Chōzubachi
Chōzubachi is a special kind of pot used in Japan for a very important purpose – to help people wash their hands before they enter a holy place, like a temple or a shrine.
When you approach a chōzubachi, you first need to pour water into it from a bamboo ladle called a hishaku. Then, you use your right hand to scoop up some water from the pot, and you use it to rinse your left hand. Then, you switch – you use your left hand to scoop up water and rinse your right hand. This is to make sure both hands are nice and clean!
But that's not all. After you rinse both hands, you need to pour some water into your left hand again, and this time, you use it to rinse your mouth. You don't drink the water, you just swish and spit it back into the chōzubachi. This is to make sure that your mouth is clean too.
And that's it! Once you've washed your hands and rinsed your mouth, you're ready to enter the holy place. The chōzubachi plays an important role in helping people prepare themselves before they enter a sacred space.
When you approach a chōzubachi, you first need to pour water into it from a bamboo ladle called a hishaku. Then, you use your right hand to scoop up some water from the pot, and you use it to rinse your left hand. Then, you switch – you use your left hand to scoop up water and rinse your right hand. This is to make sure both hands are nice and clean!
But that's not all. After you rinse both hands, you need to pour some water into your left hand again, and this time, you use it to rinse your mouth. You don't drink the water, you just swish and spit it back into the chōzubachi. This is to make sure that your mouth is clean too.
And that's it! Once you've washed your hands and rinsed your mouth, you're ready to enter the holy place. The chōzubachi plays an important role in helping people prepare themselves before they enter a sacred space.
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