Shinsei Seinaru Monastery offers citizens and others alike various services to help with spiritual care. This forum provides information on what the Monastery offers and how you can access it. There are a few ways to get to the shrine. You can enter the main forest and go all the way left until you see the main torii gate. You can also enter via the shopping district entrance to the forest and keep walking straight.
Have questions or any comments? Join the Karakura Town Discord Here. To apply for the shrine faction, click Here.
Omamori serve as good luck charms. Each omamori is hand sewn by members of the shrine, their purpose is reflected by the words sewn onto the charm. Each and every omamori has a purpose. In Japan, many students carry an omamori for education. Some partners gift omamori of love or health. While these charms may not protect you against malevolent spirits you may run into, they generally help ward off bad luck and impurities.
Shinsei Seinaru Monastery offers 5 different types of omamoris:
Omamori (Protection)
A red omamori, representing purity. It provides protection against impurities and imbalance by providing a strong spiritual connection to the kami.
- Note: This one is not named protection in-game but is primarily used as protection omamori.
A dark blue omamori that helps initiate a calming effect for the exams. This helps inspire focus, perseverance, and success in academic studies.
Omamori (Love)
A pink omamori that strengthens bonds of love and friendship, nurturing harmony in all your connections.
Omamori (Health)
A green omamori with cherry blossoms falling through it. This helps safeguard your health, encouraging healing and resilience in body and spirit.
Omamori (Fortune)
A light blue and pink omamori with koi fish, created to keep good fortune coming your way- whether that be financial or career-wise. May the koi swimming on this omamori bring you luck and success with whatever you need.
The monastery offers various rituals and events that visitors can request to be done. To request a ritual, you may contact the shrine workers ICly and discuss your troubles or what you want to be done. Some of our ritual services do not need to be planned and can happen if we have the available staff currently.
- After you finish, you will receive an exclusive item that you can only get for completing it (besides blessings)
Jichinsai (Construction Ritual)
Construction is always a scary thing, one little slip-up and BAM your building has fallen. If you are working on some sort of construction, such as maybe a new shop interior or a sparkling new apartment, why not come get the shrine faction to do a small blessing? This makes sure the area is protected and it only takes a few minutes! At the end, you will receive a special amulet that will protect you and the people residing in it.
- This ritual can happen on the same day you offer it if shrine staff are available.
Misogi
This group cleansing ritual is performed in a pool of cold water. It purifies the mind, body and soul. The practice aids in developing mental fortitude using deep breathing and meditation to help you brave through the harshness of cold water. Speak to a Priest regarding Misogi arrangements for your group.
- You receive an omamori for successfully completing this ritual.
- A meal is provided after this ritual commemorating your success.
Coming of Age Ceremony/Seijin-No-Hi
When you become either 18 or 20, you may participate in the coming-of-age ceremony! Celebrate this fact at the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. With the coming of age ceremony, you will thank the kami in prayer while also receiving a small blessing and a gift of a good luck cat charm.
And if you are 20, you know what that means? You can now get alcohol without a fake ID! At the end of your ceremony, not only do you get the gift of the lucky cat charm, but you will also have a taste of sake that you’ll be able to bring back home with you!
- Any age above 18 can receive a coming-of-age ceremony but it is highly recommended for anyone in college.
- To receive the gift of sake with your ritual, you must show proof that you are over the age of 20.
- At the end, you will receive a FREE special charm for completing this ritual
- This ritual can be completed on the same day you ask for it, as long as shrine staff are available.
Grounds Purification/Blessing
If you believe you have been plagued by unlucky deeds or may have potential spiritual activity in an area, the shrine staff can assist and bless the grounds, we’ll ease your worries and cleanse the space.
If you also believe your vehicle is plagued by bad fortune, maybe it has recently gotten damaged or simply wish for a new vehicle to not be damaged in the future? We can also bless your vehicle, to ensure you’re all safe for any journey you take
Chanoyu
Chanoyu stands for the way of the tea. It is an art form founded by Sen no Rikyu. The ceremony stems from the values of Zen Buddhism, where one can achieve tranquility through the simple act of performing a task to perfection, even if its as simple as adding hot water to tea powder. There are three schools of tea in Japan, aimed at perfecting the art of the tea ceremony. People spend decades perfecting this art form. Every body movement, breath taken and decision made is accounted for in a tea ceremony. As such, the host and the guests share absolute respect for each other during a tea ceremony.
Guidelines
Thick Tea
Thin Tea
- Dress code: You are strongly recommended to dress in formal or traditional attire for the experience. Shrine staff reserve the right to turn you away if you are dressed inappropriately.
- Behaviour: Ensure you have read through the guidebook provided prior to the ceremony. Remain respectful at all times and have your mobile phones switched off during the experience.
- Read the guidebook: There will be a guidebook provided to you ICLY to read through prior to the ceremony, it will contain all the cues and actions you can perform or follow during the ceremony
Thick Tea
- More stern and disciplined compared to thin tea, conversations are not allowed.
- Guests take a small sip from the same bowl of tea, wiping the bowl, then passing it to the next person.
- Guests are allowed to compliment the tea after taking a sip.
- After the tea is finished, guests can compliment the tea bowl, the seasonal scroll, the bonsai and the host.
Thin Tea
- In a slightly more casual setting, guests are allowed casual conversations amongst everyone.
- Light traditional Japanese sweets are served and can be eaten after tea has been served.
- Guests can request to observe the tea bowl and equipment near the end
- More stern and disciplined compared to thin tea, conversations are not allowed.
- Guests take a small sip from the same bowl of tea, wiping the bowl, then passing it to the next person.
- Guests are allowed to compliment the tea after taking a sip.
- After the tea is finished, guests can compliment the tea bowl, the seasonal scroll, the bonsai and the host.
From the start of marriage to the end of life Shinsei Seinaru Monastery offers options for weddings and funerals. You may contact shrine workers ICly to discuss it and a plan will be made for what will be happening and what date. You will need Discord for this for communication purposes.
Weddings
In the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery, an engaged couple can request the wedding ceremony from a maiden and priest. For this to happen, a maiden or priest must first conduct a brief interview with the couple wishing to marry. Clicking the dropdown below will show you more information such as interview questions for weddings.
IC QUESTIONS
THE CEREMONY
The wedding ceremony is split into three parts:
Next is the ‘Exchanging of the sake bowls’, also known as the ‘San Ken no Gi’. This ritual begins with the maiden preparing three bowls of sake to hand out. She will hand the first bowl to the groom. Following this, the groom will sip from the bowl, then give it to the priest. The priest will then hand the same bowl to the bride, who will then also take a siip from the bowl, before returning it to the maiden. This process will repeat two more times, using all three of the sake bowls.
Finally, the Vows and Rings. The final part of the wedding ceremony begins with the priest declaring that the groom may state his vows. After which, the bride will state hers. Once complete, the maiden will command the ringbearer, if present, to come forth and present the rings. Once done, the maiden will then request a simple pray, that being for the groom and bride to bow twice, clap twice, and then clap once more.
The ceremony concludes with the priest declaring the groom and bride to be officially married under the blessing of the kami, before informing them of the reception’s location and guiding them.
After the ceremony, the priest and maiden are expected to attend the reception/afterparty for a brief amount of time. After which, they are free to leave.
- Names and pronouns of both weds.
- Which surname is being taken
- Will there be a ringbearer? If so, who?
- Will there be a flower-girl? If so, who?
- Where is the ceremony taking place?
- Where will the reception be?
- Will there be an afterparty? If so, where?
- Is there an expected guest-count?
- Do the weds want a specific maiden and/or priest?
- What date and time will the wedding be?
- Discords of both weds if applicable
- Are the rings ItemRP or a physical item
THE CEREMONY
The wedding ceremony is split into three parts:
- Blessing of the Kami
- Exchanging the bowls of sake
- Vows and rings.
Next is the ‘Exchanging of the sake bowls’, also known as the ‘San Ken no Gi’. This ritual begins with the maiden preparing three bowls of sake to hand out. She will hand the first bowl to the groom. Following this, the groom will sip from the bowl, then give it to the priest. The priest will then hand the same bowl to the bride, who will then also take a siip from the bowl, before returning it to the maiden. This process will repeat two more times, using all three of the sake bowls.
Finally, the Vows and Rings. The final part of the wedding ceremony begins with the priest declaring that the groom may state his vows. After which, the bride will state hers. Once complete, the maiden will command the ringbearer, if present, to come forth and present the rings. Once done, the maiden will then request a simple pray, that being for the groom and bride to bow twice, clap twice, and then clap once more.
The ceremony concludes with the priest declaring the groom and bride to be officially married under the blessing of the kami, before informing them of the reception’s location and guiding them.
After the ceremony, the priest and maiden are expected to attend the reception/afterparty for a brief amount of time. After which, they are free to leave.
Once the interview concludes and the date of the ceremony comes, a priest and maiden will gather at the ceremony site and prepare to provide the service. A typical wedding lasts between 15 and 35 minutes. The ceremony will begin with the guests being asked to quieten down and the ringing of the priest’s gong. When asking the guests to be quiet, it is advised that they remain quiet in LOOC as well as IC conversation.
Funerals
Losing someone you love is never easy, especially when you have to figure out how to help the souls pass on and give everyone time to grieve. That’s where the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery comes in. Contact the Monastery to help you go through the process of a funeral procession and give your loved one a peaceful rest. We also offer prayers and keep the Graveyard in a good condition even after the funeral, so the resting places of those once walking beside us are always clean.
In order to plan a funeral, you must approach a Priest about scheduling the service. Afterwards, the Priest will ask you for a date, time, the name of the departed, and who the Eulogist of the Funeral will be.
If you are giving your loved one a gravestone, we recommend speaking with the Priest hosting the funeral service to give the location. Proof of a funeral is a must in order for the city to recognize the burial site and give a proper headstone. When approaching the town faction, have proof of the funeral via pictures or witnesses before speaking with the Mayor to create a headstone with the person’s Name, Year of death, and small, 1-2 lined quote with the headstone in the graveyard next to the church. This will cost 1 Million Yen.
What to Prepare:
The Eulogist should prepare a main speech during the official service about the person to celebrate their life and help give everyone and proper goodbye. Along with this, the Eulogist is expected to help bring the lid over the casket of the person, moving the casket into the grave.
Offerings should be presented to the departed to bring them familiarity and comfort in their journey to Yomi. This can be from Food, Items, and flowers.
Having actions prepared to step up to the grave and give offerings, along with an action to say goodbye done separately, is not required but recommended for all guests who wish to step forward.
When it comes to Funerals, we expect everything to remain a respectful demeanor for those in mourning and the recently deceased. It is for this reason that we will not hesitate to kick you out of a site or contact the police should we need to. Here are some things you can do to remain respectful during a service:
If you are giving your loved one a gravestone, we recommend speaking with the Priest hosting the funeral service to give the location. Proof of a funeral is a must in order for the city to recognize the burial site and give a proper headstone. When approaching the town faction, have proof of the funeral via pictures or witnesses before speaking with the Mayor to create a headstone with the person’s Name, Year of death, and small, 1-2 lined quote with the headstone in the graveyard next to the church. This will cost 1 Million Yen.
What to Prepare:
The Eulogist should prepare a main speech during the official service about the person to celebrate their life and help give everyone and proper goodbye. Along with this, the Eulogist is expected to help bring the lid over the casket of the person, moving the casket into the grave.
Offerings should be presented to the departed to bring them familiarity and comfort in their journey to Yomi. This can be from Food, Items, and flowers.
Having actions prepared to step up to the grave and give offerings, along with an action to say goodbye done separately, is not required but recommended for all guests who wish to step forward.
When it comes to Funerals, we expect everything to remain a respectful demeanor for those in mourning and the recently deceased. It is for this reason that we will not hesitate to kick you out of a site or contact the police should we need to. Here are some things you can do to remain respectful during a service:
- Be silent while the Service is happening: While we or the Eulogist are speaking or in the process of the funeral, we expect silence unless giving permission for you to speak up (i.e; to say goodbye or give offerings to the open casket.)
- Proper dress code: We ask that you wear darker clothes unless specified otherwise by us or the person hosting the funeral.
- Understand people are in mourning: We do not take lightly to others scorning and mocking those who are going through the process of grieving for their loved one. This is about sending the soul off to Yomi, not a bully’s playground.
Education
The maidens and priests of Shinsei Seinaru Monastery are very educated in the workings of Shintoism and the history of Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. If you are ever curious about Shintoism, the shrine, or anything alike you are always welcomed to come talk to a shrine worker and they gladly teach you.
If you are a teacher/professor who wishes to have a field trip at the shrine then please DM RandomlyAccepted on Discord.
Omikuji & Ema Wall
Omikuji are small fortune papers that can tell your luck, if it is bad you can tie it onto the rope so it won’t be a burden to you. With 115 possibilities ranging from finding your true love to slipping on a banana, you would be surprised how accurate these little slips of paper can be!
Ema boards are wishes and messages you may want to send to loved ones. The shrine staff often pray for these wishes to come true, they are cleared up when the walls are full- But don’t worry, they are all stored in a sacred place.
Tarot Reading
Tarot reading is known as a practice which predicts others futures. Although this definition is almost correct it is still only an over exaggeration of what Tarot Reading really is. Tarot doesn’t tell you what will happen but instead, it tells you what might happen. Tarot is used for divination or looking at life occurrences while they are happening, may plan to unfold or have already passed. This is how some individuals work through their worries of the past, present and future and can be helpful to brainstorm how they may solve issues in their life.
Gift Shop
CHARMS
- Ofuda “Kami” - ¥2,500 (A talisman charm with a specific inscription. Ofuda can be either placed as furniture, worn as an accessory, or simply carried on your person. The text on the ofuda depicts the blessing it may give. Other variants include: Protection, Prosperity, Purification, etc.)
- Omamori - ¥1,500 (Omamori work very similarly to ofuda, being that it is a good-luck charm. There are 5 variants of omamori in the shrines giftshops:
Protection, Health, Love, Studies, and Good Fortune.) - Charm “Kaeru Frog” - ¥1,500 (The frog charm is yet another good-fortune charm. The kaeru frog charm is a fortune of the following: Safe travels, positive change, luck, fertility, and more. They make a good wedding gift!)
- Blessed Lantern - ¥2,000 (Blessed lanterns are sources of light that can be used during worship and prayer. They are symbolic of a wish, and many may use it to request blessing, welfare, and guidance from the kami.)
- Koinobori “Pink Carp” OR “Black Carp” - ¥15,000 (Koinobori are carp windsocks. The variant from the shrine is a held item, however many families will often hang koinobori in early spring. In Japan, koinobori are also hung to celebrate “Tango No Sekku”)
- Stamp Card “Shinto Shrine” - ¥2,500 (Stamp cards are common across all cultures and amusements, however the shrine’s specific one can be stamped upon visiting any Shintoist shrine.)
- Plushie “Marketable Kitsa” - ¥25,000 (‘Kitsa’ is a frequent spiritual visitor at the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. So frequent and beloved that we began selling merchandise of her!)
- Stone Lantern “Ishi Doro” - ¥35,000 (Ishi-doro are large stone-carved lanterns that you will commonly find in Japanese gardens and shrines.)
- House Shrine “Butsudan” - ¥25,000 (The Butsudan is a miniature shrine you can have in your home. These structures are prominent in traditional Japanese families and Buddhism, however they can also serve to be used as memorials for family that have passed on.)
Community Connections
From giving snacks to the KPD, EMS, and government workers to even donating flowers to shops; Shinsei Seinaru Monastery offers strong connections throughout the community. Creating connections helps give fun new roleplay opportunities to players and also builds an overall connection in the community.
Does that sound like something you want your business/group to do? Contact Randamu Heddo today! (Dm RandomlyAccepted on Discord)