SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY APPLICATION
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Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN):
GalaxyR0ses
DISCORD NAME & TAG:
GalaxyR0ses#6474
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?:
Eastern Standard Time
LIST ANY PREVIOUS BANS:
None.
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?:
Yes.
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
I have recently returned to the server and I would like to be more involved in it. I have been on the server since 2019 and have spent many hours playing online. I am a senior in high school so I did take some time to study and focus on college preparation, but I am back and ready to get involved again.
WHAT POSITION ARE YOU APPLYING FOR?:
Priest.
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OF SHINTOISM AND ARE YOU PREPARED/WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELIGION?:
I am a huge fan of Japanese culture and religion, and I hope to minor in it in college. I still would love to learn more about it, but I do have a basic understanding and knowledge of it. Along with that my family has always loved looking into other religions as my father got his major in religious studies. Being able to experience different cultures and religions and learning more about them from my father has fueled my love for it as well.
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
I really would love to be more involved in the server, and this would be a wonderful opportunity for me. I genuinely care about the monastery and I have incredible friends who work as shrine maidens. Being able to work with them in order to make a good environment for players is a goal of mine for the server.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
Yes, I do and look forward to it.
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In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME:
Mamoru Sukino
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss):
Mr.
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80):
29
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS:
Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY:
Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER:
(030)-119-4654
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
I was born and raised in the Kinkakuji Shrine, otherwise known as the Golden Pavilion Shrine. I would like to continue my family's lineage as priests and devote myself to the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. I would also like to help rebuild the Shintoism belief and help reestablish the presence of kami in the local area.
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
While learning and reading about the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery I learned it was built in the Nara and Heian Period in the year 744. The monastery started out as a Buddhist temple until they shifted beliefs over the many years and leaned more towards Shintoism. During this time the shrine was a large hotspot for many kami's and yokai's, and was a relatively peaceful time. However over many generations there has been a decrease in when it came to the beliefs of Shintoism. It was also documented that the Shrine burned to the ground. It is said that an enraged priest caused this, due to the lack of traditional values in the small city. The monastery was able to rebuild, but was never really quite the same, with records saying many of the kami disappearing. They say that one kami remains still, and is named Chiharu
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
Dear Monastery Lead,
It gives me great honor to write this letter to you, and I am sincerely honored to be able to send you this in general. My name is Mamoru Sukino, I am the fifth generation of priests born and raised in the Kinkakugi Shrine located in Kyoto. I have studied the ways of Shintoism over the past twenty years and it is now time for me to use my practices with shrines all around Japan. I have studied quite diligently about your monastery and I wish to settle down in your convent. The way you keep the Shintoism belief alive has greatly inspired me and I would love the privilege to work by your side. I wish to help restore the ideology of Shintoism and assist in the rehabilitation of the local kami's happiness. I greatly appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read this, and I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Mamoru Sukino
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Mamoru Sukino was born in Kyoto, Japan on May 4th, 1994. At four in the morning he was born at seven pounds in the Koseikai Takeda Hospital. He was born to Aoi and Chiba Sukino, and was the fifth generation of children to be born to the Shintoism priest lineage. Mamoru lived his days inside the Kinakugi shrine and would go to the Shugakuin Elementary School for his early education. One evening, a month before his tenth birthday, a storage room at the shrine caught fire after a candle was left lit inside. The fire trapped his parents inside, killing both of them before help could arrive. Now having to live without the guidance of his parents, young Mamoru relied on his grandmother, and head maiden of the shrine, Yua Sukino. From that day forward he became homeschooled and focused on his studies and education of the different elements of Shintoism.
Mamoru received his online high school diploma in 2012 and went on to study at Kyoto University. There he was able to achieve a doctorate in theology and a minor in art in 2021. He was then able to spend one more year at the shrine before moving to the quieter town of Kakakura, hoping to continue his family's traditions and ways of Shintoism.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
Shinto Priests duties contain the officiations of ceremonies and overall cleanliness of the shrine. One of their main roles as well is to ensure the continuance of the positive relationship between the kami and the people through offerings, evocation of kami, and mediation of the kami's blessings.
Shrine Maidens or Mikos are taught to perform tasks ranging from sacred cleansing to performing the sacred Kagura dance. They also assist the Shinto Priests to help with managing the shrine and positive relationship with the general public.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
In order to enter the shrine you must use the traditional cleansing process with pure water. You place a wooden ladle with your right hand and pour the pure water over your left hand. You repeat the process once more with the opposite hands. You use the remaining water to pour some into your left palm and rinse your mouth with the water. You must rewash your left hand after this as well. When finished you wash the ladle itself and place it back onto the rack. Along with all of this when encountered with a torii gate it is traditional to bow to it before passing under it.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
It is traditional to allow a priest to perform this, who would use the cleansing ritual beforehand. The most common offerings are sake, rice, rice cakes, salt and unsalted water. And in the better seasons the best seafood and agricultural products can be offered as well. When preparing this a purifying fire known as imibi is used. And to ensure no saliva or breath touches the shinsen, it is common for the priests to cover their mouths with paper. At the end of the ritual, the offered food is eaten together to gain a sense of unity with the kami, and to gain their blessing and protection.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
Tea ceremonies or tea rituals are times of peace and times of coming together. These can be held in tea houses and gardens, and can sometimes have strict dress codes. Once everyone has bowed, the head guest, or host, enters the room first and sits, followed by the rest of the guests who will sit facing them. Everyone would be seated in a seiza position, their legs tucked under them. The main guest or host will prepare the tea in front of everyone, carefully selecting each piece of equipment with grace and poise. This is typically made over a charcoal fire, and a bowl of the tea, which is typically green tea, is passed around to each guest. The first guest to have the bowl raised it to the head person and avoided drinking from the front. It is passed around through all the guests before returning to its original spot. Sweet treats can be served alongside the tea as well, allowing a complementary flavor to be served with the tea.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
A Tamagushi is an offering made from the branches of a sakai tree. These branches are decorated with washi paper, cloth, silk, or cotton. These can be used at weddings, funerals, and various Shinto shrine ceremonies.
Ofudas are talismans made from various things such as wood, paper, cloth, and metal. They are said to be infused with the power of kami, and are used against calamity, misfortune, safety, and love.
Kagura Suzu is a set of twelve bells attached to a wooden rod and are used in the kagura dance. The Kagura dance is a performance by Shrine maidens to purify and shake the spirits.
(OPTIONAL) Based on your character; which other Kami would they worship?:
Mamoru would worship the god of wisdom and intelligence, Omoikane.
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Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN):
GalaxyR0ses
DISCORD NAME & TAG:
GalaxyR0ses#6474
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?:
Eastern Standard Time
LIST ANY PREVIOUS BANS:
None.
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?:
Yes.
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
I have recently returned to the server and I would like to be more involved in it. I have been on the server since 2019 and have spent many hours playing online. I am a senior in high school so I did take some time to study and focus on college preparation, but I am back and ready to get involved again.
WHAT POSITION ARE YOU APPLYING FOR?:
Priest.
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OF SHINTOISM AND ARE YOU PREPARED/WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELIGION?:
I am a huge fan of Japanese culture and religion, and I hope to minor in it in college. I still would love to learn more about it, but I do have a basic understanding and knowledge of it. Along with that my family has always loved looking into other religions as my father got his major in religious studies. Being able to experience different cultures and religions and learning more about them from my father has fueled my love for it as well.
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
I really would love to be more involved in the server, and this would be a wonderful opportunity for me. I genuinely care about the monastery and I have incredible friends who work as shrine maidens. Being able to work with them in order to make a good environment for players is a goal of mine for the server.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
Yes, I do and look forward to it.
───────────────────────────────────────
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME:
Mamoru Sukino
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss):
Mr.
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80):
29
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS:
Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY:
Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER:
(030)-119-4654
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
I was born and raised in the Kinkakuji Shrine, otherwise known as the Golden Pavilion Shrine. I would like to continue my family's lineage as priests and devote myself to the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. I would also like to help rebuild the Shintoism belief and help reestablish the presence of kami in the local area.
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
While learning and reading about the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery I learned it was built in the Nara and Heian Period in the year 744. The monastery started out as a Buddhist temple until they shifted beliefs over the many years and leaned more towards Shintoism. During this time the shrine was a large hotspot for many kami's and yokai's, and was a relatively peaceful time. However over many generations there has been a decrease in when it came to the beliefs of Shintoism. It was also documented that the Shrine burned to the ground. It is said that an enraged priest caused this, due to the lack of traditional values in the small city. The monastery was able to rebuild, but was never really quite the same, with records saying many of the kami disappearing. They say that one kami remains still, and is named Chiharu
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
Dear Monastery Lead,
It gives me great honor to write this letter to you, and I am sincerely honored to be able to send you this in general. My name is Mamoru Sukino, I am the fifth generation of priests born and raised in the Kinkakugi Shrine located in Kyoto. I have studied the ways of Shintoism over the past twenty years and it is now time for me to use my practices with shrines all around Japan. I have studied quite diligently about your monastery and I wish to settle down in your convent. The way you keep the Shintoism belief alive has greatly inspired me and I would love the privilege to work by your side. I wish to help restore the ideology of Shintoism and assist in the rehabilitation of the local kami's happiness. I greatly appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read this, and I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Mamoru Sukino
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Mamoru Sukino was born in Kyoto, Japan on May 4th, 1994. At four in the morning he was born at seven pounds in the Koseikai Takeda Hospital. He was born to Aoi and Chiba Sukino, and was the fifth generation of children to be born to the Shintoism priest lineage. Mamoru lived his days inside the Kinakugi shrine and would go to the Shugakuin Elementary School for his early education. One evening, a month before his tenth birthday, a storage room at the shrine caught fire after a candle was left lit inside. The fire trapped his parents inside, killing both of them before help could arrive. Now having to live without the guidance of his parents, young Mamoru relied on his grandmother, and head maiden of the shrine, Yua Sukino. From that day forward he became homeschooled and focused on his studies and education of the different elements of Shintoism.
Mamoru received his online high school diploma in 2012 and went on to study at Kyoto University. There he was able to achieve a doctorate in theology and a minor in art in 2021. He was then able to spend one more year at the shrine before moving to the quieter town of Kakakura, hoping to continue his family's traditions and ways of Shintoism.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
Shinto Priests duties contain the officiations of ceremonies and overall cleanliness of the shrine. One of their main roles as well is to ensure the continuance of the positive relationship between the kami and the people through offerings, evocation of kami, and mediation of the kami's blessings.
Shrine Maidens or Mikos are taught to perform tasks ranging from sacred cleansing to performing the sacred Kagura dance. They also assist the Shinto Priests to help with managing the shrine and positive relationship with the general public.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
In order to enter the shrine you must use the traditional cleansing process with pure water. You place a wooden ladle with your right hand and pour the pure water over your left hand. You repeat the process once more with the opposite hands. You use the remaining water to pour some into your left palm and rinse your mouth with the water. You must rewash your left hand after this as well. When finished you wash the ladle itself and place it back onto the rack. Along with all of this when encountered with a torii gate it is traditional to bow to it before passing under it.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
It is traditional to allow a priest to perform this, who would use the cleansing ritual beforehand. The most common offerings are sake, rice, rice cakes, salt and unsalted water. And in the better seasons the best seafood and agricultural products can be offered as well. When preparing this a purifying fire known as imibi is used. And to ensure no saliva or breath touches the shinsen, it is common for the priests to cover their mouths with paper. At the end of the ritual, the offered food is eaten together to gain a sense of unity with the kami, and to gain their blessing and protection.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
Tea ceremonies or tea rituals are times of peace and times of coming together. These can be held in tea houses and gardens, and can sometimes have strict dress codes. Once everyone has bowed, the head guest, or host, enters the room first and sits, followed by the rest of the guests who will sit facing them. Everyone would be seated in a seiza position, their legs tucked under them. The main guest or host will prepare the tea in front of everyone, carefully selecting each piece of equipment with grace and poise. This is typically made over a charcoal fire, and a bowl of the tea, which is typically green tea, is passed around to each guest. The first guest to have the bowl raised it to the head person and avoided drinking from the front. It is passed around through all the guests before returning to its original spot. Sweet treats can be served alongside the tea as well, allowing a complementary flavor to be served with the tea.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
A Tamagushi is an offering made from the branches of a sakai tree. These branches are decorated with washi paper, cloth, silk, or cotton. These can be used at weddings, funerals, and various Shinto shrine ceremonies.
Ofudas are talismans made from various things such as wood, paper, cloth, and metal. They are said to be infused with the power of kami, and are used against calamity, misfortune, safety, and love.
Kagura Suzu is a set of twelve bells attached to a wooden rod and are used in the kagura dance. The Kagura dance is a performance by Shrine maidens to purify and shake the spirits.
(OPTIONAL) Based on your character; which other Kami would they worship?:
Mamoru would worship the god of wisdom and intelligence, Omoikane.
