Arabito Jinja, part 2

 There are three things here. On the left is a stele. In the center is a list of donors to the shrine that is covered by a small roof. On the right is the place to purify yourself before approaching the other parts of the shrine.

 I was surprised to find an old hand pump here. It had a chain on it but it looked like it might still work. The water for purification arrives through four pipes that are supported by a large, interestingly shaped rock.

 In another part of the grounds I saw a roof with nothing under it. When I got nearer, I realized that it was a sumo dohyo, the circular in which sumo bouts take place. Apparently sumo started as a religious activity to provide amusement to the gods. Only recently has it become a professional sport. However, it retains much of its religious origins. For example, the professional tournaments are conducted on an earthen dohyo that is built, used and then removed at the end. In addition to the bundles of straw that mark the various areas of importance, a symbol of a goddess who is asked to protect the wrestlers is buried in the center. Women are not allowed to set foot on the dohyo, even the national Minister of Sports was refused. The reason is that the goddess might get jealous and allow the wrestlers to be injured.

 Near the main entrance, remember I entered at the rear, I found a sign that gives the names of all the various parts of a torii. The two complicated kanji on the right are the written form of torii. This kanji name is interesting. The first kanji means bird and the second means live or be present. So the name is essentially saying that this is a place where birds live or are present.

 About this time I noticed that two people, a man and a woman, had entered the grounds from the same place that I had. The approached the main building and performed the ceremony of clapping, bowing, and ringing the bell followed by an additional bow. I do not think that they noticed me.

Near the entrance I found this rock with the traditional straw rope and folded white paper streamers. Some one had left an offering of a cup of sake.