Common Features
The following is a diagram illustrating the most important elements of a Shinto shrine.
- Torii - Shinto gate
- Stone stairs
- Sandō - the approach to the shrine
- Chōzuya or temizuya - fountain to cleanse one's hands and face
- Tōrō - decorative stone lanterns
- Kagura-den - building dedicated to Noh or the sacred kagura dance
- Shamusho - the shrine's administrative office
- Ema - wooden plaques bearing prayers or wishes
- Sessha/massha - small auxiliary shrines
- Komainu - the so-called "lion dogs", guardians of the shrine
- Haiden - oratory
- Tamagaki - fence surrounding the honden
- Honden - main hall, enshrining the kami. On the roof of the haiden and honden are visible chigi (forked roof finials) and katsuogi (short horizontal logs), both common shrine ornamentations.
Read more about this topic: Shinto Architecture
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