Gasshōgasshō / 合掌

The Buddhist prayer posture of pressing both palms together in front of the chest.

Gasshō is the Buddhist act of pressing both palms together at the chest. The right hand represents the Buddha's world and the left represents the mortal world — joining them symbolizes the union of the divine and human. Unlike shrine worship, no clapping is involved.

Gasshō parallels the Indian greeting “Namaste” and is a universal gesture of respect. In Japan, the natural habit of pressing palms together when saying “itadakimasu” (before meals) and “gochisōsama” (after meals) is a daily expression of gratitude rooted in Buddhist practice — a quiet example of how religious gestures have woven themselves into the fabric of ordinary Japanese life.

• Haiden haiden / 拝殿

  The outer hall of a shrine where visitors offer prayers, typically featuring a bell and offering box.

• Honden honden / 本殿

  The innermost sacred building of a shrine where the divine object (goshintai) is enshrined.

• Heiden heiden / 幣殿

  The hall between the haiden and honden where offerings are presented to the deity.

• Hondō hondō / 本堂

  The central building of a Buddhist temple where the principal image of Buddha is enshrined.

• Gohonzon gohonzon / 御本尊

  The principal object of worship in a Buddhist temple — a statue, painting, or mandala of Buddha.

• Saisen saisen / 賽銭

  A monetary offering tossed into the offering box as a token of gratitude to the gods or Buddha.

• Saisenbako saisenbako / 賽銭箱

  A sturdy wooden box placed before the worship hall for visitors to deposit monetary offerings.

• Suzu suzu / 鈴

  A large bell hung at the front of the worship hall, rung by visitors to announce their presence to the gods.

• Suzuo suzuo / 鈴緒

  The thick rope or cord used to ring the shrine bell before prayer.

• Waniguchi waniguchi / 鰐口

  A flat, disc-shaped metal gong hung at temple entrances — the Buddhist equivalent of a shrine bell.

• Nihai-Nihakushu-Ichihai nihai nihakushu ichihai / 二拝二拍手一拝

  The standard Shinto worship sequence: two deep bows, two handclaps, and one final bow.

• Kashiwade kashiwade / 柏手

  The practice of clapping hands together during shrine worship to show reverence and announce one's presence.

• Gasshō gasshō / 合掌

  The Buddhist prayer posture of pressing both palms together in front of the chest.

• Shōkō shōkō / 焼香

  The ritual of burning incense at a temple or funeral to honor Buddha or the deceased.

• Senkō senkō / 線香

  Thin sticks of incense offered before Buddhist altars to purify the space and nourish the spirit.

• Kōro kōro / 香炉

  A large incense vessel at temple entrances where visitors waft smoke over themselves for purification.