Osaisen
Practices御賽銭 ・ Reading: おさいせん
Definition
Osaisen is the monetary offering visitors make at a shrine or temple, dropped into the offering box before praying. It is given as a gesture of gratitude rather than payment.
What you are giving
Osaisen is the small coin offering you drop into the wooden box, called a saisenbako, that sits at the front of a shrine or temple hall. It is not an entrance fee or a payment for a wish. It is a gesture of thanks and respect towards the kami or the Buddha before you pray. There is no fixed amount, and a modest coin is perfectly enough.
How to offer it
Approach the offering box, place your coin in gently rather than throwing it hard, and then pray. At a shrine this usually means two bows, two claps, and a final bow, while at a temple you press your palms together quietly without clapping. If there is a bell and rope at a shrine, or a flat gong called a waniguchi at a temple, you may sound it before offering.
The five yen custom
Many visitors like to offer a five yen coin, because "five yen" (go en) sounds the same as another go en, a word for a good connection or fortunate tie). It is a gentle play on words rather than a rule, so any coin you have is welcome and equally sincere.
Common questions
- How much should I put in the offering box at a Japanese shrine?
There is no set amount for osaisen, the monetary offering you drop into the box at a shrine or temple, and a small coin is perfectly acceptable. Many visitors offer a five yen coin because "five yen" (go en) sounds like a word for a good connection, but any coin you have is fine.
- Why do people offer a five yen coin as osaisen?
A five yen coin is popular for osaisen because the Japanese word for five yen, go en, sounds the same as another word meaning a fortunate tie or good connection. It is a lighthearted play on words rather than a requirement, so any coin is equally welcome.
- How do I make an osaisen offering correctly?
To offer osaisen, gently place your coin in the offering box rather than throwing it, then pray. At a shrine this means two bows, two claps, and a final bow, while at a temple you simply press your palms together without clapping.