Shrine vs. Temple: Look for the Bird Perch

The story goes that God got tired of listening to people’s troubles and retreated to a cave for some peace and quiet. Eventually, a wounded bird was heard at the mouth of the cave calling pitifully, and God was moved to help and thus brought back into the world. The torii gate, shaped like a bird perch, honors God’s return. Wikipedia notes less fancifully that the gates mark the transition from the mundane world into a sacred space.

When asked how to differentiate between a shrine and a temple, our guide told us shrines have a torii gate, whereas a temple does not. In Japan, the two main spiritual practices are Shinto and Buddhism, which appear to go hand-in-hand, as the Shintist philosophy of revering ancestors and living in harmony with nature doesn't conflict with Buddhist beliefs. It seems many people in the country identify with the traditions and customs of both.

Our Tokyo city tour that took us to Skytree (the tallest tower in the world at 2,080 feet), Asakusa Senso-ji Temple (smack dab in the middle of the city with shopping and restaurants all around), and Meiji Shrine (also smack dab in the center of the city, but didn't feel that way because of the towering trees all around), along with a ride in a futuristic boat called Himiko (designed by famous anime artist Leiji Matsumoto).

Side note: last year a 65 year old tourist carved his family name into one of the posts of the 75 year old Mejii Shrine torii gate. Seriously? Come on, man! Was he American? Sadly, yes.