With the internet's help, Shinto, the ancient religion of Japan, is experiencing a mild upturn. 'We see more people coming here,' said a priest at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. 'We see more weddings, more people bringing their babies for blessings, more requests for prayers to be rid of a curse or to prosper in business, more people taking part in festivals such as shichi-go-san', in which children aged seven, five or three are feted.
On a sunny Saturday, 15 nuptial processions, the brides covered in white silk, were led to the wedding hall through a crowded courtyard. Dance troupes from a nearby neighbourhood and Kagoshima, in the south of Japan, performed.
On a rainy weekday came a steady stream of visitors, some to pray, others to sightsee and some to do both. They were old and young, office workers and chattering students, families and tour groups that included a sprinkling of foreigners.
No Japanese could explain such a fervour for Shinto, which means the 'way of the gods', but several offered reasons that seem to add up:
It reflects a renewed sense of identity, a revival of national pride and tradition after the end of the second world war. 'It's part of being Japanese,' said a Shinto priest.
Websites for Meiji and other shrines encourage people to visit.
A worshippers' association of 230,000 members arranges programmes to promote tradition, improve family relationships, guide young people and urge people to fly the national flag on holidays. Its precepts include respecting the imperial family, devoting oneself to the good of others and praying for world peace.
