Shinto Ceremony

Wedding Ceremony

Omairi

Shinto Ceremonies

The simple, bright and profound spirituality of Shinto is revealed through rituals or ceremonies. Traditional Shinto Ceremonies, relatively unchanged for thousands of years create the space for enhanced connection to the primeval life giving forces while connecting us to our intuitive roots. Shinto Ceremonies are meant to connect us to Daishizen-no-Meguri the ceaseless movements of Great Nature.

At the Shinto Shrine there are various types of ceremonies conducted:

KITO (Special Prayers offered by the Shinto Priest)

SHINGAN JOJU KIGAN prayers for realization of heartfelt wishes
KANAI ANZEN KIGAN prayer for family safety and happiness
ANZAN KIGAN prayer for safe birth and delivery
KENKOU CHOJU KIGAN prayer for health and longevity
BYOKI HEYU KIGAN prayers for recovery from illness
SHOBAI HANJYO KIGAN prayers for business success
GAKUGYO JOJU KIGAN prayer for academic success
RYOEN KIGAN prayer for good relationship
KOTSU ANZENKIGAN prayer for traffic safety
GEINO JOTATSU KIGAN prayer for success in art
BUDO JOTATSU KIGAN prayer for success and safety of martial training
RYOKO ANZEN KIGAN prayer for safe travels
As well as prayer ceremonies covering many other life situations. Ceremonies away from the shrine include JICHINSAI ground breaking, JOTOSAI ridge pole ceremony, SHYUNKOSAI completion ceremony, JITSUGYO KAISHI new business, SHOBAI HANJYO ceremonies for business, MAGAGOTO KYOHARAE dispel misfortunate energies, KAMIDANASAI ceremonies for homes and families as well as many ceremonies covering many other situations.

JINSEI GIREI (Life Cycle Rites)

HATSUMIYAMAIRI 1st shrine visit of a newborn baby (generally at 32 days of age for a boy baby and 33 days for a girl baby)
SHICHI-GO-SAN MAIRI ceremony for boys ages 3 and 5 and girls ages 3 and 7 to pray for continued health and safe growth and development
SEIJINSHIKI coming of age rite (age 20)

SHINZEN KEKKON SHIKI Wedding Ceremony before OKamisama
KANREIKI KIGAN celebration of age 60
KOKI celebration of age 70
KIJU celebration of age 77
SANJU celebration of age 80
BEIJU celebration of age 88
HAKUJU celebration of age 99
SHINSOSAI Shinto Funeral rites
IREISAI Memorial ceremonies

In Shinto thinking we stand on a vertical line connecting the Sun as the source of life, the Kami and our ancestors and extending to our descendants. This is tate musubi or vertical connection. Respecting and offering gratitude to these progenitors and descendants is Keishin suso. As all life is the child of the divine nature we are connected horizontally to our families, communities and all life of our world village. This is yoko musubi or horizontal connection. We live our lives in the present moment in the center of these connections, Nakaima. Through Shinto Ceremony and practice we celebrate and give gratitude as well as seeking course corrections to live joyful and productive lives as part of Divine Nature.

If you would like to receive Tokubetsu Kigan (Special Prayer) but cannot visit the shrine in person, the Shinto Priest of Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America can formally pray before the enshrined Kami on your behalf. All prayer requests can be arranged by contacting the shrine or by printing out the Kito Yoshi (prayer request form) and mailing it to the shrine. After the ceremony is conducted the appropriate Omamori and/or Ofuda will be mailed to you as osagari. Also, used amulets/ofuda etc can be mailed to the shrine to be included in the Kosatsutakeageshiki (ceremony to purify and burn old amulets).