Temizu / Chozu – Hand Washing Etiquette

This photo is of a hand washing fountain in Japan, these fountains are used to perform Temizu. When you visit a shrine in Japan you must wash your hands and mouth with water from the purifying spring before entering. Water has the function of washing us from physical and spiritual impurities. You can see where in the temple the Temizu is normally located at this link .

1. First you must wash your left hand
2. then wash your right hand
3. Follow with a mouth clean, lightly rinsing your mouth with water from your hand, never directly from the hishaku (container).
4. Wash the hishaku by squeezing the water out of the envelope up to the handle and place it back in its place “upside down”.