Translation guide
How to talk about visiting a Shinto shrine in Japanese, including the act of worship, casual visits, and related expressions.
To express the act of going to a shrine to pray or pay respects, the most common and natural phrase.
The standard, natural way to say 'visit a shrine (for worship)'. お参り implies a respectful visit with prayer.
初詣に神社にお参りしました。
I visited a shrine for Hatsumode (New Year's visit).
毎年、地元の神社にお参りしています。
I visit my local shrine every year.
A more formal term for visiting a shrine to worship. Often used in written or official contexts.
多くの人が神社に参拝します。
Many people visit the shrine to worship.
Specifically refers to the traditional visit to a shrine with a newborn baby, usually about a month after birth.
赤ちゃんのお宮参りに行きました。
We went for the baby's shrine visit.
To express simply going to a shrine, often as a tourist or for a casual visit, without the nuance of formal worship.
The most basic and neutral way to say 'go to a shrine'. Does not specify worship; can be for sightseeing.
京都で有名な神社に行きました。
I went to a famous shrine in Kyoto.
散歩がてら神社に行った。
I went to a shrine while taking a walk.
A slightly more formal or literary way to say 'visit a shrine'. Suitable for writing or polite speech.
多くの観光客がその神社を訪れます。
Many tourists visit that shrine.
To refer to shrine visits tied to annual events or life rituals.
The New Year's shrine visit, a major custom. Use this for the first shrine visit of the year.
初詣に明治神宮に行く予定です。
I plan to go to Meiji Shrine for Hatsumode.
Refers to visiting a shrine for the Shichi-Go-San festival for children aged 3, 5, and 7.
娘の七五三で神社に行きました。
We went to a shrine for our daughter's Shichi-Go-San.
神社 (jinja) is a Shinto shrine, while 寺 (tera) is a Buddhist temple. The verbs and customs differ. For temples, use お寺にお参りする (otera ni omairi suru) or お寺に行く (otera ni iku). Do not use 参拝 for temples; use 参拝 for shrines and 参詣 (sankei) or お参り for both.
お寺にお参りする
visit a temple (for worship)
参拝 (sanpai) implies formal worship. Using it for a casual sightseeing visit sounds overly stiff. Stick to 行く or 訪れる for non-religious visits.