It is one of the eight major Ryukyuan Temples used to worship Kumano Gongen. It is composed of a shrine and a 280 m long set of caves. We did not get the opportunity to see the caves on this particular day. However, the caves are also used as a place of prayer and worship.
You can purchase o-mikuji (random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples) and ema (small wooden plaques on which Shinto worshipers write their prayers or wishes. The ema are then left hanging up at the shrine, where the kami (spirits or gods) receive them.) while you are there.
Proper Shrine Ettiquette:
- Behave calmly and respectfully.
- Traditionally, you are not supposed to visit a shrine if you are sick, have an open wound or are mourning because these are considered causes of impurity.
- At the purification fountain, take one of the ladles provided, fill it with fresh water and rinse both hands making sure the water does not go back into the fountain. Then transfer some water into your cupped hand, rinse your mouth and spit the water out beside the fountain. Do not drink directly from the ladle or swallow the water. Some visitors skip the mouth rinsing part of the ritual.
- At the offering hall, throw a coin into the offering box, bow deeply twice, clap your hands twice, bow deeply once more and pray for a few seconds. If there is some type of gong, use it before praying in order to get the kami's attention.
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