14th November,Tokyo-Japan: We went to two places of great significance in Japan. One was a Robotic Museum and the other Meiji Temple. The Meiji temple is a shrine deticated to the virtues and good doings of the emperor Meiji and empress of Japan. The people have great faith and reverence to their great souls. The whole temple area is covered with trees a total of lakh trees. These trees were donated by the people in 1914 as a token of love and reverence.
The shrine is a shinto shrine. Shinto is the old Japanese religion. It has no founder or holybook but it rests on the principle of unity with nature and goodness and purity of heart.
The people show reverence to the souls of the emperor and empress in several ways i.e before entering the shrine one is supposed to cleanse one hands by pouring water with the help of a dipper on the right and then left and then wash the mouth and then the dipper. Secondly, when in the shrine one can throw coin in a wooden box and clap ones hands twice and the join ones hands and pray. People also come and put petitions on a wooden tablet available for 500¥. On this tablet one can ask for any thing.
The significance of this shrine is also that children both boys age 5 and 7 and girls age 3 and 7 are brought here for a ritual similiar to a thread ceremony in India.
We had a great experience all around this serene and peaceful place. It was indeed a spiritual experience. We clicked many pictures. I have posted some below.
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