Beyond the Torii Gate: A Beginner’s Guide to Etiquette and Customs

Japanese shrines are among the most popular destinations for international tourists. However, many guidebooks like Lonely Planet and Fodor do not explain the cultural context and expectations for visiting shrines. For example, customs such as  the Golden Rule expect visitors to perform “two bows, two claps, and one bow.” These customs are second nature for Japanese people; however, it can be challenging for foreigners to find this type of guidance, resulting in many people simply imitating the person in front of them when visiting a shrine. To address this issue, this project designed instruction to guide individuals eager to understand the primary methods of worship for their next visit opportunity. The goal of the instruction was to help visitors connect with the spiritual atmosphere of the shrine and inspire a heartfelt way of praying while visiting a Japanese shrine.

The instructions were presented in the form of an eBook, which was created using Canva and Heyzine Flipping Book Maker. It was enhanced with interactive features developed using Flippty, PlayHT, and Cloudcovert. The instruction was evaluated to assess how e-learners (n = 18) could navigate the customs and traditions of visiting Shinto shrines. The post-survey indicated that 94% of participants felt confident about practicing correctly at a Japanese shrine. Future work will enhance the eBook chapters by incorporating more scenarios and diverse question types to improve the assessment experience.