Torii gates, kami, festival drums and the two bows you should not skip

Shinto is the quiet structure under Japanese daily life — once you can see it, festivals, New Year, new buildings and even vending machines stop being decoration and start making sense.

By the end

You will be able to walk into any shrine in Japan, know what you are looking at, say and do the right things, and read the everyday Shinto that shows up in kitchens, calendars and shopfronts.

Who this is for

Adult learners around JLPT N4 who want to understand Shinto as it is actually practised, whether they are booking a flight or staying home and watching it on screen.