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Shrines vs. Temples|Do You Clap or Not?

In Japan you will often visit both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. In both you put your hands together and pray, but what is enshrined and how you pray are different. The biggest difference is whether you clap.

What is the difference?

A shrine (jinja) is a place of Shinto, Japan’s native faith, where the kami — the many deities of nature and ancestors — are enshrined. A temple (tera) is a Buddhist place where Buddhas are enshrined and monks practice and teach.

The entrance is the easiest clue: shrines have a torii gate, while temples usually have a sanmon gate. Shrines are often guarded by a pair of lion-dog statues (komainu), temples by fierce guardian kings (nio).

The differences at a glance

	Shrine	Temple
Enshrined	Kami (Shinto)	Buddhas (Buddhism)
Entrance	Torii gate	Sanmon gate
Guardians	Komainu	Nio statues
How to pray	Two bows, two claps, one bow	Bow, pray with palms together, bow
Clapping	Yes	No
What you ring	Bell	Waniguchi gong
Purification	Temizu	Temizu and incense

How the etiquette differs

Clapping: at shrines you clap during the prayer; at temples you do not clap — you pray quietly with your palms together (gassho).
Bowing at the entrance: bow at the torii of a shrine or the sanmon of a temple in the same way.
Purification: both shrines and temples often have a water basin, and the purification is the same.
Incense: temples may have a large incense burner (jokoro). People waft the smoke over themselves, which is said to heal the parts of the body it touches.
Bells and gongs: shrines have a bell; temples may have a flat gong called a waniguchi.

How to pray at a temple

Bow once at the sanmon gate before entering.
If there is a water basin, purify your hands and mouth just as at a shrine.
If there is an incense burner, offer incense and let the smoke purify you.
Bow at the main hall and gently place your offering.
Put your palms together at your chest and pray — without clapping.
Bow once more. When leaving, bow toward the main hall after passing the gate.

If you are not sure

Some places have a shrine and a temple side by side, and it can be hard to tell which is which. Watch what other visitors do or check the signs. Above all, what matters is praying quietly and with gratitude.

After your visit, try today’s omikuji fortune

Draw today’s omikuji

💧 Temizu Purification|How to Purify Your Hands and Mouth at a ShrineAn illustrated, step-by-step guide to temizu — the purification ritual at Japanese shrines. Learn how to hold the ladle, the order for your hands and mouth, and what to do when there is no ladle. ⛩️ How to Pray at a Shrine|From the Torii Gate to Two Bows, Two Claps, One BowA step-by-step, illustrated guide to praying at a Japanese Shinto shrine: bowing at the torii, walking the approach, offerings and the bell, and the “two bows, two claps, one bow” prayer.

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