Japanese
SpanishTemple or Shrine?
One of the best ways to distinguish a Buddhist temple from a Shinto Shrine is to examine the entrance.
The main entrance of a Shinto shrine is customarily a torii- Shinto shrine gate- usually composed of two upright pillars, joined at the top by two horizontal cross-bars, the upper of which is normally slightly curved. Torii are often painted a bright vermilion, though some are left as bare wood.
In contrast, the Mon - main entrance gate- of a temple is often a much more substantial. Affair, constructed of several pillars or casements.
Joined at the top by a multitiered roof, around which there may even be walkways. Temple gates often contain guardian figures, usually nio -deva kings-.
Keep in mind, though, that shrines and temples sometimes share the same precincts, And it is not always easy to tell where one begins and the other ends.
