Temples and Shrines

 
The main religions in Japan are Shintoism and Buddhism, and many Japanese consider themselves believers in both.  Most Japanese, for example, will marry in a Shinto ceremony, but when they die, they'll have a Buddhist funeral.

A native religion of Japan, Shintoism is the worship of ancestors and hational heroes, as well as all natural things, both animate and inanimate.  These natural things are though to embody gods and can be anyone or anything--mountains, trees, the moons, stars, rivers, seas, animals,and rocks.  
The place of worship in Shintoism is called a jinja or shrine.  The most obvious sign of a shrine is its torii, an entrance gate.

This is the torii at Hama-rikyu Gardens in Tokyo.
Whereas Shintoists have shrines, Buddhists have temples called otera.  Instead of torii, temples will often have an entrance gate with a raised doorsill and heavy doors.

This is the temple of the grounds of Imabari Castle.

The Architectural Detail and Pageantry of Japan

The following are pictures of various temples and shrines throughout Tokyo and Imabari City.  What strikes me the most as I look at these pictures are the colors and lines.
 
Temple Calligraphy
At the temples, priests were available to write prayers in the books of pilgrims who visit the site.  THe following are just four of the many prayers that I gathered in my own "temple book" as I traveled throughout Japan.