coming upon these shrines, we shared a common curiosity of religion in japan. i know there are definitely religious groups, and the more outspoken ones have made their way into my news feed here and there. however, these shrines felt communal and respected ubiquitously, not tied to a specific group within the country. i had initially and correctly associated the shrines mainly with Shinto, but i wasn’t well-informed enough about Shinto to explain what it was. but, i just did a bit of reading to refresh on it. Shinto’s the indigenous spirituality of japan, revolving around nature, but more specifically supernatural entities called kami that are believed to inhabit all things. this tradition today remains very imbedded into japanese culture, media, and lifestyles, and shrines continue to serve as local gathering grounds to commune, celebrate, express, seek, forgive, pray, and wish. gabi and i love visiting them, not only to get unique omamoris (お守り in japanese; they’re protective charms), but also to have a change to appreciate their beauty and intentions.

ricoh gr iiix (royal supra recipe)