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View all Nagoya toursWear the Robes of a Shinto Priest or Miko at Wakaoe Shrine in Nagoya
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Activity provider: Asia Resource Connection Corp.
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Dress in priest or shrine-maiden attire, enter areas normally closed to visitors, make your own goshuin seal and take part in a formal Shinto worship ceremony.
Wear the Robes of a Shinto Priest or Miko at Wakaoe Shrine: Key Facts
| Price | From $48 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Group size | Up to 3 people |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Mini Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Choose from 3 available options
45-Minute Session
The shortest version: costume, shrine admission and an introduction to Shinto ritual.
0.75 hours
English
$48
Free cancellation
75-Minute Session
A longer session with more of the ritual instruction and the shrine's restricted areas.
1.25 hours
English
$48
Free cancellation
105-Minute Full Experience
The complete session: robes, restricted areas, devotional service, your own goshuin, the formal worship ceremony and a p...
1.75 hours
English
$48
Free cancellation
Full description
Shinto is the older of Japan's two religions and the one visitors understand least, because a shrine visit is over in three minutes — bow, clap, bow, leave — and nothing about the ritual explains itself. Wearing the robes and going behind the ordinary boundary is a completely different way in.
At Wakaoe Shrine in northern Nagoya, dedicated to the deities of prosperity, you put on the attire of either a kannushi, a Shinto priest, or a miko, a shrine maiden. The costume rental and shrine admission are both in the price. Priests wear the tall lacquered cap and layered robes; miko wear the white top and vermilion hakama that anyone who has visited a shrine on a festival day will recognise.
What follows is the part that cannot be arranged as a visitor. You learn the correct rituals and etiquette, then enter areas normally reserved for shrine staff and take part in devotional service there. A formal worship ceremony brings you far closer to the inner shrine than the public offering box allows.
You also make your own goshuin — the calligraphed and stamped seal that pilgrims collect in books at shrines across Japan — rather than being handed one. A photo session in the robes closes the session.
The priests talk throughout, which is the real value: questions about Shinto that would be impossible to ask at a busy shrine get answered properly here.
Three lengths are offered, from forty-five minutes to a hundred and five. The longest is the one that fits in everything without hurrying. Groups are tiny — a maximum of three.
Tour Itinerary
Itineraries are customisable as per your request
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Arrive at Wakaoe Shrine
Dress in priest or shrine maiden attire
Learn Shinto ritual and etiquette
Enter areas normally closed to visitors
Take part in devotional service
Make your own goshuin seal
Formal worship ceremony and photo session
Includes
- Costume rental — Shinto priest or shrine maiden attire
- Wakaoe Shrine admission
- Instruction in Shinto ritual and etiquette
- Access to areas normally restricted to shrine staff
- Personalised goshuin seal
- Formal worship ceremony
- Photo session in traditional attire
Excludes
- Transport to the shrine
- Meals and drinks
- Additional goshuin or souvenirs
Important information
Meeting point
Wakaoe Shrine, 4-14-14 Yasui, Kita Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 462-0023 — staff in Shinto priest attire meet guests at the awarding place.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration 105 minutes
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible
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Main Tour Price
Starting from $48
$48
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Frequently Asked Questions
Wakaoe Shrine, 4-14-14 Yasui, Kita Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 462-0023 — staff in Shinto priest attire meet guests at the awarding place.
The price does not cover transport to the shrine, meals and drinks and additional goshuin or souvenirs. Everything it does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list, budget for it separately.
Religious sites expect shoulders and knees covered, and shoes come off before entering many of them. A light scarf is worth carrying. Where a site enforces this at the gate, arriving dressed correctly saves the whole group time.
Asia Resource Connection Corp.. We book with them directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can confirm your place with the operator before taking it as final.
We confirm your booking with the operator before we treat it as final, and we need at least one day's notice outside India. Once it is confirmed you get the meeting point, the time and a contact number for the day. If the operator cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Costume rental — Shinto priest or shrine maiden attire, Wakaoe Shrine admission, Instruction in Shinto ritual and etiquette, Access to areas normally restricted to shrine staff, Personalised goshuin seal, Formal worship ceremony, Photo session in traditional attire
The duration of the Wear the Robes of a Shinto Priest or Miko at Wakaoe Shrine is typically 105 minutes. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
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