I have to share a bit of this experience before the memory of it begins to fade. Yesterday we drove into the mountains, about an hour away, to visit Myogi Shrine. One of the residency’s close friends, Motoe Kawashima owns and runs the grounds. Her father and brother are Shinto priests. Their house is on the property and is huge and beautiful. We ate lunch in this large room that was opened up by sliding doors to the outside. You could see out to the towns under the mountain, it was an incredible view. Motoe explained to us the history of her family and showed us a smaller room connected to ours that was slightly raised from our section. She said that it was a room only for the emperor to reside in to show that the family is close to him and show their power.
Then she brought out some packages. I could not have guessed that we would be given the privilege to wear some of these one of a kind Miko shrine maiden uniforms. I felt like a princess as she dressed me! Every tuck, fold, and tie was done with precision and purpose, making the entirety of the process even more special. I even got to wear a headpiece resembling a crown.
We then explored the grounds and climbed a very tall staircase to the top of the mountain to visit the shrine itself. Before we went up we had to purify ourselves in a short yet significant water rinsing ritual. The Myogi Shrine is only used on January 7th each year. We were able to go inside, yet another privilege not regularly offered. Here we were told to leave the center of the room open, and if crossed to bow as we passed through, as this is where the gods go in and out of the shrine. Motoe taught us how to properly pray in the shrine as well. We kneeled on a small mat, bowed twice, clapped loudly twice (so that the sound would travel to the gods and they would hear us), prayed, and then bowed once more to finish. Although it is not my religion, I felt honored to be taught their ways. We explored the grounds a bit more before leaving, and one of my favorite parts were these small bells strung in a line in different areas. They made such a peaceful sound, meant to ward off evil spirits.
I can’t believe all the authentic experiences I am getting here. There is no other site or internship that would provide something this special. I’ve loved every new opportunity and can’t wait for all that is ahead of me.