How to visit a shrine or a temple: one example

At a Shinto shrine

1. Bow lightly before the torii gate
   Stop in front of the torii, face the shrine building, and bow once. Enter the grounds quietly, with the feeling of visiting the kami.

   Source: 神社本庁

2. Walk along the approach
   Walk slowly. Avoiding the center of the approach (sandō) is one way of showing respect. At a real shrine, follow the local guidance and be considerate of other people walking there.

   Source: 神社本庁

3. Purify your hands and mouth at the temizuya
   With the water in the ladle, rinse your left hand and then your right hand. Receive water in the palm of your left hand and rinse your mouth, then rinse your left hand once more. Keep the hand receiving the water outside the basin, and do not put your mouth to the ladle.

   Source: 神社本庁

4. An offering of gratitude
   An offering of money (osaisen) comes from offering one’s gratitude, and there is no set amount. If you make an offering, place it with care.

   Source: 神社本庁

5. Bow deeply twice
   Straighten your posture and bow by bending forward from the waist. Return to an upright position, then bow once more.

   Source: 神社本庁

6. Clap twice in front of your chest
   Bring your hands together at chest height, slide the fingertips of your right hand down a little, open your hands, and clap twice. Then align your fingertips and hold your hands together quietly.

   Source: 神社本庁

7. Pray quietly
   Turn your heart to the kami and offer your everyday gratitude and your wishes, without hurrying, in your own words.

   Source: 神社本庁

8. Bow once more
   Lower your hands, straighten your posture, and finally bow deeply once.

   Source: 神社本庁

9. Turn and bow as you leave
   Walk back along the approach. After passing through the torii and leaving the grounds, turn toward the shrine building and bow lightly once more.

   Source: 神社本庁

At Izumo Taisha, the shrine’s own guide explains worship with four claps instead of two.

Source: 出雲大社

At a Buddhist temple

1. Join your hands and bow at the gate
   Stop in front of the temple gate (sanmon) and take off your hat if you are wearing one. Face the main hall, quietly join your hands in front of your chest, and bow. Then enter the grounds.

   Source: 高野山真言宗 総本山金剛峯寺・祥龍山金剛寺

2. Walk quietly through the grounds
   At a real temple, check which places you may visit and which you may not enter as you go.
3. Purify your hands and mouth
   With one ladleful of water, rinse your left hand and then your right hand, and rinse your mouth with water received in your left palm. Do not put your mouth to the ladle. Finally, hold the ladle upright so the remaining water rinses the handle, and put it back. Follow the temple’s own guidance on the facilities and how to use them.

   Source: 浅草寺・高野山真言宗 総本山金剛峯寺

4. Offer incense (if you wish)
   If there is an incense burner and offerings are possible, offer incense. The number of sticks and the way of offering differ between schools and temples.

   Source: 成田山新勝寺・祥龍山金剛寺

5. Bow to the buddha
   In front of the main hall, straighten your posture, join your hands, and bow. At temples, you do not clap; you join your hands quietly.

   Source: 成田山新勝寺・高野山真言宗 総本山金剛峯寺・祥龍山金剛寺

6. An offering of gratitude
   If you make an offering of money (osaisen), place it with care.

   Source: 祥龍山金剛寺・成田山新勝寺

7. Join your hands quietly
   Turn your heart to the buddha and join your hands in front of your chest. How to hold prayer beads (juzu) differs between schools. Offer your gratitude and wishes in your own words, or simply spend a quiet moment without reciting anything.

   Source: 祥龍山金剛寺・浄土真宗本願寺派

8. Bow once more
   When you have finished, bow with your hands still quietly joined, and return from the main hall to the gate with gratitude in your heart.

   Source: 祥龍山金剛寺・高野山真言宗 総本山金剛峯寺

9. Turn and bow as you leave
   After going out through the gate, turn toward the main hall once more, join your hands, and bow.

   Source: 祥龍山金剛寺・高野山真言宗 総本山金剛峯寺