Have you heard of or watched the popular Japanese anime movie: Your Name (Kimi no Nawa)? If so, you would recall that the main heroine, Mitsuha, worked as a miko — a Shinto shrine maiden — and that was absolutely one of the many parts of the movie that captured my fancy. After all, when I saw her perform kaguramai (a Shinto ritual ceremonial dance with bells and chimes) as a miko in one of the movie’s scenes, I was utterly enthralled.
The profession instantly got me curious and I was glad when I found out that as a visitor, I could head over to Hyogo Prefecture’s Amagasaki Ebisu Shrine in Amagasaki City of Japan (near Osaka) to sign up for a miko experience package to try and rent their attire for a day — and so, I did!
For a day (or technically, an hour) I did not only learn about the profession but I also got to try being a miko, and you bet that was such an enriching and fun affair!
UPDATE: You can now do this experience in Kyoto as well! Check the tour here: [link]
Travel Tip — book this tour and input AILEENKLOOK upon checkout to save 5% off!
Where to Stay in Osaka…?
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Top photo by: Shutterstock
Miko Experienc
Photo by: Shutterstock
» What is a miko?
A miko (巫女) in Japan is a shrine maiden that is trained to perform certain rituals and tasks in order to support Shinto priest(s) in a traditional shrine. They are not be mistaken as fortunetellers or mediums, and as per the fact that they are ‘maidens’, miko must be unmarried females (oftentimes they are priests’ daughters).
» What is Shinto?
Shinto or kami-no-michi is a polytheistic religion in Japan that primarily revolves around the veneration of many deities known as kami (gods or spirits) or supernatural entities that are believed to inhabit all things. Today, Shinto remains to be the country’s major religion alongside Buddhism with Shinto shrines being the places of worship and homes of kami.
» How did the miko experience come about in Amagasaki Ebisu Shrine?
Back in 2016, the Amagasaki Hospitality Group proposed this idea to the head priest of Amagasaki Ebisu Shrine, Nobuyo Otagaki, and since then, the program was established as a way for…
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