写真

Prayers for safe driving 交通安全祈願

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People in Japan may call for divine protection when driving or operating a vehicle. Here are some vehicles with various protective devices.

A shrine’s traffic safety sticker on the Japan Automobile Federation’s road service vehicle.
A shrine’s traffic safety sticker on a kindergarten bus.
A collection of traffic safety stickers
A shrine’s traffic safety sticker on a farm tractor.
A prayer for business prosperity painted on the back of a truck.
On a Shinto priest’s personal automobile, a Tengu mask, Okinawan Shisa statues and other amulets.
Doraemon.

Gokayama gassho-zukuri 五箇山合掌造り

/ JapanFolklorist

Part of the area known as Gokayama (Toyama Prefecture), the village of Suganuma is a registered World Heritage Site. It is known for its traditional gassho-zukuri style roofed buildings. The steeply angled roofs, designed to let the snow fall off, resemble the shape taken by the arms when the palms of the hand are brought together for prayer. Here are some photographs during the month of January.

世界文化遺産 菅沼合掌造り集落.

Suganuma village.

Gassho-zukuri architecture.
Thatched roof, wooden walls, paper windows.
Firepit in the home.
Stairway to the shrine.