Japanese Temple Etiquette, Goshuin and Charms Explained

You are standing under a huge wooden gate in Kyoto in mid-November. Maple leaves are glowing, a few hundred people are shuffling forward, and somebody ahead of you claps twice, loudly, in front of a Buddha. A few heads turn. If you want to avoid being that person, a little japanese temple etiquette goes a long way, and it is simpler than most guidebooks make it sound.

What is the difference between a Japanese temple and a shrine?

A temple (tera or -ji) is Buddhist. A shrine (jinja or -gu) is Shinto, Japan's native religion. In practice the two sit side by side all over the country, and many Japanese people visit both without thinking of it as a choice.

The quickest way to tell them apart is the entrance. Shrines have a torii, the open gate of two pillars and crossbeams. Temples have a sanmon, a larger roofed gate that often holds guardian statues. Temples also tend to have incense burners, Buddha statues, and sometimes a pagoda or a graveyard.

This matters because the manners differ. At a shrine you typically bow twice, clap twice, and bow once more. At a temple you stay quiet and do not clap. Some old sites in Kyoto and Nara blend the two traditions, so if a sign shows different instructions, follow the sign.

What is the correct japanese temple etiquette, step by step?

1. Bow at the sanmon gate

Pause before the gate and give a small bow toward the main hall. It is a quiet way to say you are entering a sacred place. If there is a raised wooden threshold, step over it rather than on it, and stay slightly to the side of the central path so others can pass.

2. Rinse your hands at the chozuya

The chozuya is the stone water basin with ladles. Where one is in use, the usual order is to take a ladle in your right hand and rinse your left, switch hands and rinse your right, then tip a little water into your cupped palm to rinse your mouth. Do not put the ladle to your lips and do not drink from it. At temples this step is often looser than at shrines, and some basins are closed or decorative, so watch what the people around you do.

3. Offer incense if there is a burner

Many temples have a large incense burner (jokoro) in front of the main hall. Light a stick from the candle, wave out the flame with your hand rather than blowing on it, and stand the stick upright in the ash. People often waft the smoke toward a sore knee or their head, in the belief that it helps healing or clarity. It is optional and usually costs a coin or two.

4. Pray at the main hall

Step up quietly. Toss a coin gently into the offering box (saisen-bako); the amount is up to you, and there is no rule that a particular coin is luckier. Put your palms together in front of your chest (gassho), bow your head, make your wish or give thanks silently, and bow again. Then step aside so the next person can come forward.

5. Behave inside buildings and around statues

• Shoes: Take them off wherever there is a raised wooden floor or tatami. Most temples provide a bag for carrying them. Wear socks without holes.
• Photos: Many main halls and Buddha statues are no-photo zones. Look for a camera symbol with a line through it. Grounds and gardens are usually fine, but do not photograph people praying.
• Voices: Speak quietly, silence your phone, and do not eat or drink while walking through the grounds.
• Touching: Do not touch statues or climb on structures unless a sign invites you to, as some do.
• Dress: There is no strict dress code. Comfortable clothes that cover the shoulders and knees are respectful and practical for stairs and cold floors.

How do you get a goshuin stamp at a temple?

A goshuin is a hand-written calligraphy page with a red seal, given by the temple as a record of your visit. It is not a tourist stamp. People collect them in a special accordion-fold book called a goshuincho, which many temples sell at the same office. Prices vary, but expect a few hundred yen per stamp, and bring coins.

1. Pray first. Visit the main hall, then go to the goshuin office (shuinjo or nokyosho).
2. Hand over your book, open to a blank page, with both hands, along with the fee. Some temples ask you to leave it and come back, and may give you a number.
3. Receive it with both hands and say "arigato gozaimasu".

Two practical warnings for autumn. First, queues at famous temples can be long during foliage season, and some places switch to pre-written paper versions (kakioki) when it is busy. Second, goshuin offices usually close in the late afternoon, often earlier than the grounds, so check the temple's official site. Do not ask for a stamp on a loose sheet of notebook paper, and do not photograph the calligrapher at work unless it is clearly allowed. Some collectors keep temples and shrines in separate books and some do not, so do whichever feels right to you.

What are omamori and ema, and how do you use them?

Omamori are small cloth charms in an embroidered pouch, each tied to a purpose such as health, safe travel, study success, love or protection from bad luck. People say they "receive" an omamori rather than buy one, because the offering is a donation. Typical prices are modest, but they vary by temple.

• Do not open the pouch. The prayer inside is meant to stay sealed.
• Carry it in a bag or wallet, or hang it from your keys.
• After about a year, return it to the temple or shrine it came from, or to any nearby one, where it is ritually disposed of. Many places have a collection box, especially near New Year.

Ema are small wooden plaques where you write a wish, usually with the picture on the front and your message on the back. Hang it on the rack provided, and write something positive and specific. English is fine. Ema are more common at shrines but turn up at many temples too.

How should you plan temple visits during autumn foliage season?

Peak colour in Kyoto often falls from mid to late November, though it shifts from year to year. Famous temples will be crowded, so arrive when they open, visit the most popular ones on weekdays, and keep a smaller, quieter temple for later in the day. Some temples hold special evening illuminations in autumn, with separate tickets and rules. Check the official site before you go.

Carry coins for offerings and goshuin, wear slip-off shoes, and give yourself more time than you think you need. Rushing makes it harder to pause at the gate and the hall, and those pauses are most of the point.

What can you bring home from Japan that is real, not touristy?

A goshuin records where you have been. An omamori protects you for a year. A daruma does something different: it holds a goal.

The daruma is modelled on Bodhidharma, the semi-legendary Buddhist monk, traditionally said to have come from India, who is placed around the 5th-6th century and is credited by tradition with bringing Chan (Zen) Buddhism to China. The legend says he meditated for nine years facing a cave wall until his limbs withered. That is the traditional explanation for why the doll has no arms or legs. The weighted base makes it right itself every time you tip it, and the saying nanakorobi yaoki ("fall down seven times, stand up eight") is closely associated with that image. The traditional red is linked to the robes of high-ranking monks and to old beliefs about warding off illness and bad luck.

You start with blank eyes. When you set a goal, you paint in one eye. When the goal is achieved, you paint in the other. Many guides say to start with the doll's left eye (on your right as you face it), but customs differ, and the idea matters more than the side. Many people keep their daruma on a shelf all year. At the end of the year, they take it back to a temple for a burning ceremony, which closes the circle with the temple visit you started with.

At Shirakawa Daruma Sohonpo, we have made daruma in Shirakawa, Fukushima, for 14 generations, about 300 years. Every doll is hand-painted, and Shirakawa has its own face style, distinct from the larger daruma-making region around Takasaki in Gunma. Shirakawa also holds a daruma market every February, where new dolls are bought for the year ahead. Check the local schedule if you plan to go.

Two ways to take a daruma home

If you are travelling in Japan: Our group runs Daruma Land in Shirakawa, and Akabeko Land in Aizu-Wakamatsu, with shops at Iimoriyama and Nanokamachi. At both places you can paint your own daruma or akabeko, the red cow of Aizu. The akabeko legend is tied to Enzoji temple in Yanaizu. Check the official sites for current hours and access before you go.

If you cannot get to Fukushima: You can order a hand-painted Shirakawa daruma from our online shop, shipped worldwide. It makes a good New Year's goal gift: the person writes their goal, paints the first eye, and keeps it where they will see it. Browse the full collection for sizes and designs.

Key takeaways

• Temples are Buddhist and shrines are Shinto. Do not clap at a temple; press your palms together in silence.
• Bow at the gate, rinse your hands where a basin is in use, and make a small coin offering.
• Pray first, then ask for a goshuin, and carry coins and a goshuincho.
• Omamori are received, not opened, and returned after about a year.
• In foliage season, arrive early and check official sites for hours and special events.
• A daruma is a goal-setting charm: paint one eye when you set a goal and the other when you achieve it.

FAQ

Do you clap at a Japanese temple?

No. Clapping belongs to Shinto shrines. At a temple, put your palms together silently and bow.

Can tourists get a goshuin?

Yes. Pray first, then ask at the goshuin office. Bring coins and a goshuincho, which many temples sell.

Can I take photos inside a Japanese temple?

Often not in the main hall or of Buddha statues. Follow posted signs, and never photograph people praying.

What do I do with an old omamori?

Return it after about a year to the temple or shrine where you received it, or to any nearby one, which will dispose of it ritually.

Is it rude to open an omamori?

Yes, it is generally advised against. The prayer inside is meant to stay sealed.

Which eye do you paint on a daruma first?

Traditions vary, and many guides say the left eye (on your right as you look at it). The key point is one eye when you set a goal and the second when it is fulfilled.

Written by the Shirakawa Daruma Sohonpo editorial team.