Chōzuya

Chōzu-ya or temizu-ya (手水舎) is a Shinto water ablution pavilion for a ceremonial purification rite known as temizu or chōzu (手水, lit. 'hand-water'). The pavilion contains a large water-filled basin called a chōzubachi (手水鉢, lit. 'hand water basin').

At shrines, these chōzubachi are used by a worshipper to wash their left hand, right hand, mouth and finally the handle of the water ladle to purify themselves before approaching the main Shinto shrine or shaden (社殿). This symbolic purification is normal before worship and all manned shrines have this facility, as well as many Buddhist temples and some new religious houses of worship. The temizu-ya ("temizu-area"^{[citation needed]}) is usually an open area where clear water fills one or various stone basins.^{[citation needed]} Dippers (hishaku (杓)) are usually available to worshippers. In the 1990s, water for temizu at shrines was sometimes from domestic wells, and sometimes from the municipal supply.^[1]

Originally, this purification was done at a spring, stream or seashore and this is still considered the ideal.^{[failed verification]} Worshippers at the Inner Shrine at Ise still use this traditional way of ablution.^[2]

See also

• Chōzubachi
• Glossary of Shinto
• Harae, a term for all Shinto purification rituals, including temizu
  • Misogi, a Shinto ritual of full-body purification
• Ritual purification
• Tsukubai, a wash basin for visitors in Japanese Buddhist temples or roji
• Ablution in Christianity
• Wudhu

References

• Sokyo Ono; W. P. Woodard (1998). Shinto: the Kami Way. Rutland, VT: Tuttle. ISBN 9780804819602.
• Kazuo Nishi; Kazuo Hozumi; H. M. Horton (1996). What is Japanese architecture. Tokyo: Kodansha. ISBN 9784770019929.

Styles

Secular	Azekura Buke Gassho Giyōfū Hirairi Imperial Crown Style Jutaku Omoya Shinden Shoin Sukiya
Religious	Shinto Azekura Hachiman Hiyoshi (Hie) Irimoya Ishi-no-ma Kasuga Kibitsu Nagare Shinmei Sumiyoshi Taisha Buddhist Daibutsuyō Ōbaku Zen Setchūyō Wayō Zenshūyō

Types of building

Secular	Castle Chashitsu Kura Machiya Minka Yagura
Religious	Shinto Haiden Heiden Hokora Honden Kofun Setsumatsusha Shinto shrine Torii Buddhist Butsuden Dō Hōkyōintō Kyōzō Main Hall Pagoda Shichidō garan Shōrō Tahōtō

Roof stylesStructural and spatialRoomsFurnishingsPartitionsOutdoor objectsMeasurementsOrganizationsRelated topics

Groups of Traditional Buildings Iki Japanese garden (rock (Zen)) Kumiko Ryokan Sentō Wabi-sabi Yabo
National Treasures	Castles Residences Shrines Temples Other structures