Saisenbakosaisenbako / 賽銭箱

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

The saisenbako is a robust wooden box, typically crafted from zelkova or cypress, placed in front of the haiden. Its slatted top allows coins to be inserted easily while preventing retrieval — a practical anti-theft feature. Offering boxes became widespread from the Muromachi period onward; before that, coins were simply scattered before the altar.

During New Year's rush, temporary oversized boxes are deployed to handle the volume. Meiji Jingu reportedly collects several hundred million yen in offerings during the first three days of January alone, requiring specialized staff for collection and counting.

• 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.