Meiji Jingu Shrine

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

After lunch, Fumiko-san had the brilliant idea of touring us around Meiji Jingu Shrine, since we would arrive there unaccompanied on their wedding day. We were pretty clueless without her, and there would be no time for mimes and charades with the locals right before the wedding, in case we got lost. Looking back, this was the best idea, since the day of the wedding, we were on such a schedule that we would have had no time to look around.

At the entrance to all Shinto shrines, there are temizuya or "water purification fountain". I asked Fumiko-san if we needed to purify ourselves and she said, "Well, you guys follow Christian religions, so you don't really have to do it". With 5 recovering Catholics, a bacon-loving Muslim and a borderline Agnostic/Athesist (there's no joke or punchline following this!), we didn't see her point, so we did as the locals and purified ourselves. I'm sure some of us needed more purification than others, but the Kami probably accept whatever token act of purification we offered.

We also offered up our wishes on ema, especially for Greg and Fumiko-san's marriage. Where the ema hang, there were wishes written in various languages and ranged from wanting the best for their elementary school; wishing for love and happiness; world peace and happiness for all; and one that was in Spanish, was a real plea for happiness. I hope the Kami finds this person's wish.