Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN):
Loboken
DISCORD NAME & TAG:
Rexypoo#3334
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?:
EST
LIST ANY PREVIOUS BANS:
I have 2 previous bans.
My first ban was for ERP back in 2018. This was due to my being immature and gullible with a group of my friends. After getting banned, I logged onto another account and tried to join back, and was banned for bypassing.
My second ban was for Bypassing. This was on February 27, 2022. This was due to me logging onto the banned account I previously used. I had tried logging onto said account to purchase an animal whitelist but got banned. I appealed the ban and was unbanned on March 16, 2022.
I have learned from my mistakes and have worked hard to keep my record clean ever since.
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?:
Yes I do!
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
I would describe myself as a very active member of the community. From the time I joined the server in early 2022, I have been active on the server, meeting more and more people and making more development between characters, making in-depth lore for my characters, and helping friends with their character backstories if they ever need it. My hours of play increased as school came to an end, and during the summer, I was on for hours at a time, spending my days playing SRP with my friends. However, with school coming back, my activity dropped a bit, but I still log on really often, and with my schedule, I have Friday-Sunday off, so I will be more active during those days.
WHAT POSITION ARE YOU APPLYING FOR?:
Shrine Priest
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OF SHINTOISM AND ARE YOU PREPARED/WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELIGION?:
While I would not say my knowledge is extensive, I would like to say I have enough knowledge of Shintoism to take a strong interest in it. I have interacted with a number of shrine members, a few that I frequently converse with, and with them, I have gained a lot of knowledge on the religion. Shintoism is a religion that has interested me ever since I was first introduced, and I kept coming back after my first exposure to it. I eventually got curious enough to apply to learn more, even going out of my way to research more about the religion to be a fit for the position. I am willing and prepared to learn more about this religion, and will learn more.
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
What makes me stand out for this role over other applicants is my determination to learn more about the religion of Shintoism. I truly have a desire to learn more, and have done much research in this topic. Whenever I have a strong desire for something, I put my all into learning it, and this will be useful when in this position. I work hard for what I love and this is one of those things. I see myself staying in this faction indefinitely. Ever since my first character was introduced and converted to Shintoism, all of my characters that followed have converted after their visits to the shrine. I want to be able to roleplay out a character who believed from the beginning, as well as loves their religion enough to wish to spread knowledge of it. It will be a change of pace for myself, and will be a very fun and interesting experience for myself. I love Japanese culture and this is a large aspect of the culture that I love. I also know the amount of DetailRP shrine staff do, and I love doing so. I know a large amount of shrine lore as well, from who founded it, to the burnings of the monastery, and the old names of the shrines before its current name. I will be an asset to the faction, especially when explaining the history of the Shrine, as well as Shintoism itself.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
I acknowledge the fact I will have to attend mandatory meetings.
───────────────────────────────────────
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME:
Soga Kazuki
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss):
Mr
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80):
24
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS:
Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY:
Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER:
030-546-3348
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
My motivation for working at the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery is simple. I wish to spread knowledge of Shintoism. All my life, I was devoted to the religion, feeling a strong pull towards it, and the Kami my family worshipped. I grew up on a large farm, where all day, we would plant, care for, and harvest our crops. I prayed everyday to Ta-no-Kami, the Kami of good harvest, in order to bring plentiful harvests for my family. All of my life has been devoted to this religion, and I wish to be able to show others the light that I have found. I find peace in my faith, and my journey to learn more about myself only led me further down the path of my faith, expanding my love and appreciation for all circles of life, and all different Kami. While I may have lived my whole life according to the religion of Shintoism, I still have much to learn, which I learned during my one-year journey in Japan, visiting many shrines and learning more and more. I learned more in that one year than the rest of the 18 years beforehand. I have my own unique perspective of Shintoism, and I wish to learn other’s views on what I view as my life. Different interpretations will further expand my own knowledge and love, as there are things that I may not see unless my eyes are opened to them. I will be able to offer my desire to help others learn more, just as I have,
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
I know quite a bit about the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. At first, in the year 744, it was constructed as a Buddhist temple. It went through two major burnings, once in 1176 and the other around the year 1587. The first burning was due to a retaliation by the Buddhist monks of the Akatera Monastery, the current name of the shrine at the time. It was rebuilt in 1228 and renamed to the Kisume Monastery, which was then burnt down again after the town of Karakura rioted against the current warlord. The Shinsei Seinaru Monastery was rebuilt and gained its name in the year 1617, and still carries its long and tragic history. The Monastery was built up in the mountains due to it being isolated, as well as being close to the heart of the Kami of the shrine, Chiharu-Yamatsumi, a mountain Kami. This Kami is the only remaining after all of the misfortune that befell the monastery
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
Dear Monastery Lead,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am honored to be reaching out to speak to you. I am Koga Kazuki, a humble farmer and follower of Shintoism from the town of Hiraizumi. I want to thank you for all of your wonderful work in spreading our lovely religion, which has been seeing less and less belief in recent days. I wish to assist in your efforts and spread the love of Shintoism to the people of Karakura, and bestow them knowledge that they seek. I of course have much to learn, and as I learn, I will be able to teach. My faith is what has carried me through my life, and others may need something similar in their own lives. I studied Shintoism in school, and even had taken a personal journey to learn more about my beloved religion. Now as a man of religion and of Shinto, I see myself staying in the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery for the long term, being able to help spread the love of Shintoism and nature. I know I will leave a major impact on those if given the opportunity. Thank you for reading my letter and taking the time to consider me.
Best Regards,
Soga Kazuki
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Soga Kazuki was born early in the morning, before the sun rose on August 5th, 1998. He was born in Hiraizumi, Japan to a hardworking family. He had 4 older siblings, three brothers and one sister. His family were farmers for generations, as well as very religious. Despite the fact that they lived in a town that held treasured Buddhist temples, the Kazuki family was a devout Shinto family. Due to the family working most of the day, they had a room in their family home devoted to be their own personal shrine to their Kami, Ta-no-Kami, also known as Noushin.
The family would make offerings to their Kami daily, wishing for plentiful harvests and good fortune. When Soga was old enough, he was sent to help work in the fields with his brothers, learning the family work. From a young age, he was a hard worker, trying to compete with his older, stronger, and more experienced brothers. This drive led him to often pray to the Kami for good fortune more than his brothers, who did not have such strong faith. His faith only grew with the stories his mother told him before bed. They were often the same stories that put the others to sleep, but to the young Soga, they filled him with wonder and purpose.
When winter was falling onto the family, Soga prayed more and more to let their harvest be larger so they could survive through the winter without worry, making offerings at least once a day, and as many as three. His brothers thought he was overdoing his faith and teased him for it, but when Soga fell ill and failed to pray to Ta-no-Kami, the brothers noticed they were harvesting less and less. At first, they believed it was due to the lack of help from their hardworking brother, not wanting to believe it was due to their religion, which they did not believe in as strongly. However, when Soga prayed for them once again, their harvest seemed to be better, leading the brothers to join Soga in his prayers. While the prayers may not have been what caused the better harvests, Soga’s strong faith brought the brothers closer together.
When the boy finally turned 18 years old, he left home for the first time, needing to learn more about the world. He took one year to travel Japan, learning about more Kami, such as Amatsumara and Shinatsuhiko. This only further expanded his love for Shintoism, and he traveled to many different Shinto shrines, trying to learn more than he already had. He had only grew up praying to one Kami, which his family had prayed to for generations. The journey was enlightening for him, and he wished to gain more knowledge for his religion.
Upon his return home, he told his family about what he learned. Telling his stories to his nieces and nephews who seemed to be as enveloped into his stories as he was to his mothers. Soga sought out higher education in religion to see if he could get a position in a shrine similar to the ones he had visited. Soga went to college for religious studies, where he focused on Shintoism. He excelled in his religion classes and worked hard until he graduated. After his graduation, he sent out applications to multiple shrines, and while waiting for their responses, he went back home and worked on his family’s farm, continuing to pray to the different Kami he believed in, but mostly to Ta-no-Kami, the Kami that led him to seek out the others.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
The Shinto Priests and Maidens share many of the same tasks, as they both must take care of the monastery grounds. Both positions can give tours of the shrine to visitors and teach them about Shintoism. However, Maidens tend to sell the trinkets at the shrine’s gift shop, while the priests tend to perform the offering rituals for the Kami, due to priests having a closer relationship to the Kami. Maidens are also seen performing for guests, either through ritual dances or playing instruments for them.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
The purification trough is filled with pure spring water that is natural to the shrine. To cleanse yourself, you take one of the ladles set in the trough and fill it with the spring water. Once filled with water, you pour the spring water over your hands, cleansing them. After both hands are purified, you then you must cleanse your mouth. You do so by filling your hands with the water and sipping it out of your palms. You do not swallow the water, and spit it out under the basin. When done, you set the ladle back down in the trough, now being cleansed.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
Offerings are very sacred and have steps to perform the offering successfully. Firstly, before entering the shrine, you must cleanse yourself at the purification station at the monastery's entrance. Afterward, on the way to make your offering, you must first bow before the Torii Gate, making sure not to walk along the center of the path, which is meant for the Kami. Next, once at the offering hall, you set down your offering. These offerings can range from yen to harvested foods, sake, and other items that would be acceptable. After setting your offer down on the offering box, you shake the rope near the entrance to the building, which then rings the bell. This bell alerts the Kami of the offering and the prayer. After ringing the bell, you face the shrine and take two deep bows. Then, you stand straight up and move your hands up to your chest, followed by two claps. Next, you make your prayer, which could either be said aloud or kept to yourself. Finally, you take one last deep bow, which concludes the offering.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
To perform a tea ceremony ritual, you begin by bowing to the guest and offering them tea. If they accept the offer, you guide them to the tea house. Once inside, you remove your shoes and set them aside, then bow again before making the tea. After making the tea, you return to the guest and set the tea down in front of them with the bowl facing you. When you pour the tea, you place the bowl in your left hand and turn the bowl so it was no longer facing you. The guest then takes a few sips of the tea, or until they are satisfied, before bowing as thanks. After the ceremony is over, you take the bowl back to where it belongs after washing the utensils. You may also teach more about the shrine afterward.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
A Tamagushi is a tool made of a branch from a Sakaki tree. This branch is decorated with strips of washi paper or silk. These offerings are used for weddings, funerals, as well as offerings to the Kami. The tamagushi is a sign of good will and can be offered by both Shinto Priests and Maidens,
The Ofuda is a talisman which holds the power of the Kami. They are hung in homes mostly, but may also be carried around to bring good luck. In homes, they are mostly used to decorate shrines, but they also bring safety from evil to those who have them. Ofuda is made from sheets of paper, cloth, or wood.
The Kagura Suzu is an instrument that is used to perform the Kagura dance. This instrument has twelve bells, and can only be played by a Shinto Miko, as they are the ones who have practiced with the instrument. The Kagura dance is done to appease the Kami watching in order to gain favor and luck.
(OPTIONAL) Based on your character; which other Kami would they worship?:
Ta-no-Kami is a Kami that is believed to bring good harvest. He worships this Kami due to his family’s ties with the Kami. For generations, the family prayed to this Kami, and Soga felt even closer ties to Ta-no-Kami. Noushin was the first Kami that he worshipped, and was the one who gave him the strength and blessings to be of help to his family in their farm.
Amatsumara is the Kami of ironworking and blacksmiths. During Soga’s one-year journey to different shrines all over Japan, he witnessed the creation of tools and weapons, as well as prayers to this Kami. He witnessed the creation of tools that his family used in their daily harvests and learned to appreciate them, and the other Kami which allow the blacksmiths to create wonders.
Shinatsuhiko is the Kami of wind. He learned of this Kami in a shrine built high in the mountains, where wind was strong. Spending plenty of time in this one shrine in particular, he learned to appreciate the wind, as it can be harsh enough to blow you away, but also can be gentle, showing him two sides which could also relate to him.
IN-GAME NAME (IGN):
Loboken
DISCORD NAME & TAG:
Rexypoo#3334
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?:
EST
LIST ANY PREVIOUS BANS:
I have 2 previous bans.
My first ban was for ERP back in 2018. This was due to my being immature and gullible with a group of my friends. After getting banned, I logged onto another account and tried to join back, and was banned for bypassing.
My second ban was for Bypassing. This was on February 27, 2022. This was due to me logging onto the banned account I previously used. I had tried logging onto said account to purchase an animal whitelist but got banned. I appealed the ban and was unbanned on March 16, 2022.
I have learned from my mistakes and have worked hard to keep my record clean ever since.
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?:
Yes I do!
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
I would describe myself as a very active member of the community. From the time I joined the server in early 2022, I have been active on the server, meeting more and more people and making more development between characters, making in-depth lore for my characters, and helping friends with their character backstories if they ever need it. My hours of play increased as school came to an end, and during the summer, I was on for hours at a time, spending my days playing SRP with my friends. However, with school coming back, my activity dropped a bit, but I still log on really often, and with my schedule, I have Friday-Sunday off, so I will be more active during those days.
WHAT POSITION ARE YOU APPLYING FOR?:
Shrine Priest
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OF SHINTOISM AND ARE YOU PREPARED/WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELIGION?:
While I would not say my knowledge is extensive, I would like to say I have enough knowledge of Shintoism to take a strong interest in it. I have interacted with a number of shrine members, a few that I frequently converse with, and with them, I have gained a lot of knowledge on the religion. Shintoism is a religion that has interested me ever since I was first introduced, and I kept coming back after my first exposure to it. I eventually got curious enough to apply to learn more, even going out of my way to research more about the religion to be a fit for the position. I am willing and prepared to learn more about this religion, and will learn more.
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
What makes me stand out for this role over other applicants is my determination to learn more about the religion of Shintoism. I truly have a desire to learn more, and have done much research in this topic. Whenever I have a strong desire for something, I put my all into learning it, and this will be useful when in this position. I work hard for what I love and this is one of those things. I see myself staying in this faction indefinitely. Ever since my first character was introduced and converted to Shintoism, all of my characters that followed have converted after their visits to the shrine. I want to be able to roleplay out a character who believed from the beginning, as well as loves their religion enough to wish to spread knowledge of it. It will be a change of pace for myself, and will be a very fun and interesting experience for myself. I love Japanese culture and this is a large aspect of the culture that I love. I also know the amount of DetailRP shrine staff do, and I love doing so. I know a large amount of shrine lore as well, from who founded it, to the burnings of the monastery, and the old names of the shrines before its current name. I will be an asset to the faction, especially when explaining the history of the Shrine, as well as Shintoism itself.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
I acknowledge the fact I will have to attend mandatory meetings.
───────────────────────────────────────
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME:
Soga Kazuki
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss):
Mr
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80):
24
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS:
Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY:
Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER:
030-546-3348
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
My motivation for working at the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery is simple. I wish to spread knowledge of Shintoism. All my life, I was devoted to the religion, feeling a strong pull towards it, and the Kami my family worshipped. I grew up on a large farm, where all day, we would plant, care for, and harvest our crops. I prayed everyday to Ta-no-Kami, the Kami of good harvest, in order to bring plentiful harvests for my family. All of my life has been devoted to this religion, and I wish to be able to show others the light that I have found. I find peace in my faith, and my journey to learn more about myself only led me further down the path of my faith, expanding my love and appreciation for all circles of life, and all different Kami. While I may have lived my whole life according to the religion of Shintoism, I still have much to learn, which I learned during my one-year journey in Japan, visiting many shrines and learning more and more. I learned more in that one year than the rest of the 18 years beforehand. I have my own unique perspective of Shintoism, and I wish to learn other’s views on what I view as my life. Different interpretations will further expand my own knowledge and love, as there are things that I may not see unless my eyes are opened to them. I will be able to offer my desire to help others learn more, just as I have,
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
I know quite a bit about the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. At first, in the year 744, it was constructed as a Buddhist temple. It went through two major burnings, once in 1176 and the other around the year 1587. The first burning was due to a retaliation by the Buddhist monks of the Akatera Monastery, the current name of the shrine at the time. It was rebuilt in 1228 and renamed to the Kisume Monastery, which was then burnt down again after the town of Karakura rioted against the current warlord. The Shinsei Seinaru Monastery was rebuilt and gained its name in the year 1617, and still carries its long and tragic history. The Monastery was built up in the mountains due to it being isolated, as well as being close to the heart of the Kami of the shrine, Chiharu-Yamatsumi, a mountain Kami. This Kami is the only remaining after all of the misfortune that befell the monastery
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
Dear Monastery Lead,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am honored to be reaching out to speak to you. I am Koga Kazuki, a humble farmer and follower of Shintoism from the town of Hiraizumi. I want to thank you for all of your wonderful work in spreading our lovely religion, which has been seeing less and less belief in recent days. I wish to assist in your efforts and spread the love of Shintoism to the people of Karakura, and bestow them knowledge that they seek. I of course have much to learn, and as I learn, I will be able to teach. My faith is what has carried me through my life, and others may need something similar in their own lives. I studied Shintoism in school, and even had taken a personal journey to learn more about my beloved religion. Now as a man of religion and of Shinto, I see myself staying in the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery for the long term, being able to help spread the love of Shintoism and nature. I know I will leave a major impact on those if given the opportunity. Thank you for reading my letter and taking the time to consider me.
Best Regards,
Soga Kazuki
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Soga Kazuki was born early in the morning, before the sun rose on August 5th, 1998. He was born in Hiraizumi, Japan to a hardworking family. He had 4 older siblings, three brothers and one sister. His family were farmers for generations, as well as very religious. Despite the fact that they lived in a town that held treasured Buddhist temples, the Kazuki family was a devout Shinto family. Due to the family working most of the day, they had a room in their family home devoted to be their own personal shrine to their Kami, Ta-no-Kami, also known as Noushin.
The family would make offerings to their Kami daily, wishing for plentiful harvests and good fortune. When Soga was old enough, he was sent to help work in the fields with his brothers, learning the family work. From a young age, he was a hard worker, trying to compete with his older, stronger, and more experienced brothers. This drive led him to often pray to the Kami for good fortune more than his brothers, who did not have such strong faith. His faith only grew with the stories his mother told him before bed. They were often the same stories that put the others to sleep, but to the young Soga, they filled him with wonder and purpose.
When winter was falling onto the family, Soga prayed more and more to let their harvest be larger so they could survive through the winter without worry, making offerings at least once a day, and as many as three. His brothers thought he was overdoing his faith and teased him for it, but when Soga fell ill and failed to pray to Ta-no-Kami, the brothers noticed they were harvesting less and less. At first, they believed it was due to the lack of help from their hardworking brother, not wanting to believe it was due to their religion, which they did not believe in as strongly. However, when Soga prayed for them once again, their harvest seemed to be better, leading the brothers to join Soga in his prayers. While the prayers may not have been what caused the better harvests, Soga’s strong faith brought the brothers closer together.
When the boy finally turned 18 years old, he left home for the first time, needing to learn more about the world. He took one year to travel Japan, learning about more Kami, such as Amatsumara and Shinatsuhiko. This only further expanded his love for Shintoism, and he traveled to many different Shinto shrines, trying to learn more than he already had. He had only grew up praying to one Kami, which his family had prayed to for generations. The journey was enlightening for him, and he wished to gain more knowledge for his religion.
Upon his return home, he told his family about what he learned. Telling his stories to his nieces and nephews who seemed to be as enveloped into his stories as he was to his mothers. Soga sought out higher education in religion to see if he could get a position in a shrine similar to the ones he had visited. Soga went to college for religious studies, where he focused on Shintoism. He excelled in his religion classes and worked hard until he graduated. After his graduation, he sent out applications to multiple shrines, and while waiting for their responses, he went back home and worked on his family’s farm, continuing to pray to the different Kami he believed in, but mostly to Ta-no-Kami, the Kami that led him to seek out the others.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
The Shinto Priests and Maidens share many of the same tasks, as they both must take care of the monastery grounds. Both positions can give tours of the shrine to visitors and teach them about Shintoism. However, Maidens tend to sell the trinkets at the shrine’s gift shop, while the priests tend to perform the offering rituals for the Kami, due to priests having a closer relationship to the Kami. Maidens are also seen performing for guests, either through ritual dances or playing instruments for them.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
The purification trough is filled with pure spring water that is natural to the shrine. To cleanse yourself, you take one of the ladles set in the trough and fill it with the spring water. Once filled with water, you pour the spring water over your hands, cleansing them. After both hands are purified, you then you must cleanse your mouth. You do so by filling your hands with the water and sipping it out of your palms. You do not swallow the water, and spit it out under the basin. When done, you set the ladle back down in the trough, now being cleansed.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
Offerings are very sacred and have steps to perform the offering successfully. Firstly, before entering the shrine, you must cleanse yourself at the purification station at the monastery's entrance. Afterward, on the way to make your offering, you must first bow before the Torii Gate, making sure not to walk along the center of the path, which is meant for the Kami. Next, once at the offering hall, you set down your offering. These offerings can range from yen to harvested foods, sake, and other items that would be acceptable. After setting your offer down on the offering box, you shake the rope near the entrance to the building, which then rings the bell. This bell alerts the Kami of the offering and the prayer. After ringing the bell, you face the shrine and take two deep bows. Then, you stand straight up and move your hands up to your chest, followed by two claps. Next, you make your prayer, which could either be said aloud or kept to yourself. Finally, you take one last deep bow, which concludes the offering.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
To perform a tea ceremony ritual, you begin by bowing to the guest and offering them tea. If they accept the offer, you guide them to the tea house. Once inside, you remove your shoes and set them aside, then bow again before making the tea. After making the tea, you return to the guest and set the tea down in front of them with the bowl facing you. When you pour the tea, you place the bowl in your left hand and turn the bowl so it was no longer facing you. The guest then takes a few sips of the tea, or until they are satisfied, before bowing as thanks. After the ceremony is over, you take the bowl back to where it belongs after washing the utensils. You may also teach more about the shrine afterward.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
A Tamagushi is a tool made of a branch from a Sakaki tree. This branch is decorated with strips of washi paper or silk. These offerings are used for weddings, funerals, as well as offerings to the Kami. The tamagushi is a sign of good will and can be offered by both Shinto Priests and Maidens,
The Ofuda is a talisman which holds the power of the Kami. They are hung in homes mostly, but may also be carried around to bring good luck. In homes, they are mostly used to decorate shrines, but they also bring safety from evil to those who have them. Ofuda is made from sheets of paper, cloth, or wood.
The Kagura Suzu is an instrument that is used to perform the Kagura dance. This instrument has twelve bells, and can only be played by a Shinto Miko, as they are the ones who have practiced with the instrument. The Kagura dance is done to appease the Kami watching in order to gain favor and luck.
(OPTIONAL) Based on your character; which other Kami would they worship?:
Ta-no-Kami is a Kami that is believed to bring good harvest. He worships this Kami due to his family’s ties with the Kami. For generations, the family prayed to this Kami, and Soga felt even closer ties to Ta-no-Kami. Noushin was the first Kami that he worshipped, and was the one who gave him the strength and blessings to be of help to his family in their farm.
Amatsumara is the Kami of ironworking and blacksmiths. During Soga’s one-year journey to different shrines all over Japan, he witnessed the creation of tools and weapons, as well as prayers to this Kami. He witnessed the creation of tools that his family used in their daily harvests and learned to appreciate them, and the other Kami which allow the blacksmiths to create wonders.
Shinatsuhiko is the Kami of wind. He learned of this Kami in a shrine built high in the mountains, where wind was strong. Spending plenty of time in this one shrine in particular, he learned to appreciate the wind, as it can be harsh enough to blow you away, but also can be gentle, showing him two sides which could also relate to him.
