Chozuya (Water Ablution Pavilion) (手水舎)

Chozuya (also pronounced Temizuya) is an area within the precinct of a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple at which worshippers wash their hands and mouths. Many chozuya consist of a stone water basin covered by a structure.

Ladles are placed by the water basin, and it is the general practice that worshippers use this to scoop up water with which to wash the left and right hands before taking up water using the hands of which some is used to wash the mouth and the remainder to wash the ladle.

[Original Japanese]