Five cues
- The gate. A torii — two uprights and a crossbeam, often vermillion — means shrine. A roofed gatehouse with muscular guardian statues means temple.
- The name. Shrines end in -jinja, -jingu, -taisha or -gu. Temples end in -ji, -dera or -in.
- The guardians. Shrines have paired komainu lion-dogs, or foxes at an Inari shrine. Temples have Nio kings at the gate.
- Incense. A large bronze burner you waft smoke from is a temple. Shrines use water for purification instead.
- Graves. Cemeteries are Buddhist. A shrine will not have one.
What to do
At a shrine: bow at the torii, walk to one side of the path's centre, purify at the water basin — left hand, right hand, then pour into a cupped hand to rinse your mouth. At the hall: coin in, bell if there is one, two bows, two claps, a pause, one bow.
At a temple: no clapping. Bow, offer incense if there is a burner, put your hands together in silence. Both welcome visitors of any belief or none.
If you get it wrong, nobody minds. Making an attempt is the part that registers.