Prayer-Blessed Soft-Serve Ice Cream

[Overview] A photograph showing the offering of a ritually blessed soft-serve ice cream inside the shrine's rest area. [Shrine Description] Located near the summit of Mt. 日神(Hikami) (elevation approx. 200 meters) in central Nara Prefecture, 日神(Hikami) Shrine offers not only standard blessed items—such as *ofuda* (paper talismans), *omamori* (amulets), *ema* (votive plaques), and *hamaya* (demon-quelling arrows)—but also ritually blessed food products. Inside the rest area opposite the shrine office, visitors can receive freshly ground, ritually blessed hand-drip coffee year-round; seasonal offerings include soft-serve ice cream in summer, *zenzai* (sweet red bean soup with mochi) in winter, and *taiyaki* or *takoyaki* during the spring and autumn equinox festivals. Unlike offerings at other shrines—which are merely purified to imbue them with divine power—these items are infused with the power of the divine spirit by the Shinto priests in direct proportion to the offering (*hatsuho*) made, ensuring genuine spiritual benefits. [Background] Today is the summer solstice. Unlike Omiwa Shrine, famous for its *Chinowa-kuguri* (grass ring purification ritual), Hikami Shrine performs a genuine purification of mind and body whenever a group of about ten people gathers at the worship hall (*haiden*) in front of the main sanctuary; a priest will come out to conduct the rite. Once purified, the "impure desire" to seek repeated rituals from the charming priests vanishes, and no worshipper attempts to cheat the system. However, those whose hearts are excessively impure may be refused, as the purification process itself could shatter their very spirit. [Scene] Inside the rest area, priests take turns offering the blessed soft-serve ice cream. Currently, Moe—the youngest *gon-negi* (junior priest)—is on duty. The process begins when the requester pays the offering fee using "日神(Hikami) PiTaPa" and conveys their prayer—whispering it into the priest's ear if it is a secret. She then verifies the true intent behind the request, as spoken words often fail to convey one's deepest wishes. Once confirmed, she holds the cone, dispenses the soft-serve ice cream from the machine, holds it in her left hand, and prays while facing her right palm toward it (gently releasing the power of the divine spirit from her palm). Although Moe ranks fourth among the shrine staff in terms of priestly ability, her pleasant demeanor and lovely smile have earned her the affectionate nickname "Big Sister Moe." Many people—including young people and parents with children—wait specifically for her assistance, often forming a line to receive items from her. [Priestly Attire] At Hikami Shrine, the priests' attire consists simply of a single-layer white silk kimono worn directly against the skin, with scarlet silk *hakama* trousers worn over it. They wear white *tabi* socks and white *zori* sandals on their feet. [Lighting] Although the weather is fair, clouds are currently blocking the intense summer solstice sunlight; combined with the reflection from the white paving stones and gravel, there are few harsh shadows. The interior of the rest area is illuminated with supplementary reflected light from the camera's direction. [Camera] This photograph, taken by a knowledgeable local photographer, captures the authentic atmosphere of the shrine during the summer solstice, focusing on the handing over of soft-serve ice cream. A wide-angle lens is used to convey the overall ambiance. The shrine itself is enveloped in immense divine power—testifying to the potent and dynamic spirit of the principal deity, 日御子(Himiko)—and since each priest also embodies a portion of that spirit, this divine energy is captured within the frame.