Difference between Shrine and Temple

You may find it difficult to distinguish between temples and shrines at first, but after reading this article, you will be able to distinguish between temples and shrines.

Definition of words

deity(god): 神, worship: 参拝・お参り, ksitigarbha(Jizo statue): 地蔵菩薩, pagoda: 仏塔, doctrines: 教義, preached: 説教, enshrine: 祀る, belfry: 鐘楼, founder: 開祖, doctrines: 教義, sutras: 経, dwell: 宿る, precincts: 境内

Religion and culture

Many Japanese people tend to believe that we are not a religious culture. ​
We don’t have an everyday routine of religious practices.​But actually, we are unconscious that we sometimes practice Buddhism and Shinto. For example, we visit temples as believers of Buddhism and shrines as believers of Shinto. Many Japanese people think our culture is not religious, but we believe in the presence of God.
For Japanese people, god is not a specific object or figure, but instead something each person is free to imagine.

Tera=Temple and Jinja=Shrine

Tera is a temple to Buddhism and Jinja is a Shrine to Shinto.
Tera enshrines Buddhist statues and Jinja enshrines Shinto deity.
Lots of Japanese go to a shrine to worship on New Year, but have a funeral at a Buddhist temple. Japan has no problem accepting both religions since　Buddhism and Shintoism not in conflict with each other.
The picture below is a comparison illustration of what is in the temple and shrine.

篠宮早苗, "第４章 JAPANにはまる！", 英語で話せる日本図鑑, edited by 工藤雷太, 株式会社永岡書店, pp. 144,146.

Tera (Temple)

Object of worship Tera is a Buddhist temple where statues of the Buddha enshrined, Buddhist monks lives, and Buddhist doctrines are preached.
Composition / guardians
Within the temple precincts, there are main temple gate, belfry, five story pagoda, statue of Ksitigarbha, as well as hall.
Main temple gate is called "Sanmon". In many cases, a pair of an A-shaped statue with an open mouth and an Un -shaped statue with a tied mouth are placed on the left and right sides of the front gate of the temple.
The five story pagoda express the five elements (earth, water, fire, wind, sky).
How to worship
Put your hands together (fit your palms in front of your chest) and give a bow.  Don't clap.

Famous Temples in Japan

Horyuji Temple (in Nara)
It is the world's oldest wooden structure.
Byodo-in Temple (in Kyoto)
It is built in 1052 and is chosen as the design of 10-yen coin.
Kinkakuji Temple (in Kyoto)
The official name is “Rokuonji”, but it is called “Kinkakuji” because it is famous for the building with gold leaf.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple (in Kyoto)
It is a temple well known for the huge stage that it has. Every year, it is illuminated for a limited period of time.
Sensoji Temple (in Tokyo)
It is the oldest temple in Tokyo. There is “Kaminarimon” at the entrance of Sensoji Temple, and when you enter from there, you will find “Nakamise Road”. You can see a lot of tourists taking commemorative photos in front of Kaminarimon.
Zoujouji Temple (in Tokyo)
It is one of the head temple of Jodo Sect(Jodo-syu) and known as the Tokugawa Shogun's family temple. We can enjoy cherry blossoms, temple and Tokyo Tower together.

Jinja (Shrine)

Object of worship
Jinja is a shrine to Shinto. Many Japanese go to Jinja to worship on New Year.
Shinto is the traditional faith of Japan from ancient times and doesn't have a founder. It came into existence naturally without clear doctrines or sutras. In Shinto, it is believed that gods dwell in all things, and these gods are called "Yaoyorozu no kami".
Composition / guardians
Within the shrine precincts, there are torii gate, guardian dogs, chozuya, stone lantern, offertory box as well as shirine.
The guardian deity of the shrine is called "guardian dogs", which is a stone statue of dogs sitting between the torii gate and the outer shrine. The right one has its mouth open, and the left one has its mouth closed.
How to worship
1. Purify your hands and mouth with water in "chozuya".
2. Throw money into the offertory box.
*There is no rule on the amount of money. But, in order to have a good luck (Go-en), many people make an offering of a five-yen (Go-en) coin.
3. Ring the bell.
4. Two bows, two claps and one bow.
*Close your eyes and pray to the god.

Famous shrines in Japan

Ise Jingu (in Mie)
Ise Jingu, officially 'Jingu', includes 125 jinja(shinto shrine), centered around Kotaijingu(Naiku), dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, and Toyo'uke-daijingu(Geku), dedicated to Toyo'uke-no-Omikami.
Itsukushima shrine (in Hiroshima)
The island on which it's located is known as one of the three most beautiful scenic spots in Japan. This shrine is built out over the sea, and the gods of the sea are the object of worship.
Togakushi Shrine (in Nagano)
It is a shrine that has a history of more than 2,000 years since its foundation, consisting of five shrines: Okusha, Chusha, Hokosha, Kuzuryusha, and Hinomikosha.
Izumo Taisha (in Shimane)
It is one of the oldest Shinto shrines dedicated to Okuninushi-no-mikoto, which is popularly known as the deity of nation building and good marriage.Its worship hall, haiden, and Shinto music and dance stage, kaguraden, feature the huge sacred twisted straw ropes called shimenawa that hang over the entrance.
Fushimi-inari Taisha (in Kyoto prefecture)
It was selected as No.1 for 5 years in “the ranking of the popular sightseeing spots among foreign tourists in Japan”.
The biggest highlight of Fushimi-inari Taisha is Senbon Torii (One thousand Torii). It is said to be 1,000, but now it is said that the number is less than 10,000.
Nikko Toshogu (in Tochigi Prefecture)
It is a shrine which enshrines Tosho Daigongen, who deified Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first shogun of Tokugawa.
The golden Yomei Gate, which is decorated with countless sculptures, is designated as a national treasure. Its beauty is said to be “you won’t get tired of watching it until the sun goes down,” and it is also called the “Gate of Higurashi.”
The sculptures of the three wise monkeys of “see no evil、hear no evil、and speak no evil” are famous, and the sculptures of the three wise monkeys each block their eyes, mouth and ears. This represents the teaching, “Don’t see, hear, or speak evil in your childhood.”