Usa Shrine

We went to Usa Shrine with our friends, Ritsuko-San, her husband, Muneyuki-San and their children, Rina-Chan and Senri-Chan. Usa Shrine is the head shrine of over 100,ooo local shrines. It is a Shinto shrine, one of the major religions of Japan. From what I understand so far, most Japanese identify themselves as either Shinto or Buddhist or both. The shrine at Usa is magnificent--not simply because of it's beauty, but also because of the piety of the elders that I saw there. The entire place is infused with the spirit of the elders, of the past.

Upon entering and leaving the shrine, one must wash their hands. There are many places to pray and feel beauty, peace and solitude, if neccesary. It is almost as if in this place, time has stood still or is at least a lot slower than the rest of the world. Enjoy.