Shinto
...gosan is on November 15. It is not a national holiday. On November 15 (or the closest weekend) the young people visit a Shinto Shrine dressed up in kimono. Odd numbers are considered lucky numbers. Long candies in bags that are decorated with turtles and cranes are given to the children. The candy, the crane, and the turtle, are symbola of longlivity . Shinto priests perform the rituals. They can marry and have children. There are even a few female priests. There are usually young ladies (called miko) dressed in a white kimono who help the priest at rituals and other tasks in the shrine. They have to be unmarried and are often the priest's daughters. Shinto is a very optimistic faith. It is thought that all humans are fundamentally good, and that all evil is caused by evil spirits. Most of the rituals are done to avoid evil spirits by things like purification, offerings and prayers. Nowadays, people look for support from Shinto and visit shrines to pray for good fortune and avoid evil spirits (especially before special events like the opening of a business, school entrance exams , etc.). At many shrines, you can get lots of talismans against a little offering, (i.e. they can be bought with money). Most wedding ceremonies are Shinto style. Sice, death is evil in Shinto, most parts of it, especially funerals are done with Buddhist rituals. Shinto only gives a few details about the afterlife. Shinto prayers (at shrines or at home) mostly go like this (there are many variations): First, you should purify yourself by cleaning your hands and your mouth with (clean) water. Then you give your offerings (like coins if you are at a shrine or food at the home shrine), bow twice deeply, clap your hands twice, bow deeply once more and pray. When Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the 6th century , a few conflicts happened between the two religions, but they were able to exist peacefully, and they even com...