Quiz answers

Here are the quiz questions again, followed by the answers:

1) What is the correct way to pass through a torii at the entrance to a shrine?

Before passing through the torii, one should bow towards the shrine in respect to the kami.

2) What should you be careful about when walking down the sando (entrance path to the shrine)?

Not to walk down the middle, as that is where the kami passes.

3) When you wash your hands at the wash-basin, which is the correct order to wash them?

Left hand, right hand, then rinse your mouth by cupping water in your left hand

4) When you throw your money into the offering box, should you throw more according to whether you have a lot of things to ask the kami?

This was a surprise to me, but according to the programme it is not necessary to add any extra money for multiple requests, so a ten-yen coin would suffice for whatever you may want to ask.

5) When putting your hands together to clap, should they be exactly the same height or should one extend beyond the other?

The left hand should slightly extend beyond the right, as in the illustrative poster above by Jinja Honcho…

6) When praying, what should you tell the kami apart from your name and what you want?

You should give your address so that the kami knows which particular person it is, otherwise a different Suzuki Masao might be blessed with your request.

7) Finally, what does a shimenawa rope around a tree indicate?

It indicates the place where a kami may reside, in other words a sacred area.