Shownotes
Have you ever had a “whoa” moment—standing somewhere so beautiful or peaceful that it felt extra special? In this episode of Faithfully Explore!, we travel to Japan to explore Shinto, a way of seeing the world that invites us to notice the magic and meaning all around us.
Through storytelling, imagination, and interactive moments, kids and families will discover the concept of kami—the special “spirit energy” believed to dwell in nature—and learn to be respectful, curious explorers wherever they go.
🌏 What You’ll Experience in This Episode
- A kid-friendly introduction to Shinto and the idea of kami (spirit energy in nature)
- A guided “mind-trip” to a peaceful Japanese shrine
- Fun, interactive moments like bowing, clapping, and practicing respectful behavior
- A “Respect Detective” game to help kids recognize kind vs. unkind actions
- A powerful traditional story: The White Rabbit of Inaba and the lesson of kindness
- A Friendship Bridge moment to help kids appreciate beliefs different from their own
- Belief Backpack takeaways kids can use in everyday life
🎒 Belief Backpack Takeaways
- 👀 Wonder Eyes: Look for beauty and “sparkle” in everyday moments
- 🤲 Kind Body: Show respect through your actions—slow down, be gentle, be mindful
- 🌿 Friend to the Forest: Treat nature like something special and alive
- ❤️ Hero’s Heart: True strength is kindness, not being the loudest or strongest
🌉 Friendship Bridge
In this episode, we practice being “good guests” in someone else’s tradition. Kids learn that they don’t have to change their own beliefs to show respect—they just need to stay curious, kind, and open to learning.
🧠 Great for Conversations
- Where do you feel a sense of wonder in your life?
- How can we show respect in places that are important to others?
- What does it mean to be a “helper” or have a hero’s heart?
- How can we take better care of the world around us?
📚 Keep Exploring
Pair this episode with books about Japanese culture, nature, and kindness to deepen understanding and spark curiosity. Storytelling is a powerful way to connect big ideas with everyday life!
💛 Loved This Episode?
If your family enjoyed this journey, be sure to follow, share, and leave a review! It helps more explorers discover the joy of learning about the world’s beliefs, cultures, and stories.
✨ Remember
Stay curious. Stay kind. And keep exploring the wonderful world around you!
Transcripts
Have you ever walked into a place and felt a giant, whoa?
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:Maybe it was standing on top of a
windy hill, finding a secret for in
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:the woods, or sitting in a garden
where the flowers smell delicious.
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:That feeling like the grounds beneath
your feet is extra special, is
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:exactly what we're hunting for today.
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:Welcome to Faithfully Explore.
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:I'm Laura.
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:Today, we're virtually hopping on
a plane to Japan to see the world
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:in a whole new way through Shinto.
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:In this tradition, the world isn't
just a place where we walk and play.
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:It's actually alive with Kami
or special spirit energy.
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:Think of it like a silent invitation
to step into a world of pure
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:wonder, but how do we find that
wonder in our real everyday lives?
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:Let's head to Japan and find out!
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:Faithfully Explore! Intro:
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:faithfully Explore!
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:is the name.
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:Learning together is our aim.
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:Beliefs around the globe we'll track,
filling up our Belief Backpack.
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:Laura: Ready to learn a secret
about how some people see the world.
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:It's called Shinto.
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:Can you say that with me?
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:Shinto Shinto.
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:High five.
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:You nailed it.
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:Shinto is a very old
way of living in Japan.
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:It's all about saying thank
you to the world around us.
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:Think of it like a giant, lifelong
game of I Spy, where you're looking
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:for the beauty and magic in nature.
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:Now, let's learn a special word, Kami.
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:Say that with me.
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:Ka-mi Kami.
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:Perfect.
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:Now imagine the whole world
is a giant, beautiful house.
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:Most of the time, we just see the
walls and the floor, but Shinto
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:teaches us that this house has
special guests living in it.
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:These guests are the Kami.
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:They aren't humans, and they
aren't exactly like superheroes.
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:They are powerful spirits.
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:Think of it like this:
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:The big twisty tree in your
backyard isn't just wood and leaves.
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:It is the home of a Kami who
has lived there for hundreds of
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:years, watching the forest grow.
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:The waterfall you see
isn't just splashing water.
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:The roar you hear is the voice
of a Kami showing its strength.
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:The wind isn't just air moving.
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:It's a Kami traveling across the sky.
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:Kami are everywhere in the
mountains, the rivers, the sun, and
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:even in some very special people.
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:They are the life force or the sparkle
that makes nature feel so alive and whoa.
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:Does a Kami have a face?
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:Sometimes in stories, they might
look like animals or grand kings,
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:but usually they are like the wind.
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:You can't see them, but you can
definitely feel their power.
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:So where do people go to offer thanks,
prayers, or quiet respect to the Kami?
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:They go to a shrine, also called a jinja.
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:When we visit a shrine, we aren't just
saying thank you to a tree or a rock.
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:We are saying hello to
the spirit inside it.
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:It's like noticing a friend is in the
room and giving them a respectful wave.
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:You can usually spot a shrine
because it has a big, beautiful
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:gate at the entrance called a Torii.
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:Walking through that gate is
like entering a respect zone.
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:It's a signal to your brain that
you are moving from the busy
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:world into a quiet, sacred space.
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:At a shrine, people might:
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:Offer thanks for a sunny
day or a good grade.
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:They might make a wish, like asking
for their family to stay healthy.
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:Or they could join a party.
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:Shinto festivals are called Matsuri.
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:Imagine giant parades, yummy
snacks, and loud music.
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:It's like a birthday party for the earth.
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:When do people do Shinto?
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:There isn't a Shinto school or a
service you can go to every Sunday.
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:Instead, Shinto is part of everyday life.
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:People visit shrines whenever they feel
like it, maybe on New Year's day, on
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:a festival day, or just when they want
a quiet moment to sit under a big tree
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:and say, thanks for being awesome world.
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:Let's go on a mind trip to one of
the most famous shrines in Tokyo.
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:Imagine we are walking on a wide
path made of tiny smooth stones.
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:Crunch, crunch, crunch.
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:On both sides of us, huge trees
rise up like friendly green giants.
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:The light becomes soft and cool as if the
sun is wearing a leafy hat just for us.
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:Up ahead, we see the Torii gate.
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:It stands quietly like
it's been waiting for us.
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:This gate is like the start line.
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:Once you walk through it, you
aren't just in a park anymore.
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:You're in a special sparkle zone.
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:Before we walk through, we pause.
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:In Japan, it's polite to give a little
bow before passing under the gate.
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:It's like saying, "Hello, I'm
coming in with a respectful heart."
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:Try it with me: bow your
head gently and lift.
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:Great!
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:You just gave the shrine
a respectful hello.
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:Now let's step through.
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:As we follow the path, the sounds change.
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:The city traffic fades away, and
the forest starts to whisper.
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:We find a stone basin filled
with ice cold, clear water.
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:This is the temizuya.
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:People use a long wooden ladle to wash
their hands and rinse their mouth.
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:It's like hitting a reset
button on your brain.
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:It's a way of telling the Kami.
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:I'm washing away the grumpies so I
can be my best self while I'm here."
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:Let's practice:
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:Hold out your hands.
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:Pretend to pour water over
one hand, then the other.
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:Take a tiny pretend sip to rinse.
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:Now take a deep breath.
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:Do you feel a little calmer?
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:That's the feeling of temizuya.
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:Now look with your imagination,
eyes for two secret Shinto clues.
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:Clue number one: the Sacred Rope.
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:Look for a thick, twisty straw rope
tied around a tree or a building.
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:It's like a do not
disturb sign for the Kami.
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:It tells everyone this
spot is extra special.
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:Clue number two: the lightning paper.
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:Hanging from those ropes are white paper
streamers folding into zigzag shapes.
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:They flutter in the wind, like
tiny white lightning bolts.
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:Hold up your pointer finger
and draw a zigzag in the air.
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:Zigzag, zigzag.
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:Boom.
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:You just made an invisible streamer.
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:Near the entrance to the main building,
you'll see two statues that look
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:like a mix between a lion and a dog.
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:These are the Komainu, the brave guardians
who protect the shrine from bad vibes.
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:Most Komainu come in pairs.
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:One has its mouth open and
one has its mouth closed.
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:Open your mouth wide like an ah lion dog.
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:Now close it tight like a mm lion dog.
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:Ah.
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:Mmm.
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:Ah mmm.
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:Now freeze and pretend you're a statue.
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:Congratulations.
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:You are now an official guardian of calm.
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:When people get to the heart of the
shrine, they don't just stand there.
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:They use a special rhythm of respect.
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:It goes like this.
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:2, 2, 1.
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:First, they bow twice
deeply from the waist.
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:Then they clap twice.
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:This wakes up your heart and
says, "Hey Kami, I am here."
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:Then they bow one last
time to say thank you.
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:Let's try it.
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:Bow twice.
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:One, two, clap twice.
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:One, two.
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:And now bow one last time.
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:Brooklyn: Laura, do you have
to be Shinto to do that?
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:Laura: Great question.
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:Anyone can visit a shrine.
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:You just have to be a good guest.
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:Think of it like visiting
a friend's house.
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:You follow their rules, speak quietly,
and say thank you for the visit.
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:Before we leave, notice the
colorful wooden plaques and
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:paper slips hanging nearby.
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:Omikuji are lesson slips.
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:You pick one to see what kind of
advice the world has for you today.
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:Omamori are tiny, colorful fabric charms.
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:People carry them in their backpacks
to remind them of hope, safety,
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:even good luck on a math test.
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:If you ever see these in real
life, remember they aren't toys.
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:They're little pockets of peace
to help you carry the shrine
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:sparkle with you wherever you go.
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:What do you think?
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:If you could make a good luck wish
at a shrine today, what would it be?
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:It's game time.
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:this is called Respect Detective.
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:I'm going to describe a
moment and you decide is it
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:respectful or not at a shrine.
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:If it's respectful, you whisper respect.
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:If it's not respectful,
you shout, try again.
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:Ready?
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:Moment one: Mohamed runs through the
shrine area yelling, "Look at me!
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:Look at me!
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:What do you say?
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:Definitely, try again.
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:Shrines are quiet places.
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:Moment two.
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:Olivia doesn't understand the
ritual, but watches quietly
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:and asks a kind question later.
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:What do you say?
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:Respect.
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:You knew that one!
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:Moment three: Leo sees the
hand washing water and splashes
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:it like a swimming pool.
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:Try again.
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:The water is for a
gentle cleansing ritual.
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:Moment four: Alexis sees a
beautiful tree tied with sacred
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:rope and climbs it for a photo.
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:Try again.
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:This is disrespectful to a
space that many consider sacred.
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:Moment five: Gia notices a candy
wrapper on the ground and quietly
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:picks it up and throws it away.
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:Ooh, that's a big respect.
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:Caring for the place is part
of caring for what's sacred.
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:You are excellent respect detectives!
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:Now, explorers, put on your Belief
Backpacks because we're about
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:to cross the Friendship Bridge.
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:let's cross our friendship bridge.
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:This bridge connects our
world to a neighbor's world.
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:When we visit a new place like a temple,
a church, a mosque, or even a quiet spot
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:in the woods, we become kind detectives.
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:We look for the beauty.
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:We listen to the quiet, and if we
see something we don't understand,
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:we use our favorite discovery rule.
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:Instead of saying, "That's weird!"
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:We say, "Tell me more."
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:But Laura, what if I don't
believe in the same things?
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:What if I don't believe in Kami.
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:Laura: That is totally okay.
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:Being a friend doesn't mean
you have to change who you are
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:or what your family believes.
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:Think of it like visiting a
friend's house for dinner.
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:They might have a different favorite
game or eat a different food than you do.
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:You don't have to start
liking their food best.
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:You just have to be a great guest.
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:You can think the Torii gate is beautiful,
enjoy the cool water of temizuya, and
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:love the trees all while staying 100% you.
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:You can use the Friendship
Bridge everywhere.
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:When you meet a new kid at school,
when you smell a lunch that's new to
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:you, or when you hear a language that
sounds like music you haven't heard yet.
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:Are you ready?
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:Let's cross the bridge.
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:What's inside our belief
backpack this week?
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:First, open your wonder eyes.
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:Look closely.
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:Can you see the magic in a tiny dewdrop?
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:Or hear the secret whisper of the wind?
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:Some people call this God.
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:Some call it a great mystery,
and others call it Kami.
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:When you stop to really look and
really listen, the whole world
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:starts to feel like a beautiful gift.
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:Second, use your kind body.
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:Being respectful isn't just
about thinking, it's about doing.
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:Try this: take one giant bow,
breathe in and blow it out slow.
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:Now give a tiny, gentle bow.
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:When we move our bodies carefully, it
helps our hearts feel calm and ready.
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:Third, be a friend to the forest.
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:In Shinto, trees, rocks, and
rivers aren't just stuff.
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:They are special and alive with spirit.
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:Treat a flower like you'd
treat a best friend.
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:When we take care of nature, we are
saying thank you to the whole Earth.
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:Grab those zippers, pull them up, zip.
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:We're ready to go.
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:We've learned that Shinto is
about noticing the sparkle in
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:nature and being a good guest.
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:But what kind of heart
does a Kami really love?
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:To find out, let's listen to one
of the most famous stories in
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:Japan, The White Rabbit of Anaba.
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:Once upon a time in the magical
land of Japan, there lived 80
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:brothers who were all young.
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:Gods called Kami.
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:They were going on a long
trip to meet a princess.
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:The 79 older brothers were very
loud and a little bit bossy.
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:They marched in front wearing
fancy clothes and talking
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:about how great they were.
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:The youngest brother, Okuninushi,
walked at the very back.
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:Because he was the youngest,
his big brothers made him
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:carry all of their heavy bags.
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:He had so many bags piled on
his back that he looked like a
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:walking mountain of suitcases.
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:When the big brothers reached
the beach, they saw a little
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:white rabbit crying in the sand.
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:The poor rabbit had no fur,
and its skin was red and sore.
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:" Why are you crying?
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:Little Bunny," the brother asked,
but they weren't being very nice.
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:They were actually giggling.
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:The rabbit told them a secret.
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:"I wanted to cross the
ocean, so I played a trick.
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:I told the sea crocodiles to
line up so I could count them.
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:I hopped across their backs like a
bridge, but when I reached the end.
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:I laughed, and I told them I tricked them.
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:One crocodile got very grumpy
and pulled off my fur."
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:The mean brothers laughed even louder.
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:They gave the rabbit
some really bad advice.
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:"Go swim in the salty ocean, then lie
on top of a windy hill to dry off.
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:That'll fix it."
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:The rabbit did what they said,
but the salt made its skin sting.
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:The wind made it feel even worse.
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:The poor rabbit sat on the
sand and cried big sad tears.
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:A long time later, Okuninushi
finally arrived, huffing and
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:puffing under all those heavy backs.
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:When he saw the rabbit, he didn't laugh.
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:He dropped all the bags.
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:Thump!
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:And ran over to help.
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:"Oh no.
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:You look like you've had a very bad day."
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:Okuninushi said softly.
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:He listened to the rabbit's story.
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:Then he gave the rabbit some help.
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:"Go to the river where the
water is cool and fresh.
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:Wash off all that itchy salt until
your skin feels nice and clean.
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:Find the tall, fuzzy plants called
cattails, growing by the water.
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:Gather their soft yellow pollen.
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:Roll around in that soft pollen.
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:It's like a warm golden blanket that will
protect your skin and help you heal."
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:The rabbit did exactly what
Okuninushi said as soon as he
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:rolled in the golden pollen.
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:Poof.
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:His soft white fur grew back
faster than you can blink.
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:The rabbit wasn't just a regular bunny.
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:He was a magical messenger.
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:He looked up at Okuninushi with a
twitchy nose and said, "Your brothers
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:might act big and tough, but you
are the one with the hero's heart.
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:You are the one the princess will choose."
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:And the rabbit was right!
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:Even though his brothers got there first,
the Princess saw right through them . She
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:chose to marry Okuninushi because he was
the only one brave enough to be gentle.
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:Okuninushi became a great leader
and a protector of the land.
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:In fact, he was so full of love and
sparkle that he eventually became one
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:of the most famous Kami in all of Japan.
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:Today, people still visit his grand
shrine to say thank you to the Kami
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:of Kindness and Happy Families.
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:The lesson: being a hero isn't about
being the loudest or the fastest.
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:It's about having a heart that is helpful,
respectful, ready to do the right thing.
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:When you choose kindness,
you're acting just like a Kami.
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:Just like Okuninushi we've carried
a lot in our backpacks today.
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:We learned that being a hero isn't
about being the loudest or the fastest.
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:It's about having a heart that stops to
help, A heart that listens, and a heart
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:that sees the sparkle in everything.
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:Brooklyn: I'm going to look
for the sparkles today.
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:Laura: I'll bet you'll find them maybe in
a ladybug, a bright green leaf, or even
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:in the way you help a friend at school.
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:Thank you for being such brave and
respectful explorers with me today.
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:You've been listening
to Faithfully Explore.
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:I'm Laura and I'm so glad we could learn
about the whispers of the Kami together.
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:Before you go, give yourself one big happy
clap to wake up your heart for the day.
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:Until next time, stay curious,
stay kind, and keep exploring
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:that wonderful world around you.
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:Faithfully Explore! Outro:
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:Faithfully Explore!
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:is about you.
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:Let's grow kinder together, it's true!
