A Shinto shrine or holy place in Japanese tradition, usually a small structure dedicated to a kami (spirit or deity).
From Japanese '社' (yashiro), where '社' combines characters meaning 'deity' and 'place.' The term dates back centuries in Japanese religious practice and architecture.
Yashiros are often tiny—some are barely bigger than a mailbox—yet they represent the Japanese Shinto belief that sacred spirits live everywhere in nature, from trees to rocks to street corners, so you'll see thousands of miniature shrines throughout Japan that regular people maintain and pray at.
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