Honden

The "honden" (本殿, "main building") is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined "kami", or spirit. The building is usually closed to the general public and Shinto priests enter only to perform rituals.

Physically, the "honden" is the heart of the shrine complex, connected to the rest of the shrine but usually raised above it, and protected from public access by its own fence. It usually resembles a small shrine building, complete with sloping roof, walls, and its own doors, which are usually kept closed except at religious festivals.

At the heart of the "honden" is the "goshintai" (御神体, "honored god-body"), in which the kami is said to reside. This may be a rock, a statue or (most commonly in recent shrines) a mirror.

Occasionally, the "honden" may enshrine more than one kami, or a composite kami, mother and child.

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