Ritual

The trees are hundreds of years old, big and tall. Walking into the shrine through the trees, there is a big basin made of shiny black granite full of pure water. Here you have to cleanse your mouth and hands. There is a sign that tells you how to cleanse. First take up the dipper placed beside the basin with your right hand. Dip up water. Pour some on your left hand to cleanse. Do the same to your right hand. Then pour some water on your cupped left hand. From that suck some water in your mouth. Cleanse your mouth. Spit the water out softly to the ground covered with round black stones, hiding your mouth with your left hand so that nobody can see your mouth spitting. Then cleanse your left hand again. And lastly, with the water left in the dipper cleanse the handle you gripped. Return the dipper in order to the original place for a next user.
This looks like a long procedure but actually it is not. When I was young these things looked quite nonsense. But doing nonsense has something in common with Buddhism. If you have a chance try it. You may find something new.
The early morning shrine was quiet and cool, only the sound of leaves rustling and crows cawing. The smell of bonfire.