After visiting the old house we went to the mountain to go up the gondola (which the Japanese call a ropeway). It was too foggy and we were told not to go up, so we planned on coming back the next day. After that we went to the Hodosan shrine. My pictures are a little fuzzy because it was so overcast and the shrine was in the forest. Also I didn't have a tripod so sorry!
When you first get there there is a little sacred washing station. Most temples and shrines have this. Miki showed us the proper way to cleanse ourselves and there was also a helpful visual guide. You scoop up water with your right hand and poor it on your left, repeat on the other side, then poor from scoop into your right hand and raise it to your mouth to swish. Then the lovely part of spitting that water out on the ground. Be careful not to spit it back into the cleansing water!
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| cleansing water station |
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| directions |
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scoopers
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At the end of the visit I bought a horoscope thing that tells you your luck. It also came with a little charm you put in your wallet and carry around. In good fortune I got the travelling charm that is a frog and gives me good luck to be safe in travels and return home safely. That was the only good part of my fortune, the rest stunk! So I learned that actually you tie the bad fortune to the lines in the temple and you keep the goof fortune on you. At lease that is what Miki told me, and I am inclined to believe her!
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| my bad fortune, bye bye bad luck! |
At night Miki's mom made us tempura vegetables and shrimp. It was so delicious and tasted just like restaurant!
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