Let's find out the ROOTS of Genuine Japanese Culture at KOHOKU!

Shinto is an old ethnical religion that is unique to Japan. Every neighborhood in a village, town and city, small or large, has the district shrine surrounded by “Chinjyu no Mori”, which means a God’s Forest. We have several annual rituals, such as the New Year’s Day Prayer, but this “Purification” is also one of the important events for religious inhabitants. “Purification” ritual is held twice a year, on June, 30 and December 31, both of which are the “milestone” of a year. For a long time, people have believed that we have to purify ourselves by reflecting on our bad behavior in the past half year. And it also means people can ward off evil and diseases for coming half a year, too. (I have to do it much much more earnestly than others, as I’m a very bad boy.)
They say that for the purification, we have to enter through a large ring called “Chi no Wa” (茅の輪) made of straws of rice. Since the ring is usually put for a week near the Torii gate, I went there yesterday. Since it was murderously hottest day, only 2 guests were coming to pray during 30 minutes. I felt like the calm grounds of the shrine might be surely a “Power Spot”.