What is the difference between a temple and a shrine?
What is the difference between a temple and a shrine? Shrines are built to serve the Shinto religious tradition and are characterized by a torii gate at the entrance. Temples are built to serve the Buddhist religious tradition and are characterized by a sanmon gate at the entrance.
What does two fingers up mean in Japan?
Other gestures are used elsewhere in the world but without having the same meaning. This is the case for the victory (or peace) sign: the two raised fingers making the V sign. This gesture became world famous after World War II, and can be seen in almost all casual Japanese photos.
Why do Japanese clap twice?
This Shinto ritual of clapping twice is the proper way to purify oneself of impurities, but there are some shrines with a long tradition of three or four claps rather than two.