Isosaki Shrine and Kamiiso Torii（磯前神社・神磯鳥居）
Torii, or shrine gates, mark the entrance to shrines. Located on a rocky outcrop of the Oarai Coast, Kamiiso Torii is the symbol of Oarai and one of three torii belonging to Isosaki Shrine. The torii faces directly east so that on New Year's day the sun rises directly behind the gate, making it a particularly popular desination for Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year.
Kamiiso torii is located just a few minutes from Isosaki Shrine itself. Originally established in 856, Isosaki Shrines enshrines gods of medicine, happiness and good luck in marriage. The street in front of Isosaki Shrine is home to several hotels and restaurants offering Oarai's famous seafood, making the area an easy way to experience everything Oarai has to offer.
O-mikuji (おみくじ)
What are o-mikuji? One of the more fun things to do at a shrine is to draw an o-mikuji (おみくじ). O-mikuji are random fortunes that help you know your future and make the right decisions. They’re extremely popular during the New Year season, but you can draw one anytime you visit a temple. Obviously, there is no need to take them seriously, but they’re still a fun thing to do whenever you want to know what your future holds.
Prices for o-mikuji will vary between temples, but the Oarai shrine offers ￥100 fortunes.
How to draw one? Drawing o-mikuji is a very simple task, so everyone can give it a go!
1. Pay for the o-mikuji (there is a box next to the o-mikuji container which says “￥100”) 2. Shake the o-mikuji container (to make sure you do not get the same fortune as the person before you) 3. Put the container up-side-down, holding it above your palm. As you shake the container, a stick with a number on it will come out 4. Make a note of the number on the stick - this is your fortune number! 5. Put the stick back into the container 6. To the side there is a small cabinet with paper tickets stuffed in it. Look for the fortune with your number 7. Don’t throw it away (more below)!
Sadly, unless you speak Japanese you won’t be able to decipher all the intricate details of your fortune, but a general description of fortunes is given below (you can also find other examples online):
吉 blessing 大吉 great blessing 中吉 half luck 小吉 small luck 末吉 late good luck 凶 curse (no luck)
Even when you’ve found out what your future holds, do not throw away your fortune! After all, it’s a gift you received from the gods, so it’s customary to take it home with you, or tie the fortune ticket to one of the racks that you’ll find on the shrine grounds. If there are no racks provided, you can tie it to a branch of a nearby tree. When can you get rid of your fortune? There is no expiration date, but generally you can consider it fulfilled once your fortune comes true (in other words, self-imposed expiration date). You can then burn it or dispose of it at the temple. If you decided to tie it to the shrine, it will get burned (“purified”) by the temple staff at some point.