From Yotsuya to Harajuku

The day before yesterday, I went over to Yotsuya San-Choome to visit Maki, another friend from College, who went back home to Japan, and after a really nice meal at her flat (forgot to take pictures, but then it's not really supposed to be a food blog), we went off for a walk around the area, past 2 baseball stadiums, and over to my first "prayer at a shrine" experience. We were actually the only ones there, and Maki gave me quick introduction on how pray. Apparently the shrines as well as the ceremony is quite similar for Buddhist and Shinto shrines. This one was probably Buddhist. She wasn't compeletely sure though.

These steps are probably neither complete nor completely correct. It's just what I remembered. I am always open for correcting comments, and I can correct these steps at any time, so let me know.

Step 1: Don't step onto the piece of wood across the entrance gate floor.
Step 2: Wash your hands, little kind of well + ladle is normally supplied, near the entrance to the "court".
Step 3: Light a bit of incense in the cauldron-like container, under the roof in the photo, in front of th shrine. Bring your own incense. Then inhale the smoke. I think.
Step 4: Throw 50 (5 is ok for good luck as well)
Step 5: Go to the steps, stop in front of them, put your hands together, maybe with a clap?, and that's the prayer. Or one way anyway. This shrine was closed, couldn't get in there.

Later on we walked to down one of the posher shopping streets, and not that I would or could have bought anything back in good ol' Europe, but over here it's even more impossible (well, impossible, more impossible, most impossible......I guess you know what I mean.