do in Kyoto
    Find:        Matching:  Advanced