Oi-jinja, kuil Shinto di Jepang
Oi-jinja is a Shinto shrine in Mito built in the nagare-zukuri style, featuring a characteristic roof with a gentle slope. The structure consists of the honden, a small sanctuary usually closed to the public, and the haiden, a larger worship hall with a raised timber floor where visitors offer prayers and make offerings.
The shrine developed from earlier forms of worship where people prayed at sacred sites like rocks and trees believed to be inhabited by gods. Over time, temporary wooden structures were replaced by permanent shrines, with the nagare-zukuri style becoming one of the most common architectural forms in Japan.
The shrine serves as a place where visitors ring bells, offer coins, and clap their hands as part of daily worship practices. These simple actions reflect the spiritual connection that the local community has maintained with this sacred space for many generations.
The shrine is easily accessible and offers a quiet space to explore on foot, with neat pathways throughout the grounds. Visitors should note that the inner sanctuary is enclosed with wooden fences and is not accessible to the public, but the worship hall and surrounding gardens are open to walk through at any time.
The sanctuary is designed to be movable, as its foundation is built on a cross-shaped base that priests could relocate in earlier times. This unusual building method reflects the ancient belief that gods would follow the people, not the other way around.
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