ceremony fee; offering to the gods
Shinto term for money offered to the shrine when requesting a ceremony or prayer. Often placed in a special envelope and presented at the shrine office.
The ceremony fee is presented in a special gift envelope.
I paid the offering fee when I requested the prayer service.
賽銭 is a small offering thrown into the offering box at a shrine, while 初穂料 is a formal fee paid for a specific ceremony or prayer.
From 初穂 (first ears of rice, originally offered to the gods) + 料 (fee). The term reflects the traditional practice of dedicating the first harvest to the gods, later extended to monetary offerings.