お寺 vs. 神社

So what exactly is the difference between a temple and a shrine? Working both at a church and as an English teacher ensures I am posed this question at least once a week. First, we have to realize that when used in Japan, the words “temple” and “shrine” don’t follow standard English usage. Typically a shrine is conceived of as a small altar or holy place devoted to a holy person or deity, whereas a temple brings to mind a larger edifice built primarily for the purpose of communal worship.

In Japenglish however, “temple” and “shrine” indicate a differentiation that doesn’t exist outside Japan’s particular cultural context. Here, a shrine refers to a Shinto place of worship, and a temple is a Buddhist place of worship. These particular meanings are specific to English spoken in Japan. On a practical level, how can you tell the difference between a Shinto shrine and a Buddhist temple?

Things you see at temples:

Buddhist-style gates

statues of the Buddha

Kannon-sama, the lady buddha of compassion

swastikas

How to pray Buddhist style: offering incense

Things you see at shrines:

Shinto-style gates, called torii

water for ablutions

How to pray Shinto-style: clapping and bowing

Taoist dieties

Things you see at both:

Jizo – Many women or couples in Japan who have terminated a pregnancy, suffered a miscarriage, or had a stillborn baby choose to honour the soul of this child through a practice called mizuko jizo. Mizuko means ‘child of the water’ and is used to refer to the soul of a child who has been returned to the gods. Jizo is the name of the Buddhist god who protects and guides that soul on its journey to another world.