Livin' on a Prayer

Sunday: Harajuku

Harajuku is famous for its beautiful Shinto shrine. Here's a quick outline of Shinto, as stolen from somewhere else on the web:

"Shinto ("the way of the gods") is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people and as old as Japan herself. It remains Japan's major religion besides Buddhism.

Shinto does not have a founder nor does it have sacred scriptures like the sutras or the bible. Propaganda and preaching are not common either, because Shinto is deeply rooted in the Japanese people and traditions.

"Shinto gods" are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami.

In contrast to many monotheist religions, there are no absolutes in Shinto. There is no absolute right and wrong, and nobody is perfect. Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami.

Shinto shrines are the places of worship and the homes of kami. Most shrines celebrate festivals (matsuri) regularly in order to show the kami the outside world.

People seek support from Shinto by praying at a home altar or by visiting shrines. A whole range of talismans is available at shrines for traffic safety, good health, business success, safe deliveries, good exam performance and more."

The shrine at Harajuku

The prayers are written on small wooden boards, and hung up like this:

Some peoples prayers were simple and effective:

Some prayers needed a bit of work...

...and some people didnt understand the assignment:

And then there was this:

Morrissey: comeback secrets revealed

Every Sunday at the entrance to the shrine, some of the more eccentric Young People dress up in costume, and hang out all day. Most of them are happy to pose for anyone with a camera, so I think it best if I post the pictures and leave you to wonder.

Spring Racing Carnival: glamorous

Pony in the morning: unappealing