Need help on a project if anyone is willing...

[sailorlimabean]

Sorry to bother anyone. I am in a women studies class and picked a topic that turned out to be more difficult than I expected... I need to collect stories of people (the teacher would prefer women but I'd like to hear guys experiences too) visiting shrines and parks in Japan. I'd really like to hear any interesting stories about people who have

Comments

[dynamint]

When I was in Japan in July of 2004, it was with a tour. At one point, we visited a shrine (I don't remember which one, or where) while I was menstruating. I didn't feel that I could very well say to a bunch of strangers "I can't go in now, it's that time of the month", so I went in, but I felt really guilty about it, and in fact still do.

Is that the right sort of story? Do you even want foreigners' stories?

[sailorlimabean]

Excellent. I awm just suppose to gather stories of people feeling things when visit Japanese parks, shrines, or temples. Do you know what city you were in? Kyoto? Tokyo?

[dynamint]

Unfortunately, I honestly can't remember what shrine or where, but since the only shrines I visited were in Tokyo, Kyoto, or Nara, it was one of the above.

[sailorlimabean]

May I ask you another question (besides that one...)? Why was it you felt guilty about entering a shrine while menstrating? (I want to avoid speculation...)

[dynamint]

Since it's against the beliefs for a woman to enter a shrine while menstruating, I felt like I was first of all breaking an important rule to those who follow Shinto, and also disrespecting their religion. I'm not sure whether that's still a strict taboo or not, but I still felt uncomfortable.