四月是日本櫻花盛開的季節，當地民眾會成群在櫻花樹下賞花、飲酒、野餐，各國遊客也被吸引前來欣賞花團錦簇的美景。歷史悠久的京都，有許多優美、靜謐的神社，在櫻花時節更是別具風情！
Takako is introducing her friend Jeff to a Shinto shrine in Kyoto
Takako: This is the famous Yasaka Shrine, where the Gion Matsuri got its start.
Jeff: I’d love to see more. Can we go inside?
Takako: Yes, but there are a few rituals you need to observe when visiting a shrine.
Jeff: Of course. I wouldn’t want to offend any of the worshipers.
Takako: OK. After we pass through the torii, we purify our minds and bodies by performing temizu, where we rinse our hands and mouths with water.
Jeff: Sounds easy enough. And after that?
Takako: When we get to the shrine, we make a small donation before we ring the bell. Then, we bow twice, clapping twice, and bowing once more after our prayers. After that, we can find out what our fortunes will be by getting o-mikuji.
Jeff: What’s that?
Takako: O-mikuji are fortunes written on strips of paper that you draw randomly.
Jeff: Oh, like fortune cookies—sounds like fun!
貴子正在向她朋友傑夫介紹一座京都的神社
貴子：這是著名的八坂神社，也就是祇園祭起源的地方。
傑夫：我想要再多看看。我們可以進去嗎？
貴子：可以啊，不過參訪神社時有一些你必須遵守的禮儀。
傑夫：當然。我可不想冒犯禮裡面的香客。
貴子：好。那我們穿過鳥居之後，我們得要到手水舍洗手和漱口，藉此洗滌我們的身心。
傑夫：聽起來很簡單。之後呢？
貴子：我們到達神社時，在搖鈴之前要先捐點香油錢。接著，我們要鞠躬兩次、合掌拍手兩次，然後祈願後還要再鞠躬一次。之後，我們可以抽御神籤來看看我們未來的運勢如何。
傑夫：那是什麼啊？
貴子：御神籤就是你隨機抽出、上面寫著運勢的小紙條。
傑夫：噢，就跟幸運餅乾一樣，聽起來真有意思！
・學學京都賞櫻的好用句
» The Philosopher’s Path is named after philosophy professor Nishida Kitaro, who did his best thinking while walking on this route to work each day.
哲學之道，是因為哲學教授西田幾多郎每天上班都會走這條路，一邊走一邊進行沈思而得名。
» The Path is also lined with hundreds of cherry trees, making one of the city’s most popular hanami spots.
這條小徑也植滿了數百顆櫻花樹，成為該市最熱門的花見勝地。
» In early April, families gather for hanami parties at Maruyama Park, famous for its giant weeping cherry tree.
4 月初，許多家庭會聚在圓山公園參加賞花祭，該公園以其大型垂枝櫻聞名。
» Because there are many different varieties of cherry tree on the grounds of Nijo Castle, the cherry blossom season there lasts from late March to mid-April.
二條城園內種了許多不同種類的櫻花樹，因此那裡的櫻花季是從 3 月底一直持續到 4 月中。
本文取材自《一生必去的世界都市：EZ TALK總編嚴選特刊》
圖片來源：pixabay
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