Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America

Main entrance of the Jinja

The view from across the street in the parking area. Parking is plentiful and at no cost.  The entrance that you see there is called a “Torii” or gate.  A torii is pretty much a gateway from our world into the spiritual and is a marker for sacred ground.  The location is remote and surrounded by 17 acres of forested terrain and the Pilchuck River zigzagging through the center.  The entire area is called a “Jinja” or Shinto Shrine.

Entrance marker to shrine

This marker is present upon passing through the entrance torii.  It translates to…Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America.

Trail leading to shrines

This is the common access trial leading to the other shrines within the Jinja.  Remember that each God or Spirit has their own shrine dedicated to them.

Cleansing station

Before entering the major shrine (shrine name), individuals must cleanse themselves.  This involves washing hands, by scooping water with the water scooper and pouring it over each hand, but not over the water source.  A great tutorial can be found here.

Komainu is your friend

This stone beast is called a “Komainu”.  Its a lion like guardian at the entrance of the shrine.  Their purpose is to ward off evil spirits, not collect coins in their mouths.  You don’t get good luck by giving them your money, their purpose has already been determined.  A good explanation can be found here.

Ke-n or Offering

This is “Ken”.  No not the guy who owns the shrine.  Ken means “offering” and it rests at the entrance of the first shrine upon entering.

Main shrine

This is the first shrine.  It looks intimidating, but I promise its not that bad.  I remember my first experience walking though.  I was tense and didn’t know what to do, so I watched people do it before me and as soon as you know, it became just another thing.

Pray for what you want

Prayer process

So you walk up to the steps, toss in a quarter (or any coin that you have handy), shake the bell to a jingle, bow, clap, and make a wish.  You don’t have to tell people what you wished for, but my wife makes me tell her anyways.

Peace On Earth

This is a post right outside the first shrine and something that we all would wish for.

All tied up

Shrine number two.  See those papers tied along the line to the right.  All those knots are people’s fortunes.  If someone gets a fortune that they dislike or aren’t comfortable with, they tie them up along that line.

Need a fortune boost?

This station requires an extra purchase of a decorated wooden plank designed to be hung from the hanging station, which is displayed. 

Tengu

This legendary creature is called a “Tengu”.  Within Japanese folklore, they have wings and are skilled warriors so approach with humility.

The almighty shapeshifter

In their earlier days, Tengu took the form of a bird.  Today in most locations the Tengu has made use of its shapeshifting abilities and taken on more human features.  In addition, Tengu can talk without moving their mouth.  So don’t frig-out if this happens, it’s completely normal.

Grain and Farm

The third shrine (not necessarily in the order that I’ve noted).  This shrine is dedicated to the Goddess of grain and farm.

O-Inari-San

O-Inari-San the fox is very popular in Japan.  He is a messenger of the Goddess of grains and farms, which he stands at the site of her shrine.  Notice the scroll in his mouth.

Shopping for a fortune

Fortune time.  After people have visited all shrines, they usually jump in line to purchase a fortune, but there is no written rule on that.

Many options

Staff are patient and understand that some people will not understand the process.  They are always willing to explain, so don’t feel rushed that people are waiting.  The shrine has a kind culture.

Numbered fortune inside

This box has numbered fortunes inside.  People will pay first, pick up the box and give it a good shake, then flip it until a numbered stick falls out.  From there, one of the staff will take the number and bring out the corresponding fortune.  There it is.  

For more information, please visit the Tsubaki Grand Shrine website or Facebook page.
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Jennings Park

Jennings Park is the jewel of Marysville, WA.  It sits on about 30 acres and is made up of three play areas for kids, a fishing/frogging pond, a multi-use sports field, a botanical garden, nature trails, and A LOT of space for any kind of fun.  Just the other day, my daughter and I spent three hours park-hopping, “free of charge”.

The dinosaur park and picnic areas are the most recent additions to the site.  During summers, this is a venue for concerts.  This past summer I had a chance to attend a season ending concert and the great weather made it fairly nice.  The concerts are free to the public usually held after 6pm.

Not only is this park a wonderful site for peace and play, it’s also a great place for work.  The changing landscape offers opportunities for photographers to get great shots of their clients.  The spaciousness of the wetlands and forested areas allow for separation, so no worries about getting photo-bombed.

There is no cost to use the park, however, the park is just too big and I’m sure the maintenance costs are just as big.  In the next few years there will probably be a parking charge, because that’s the trend with popular parks in Snohomish County.  So live it up, enjoy the free and cheap fun while it lasts.

Totem Family Diner

Serving family sized portions at family friendly prices, Totem Family Diner has been satisfying hungry tummies since 1953.  The totem pole signage out front is a familiar symbol to locals and a welcoming figure to vacationers.  As Snohomish County cities continue to modernize, Totem Diner ensures guests are treated to an original, old-style Everett flavor.

Guests will enjoy the large catalog of menu items.  There is something for any age group and every taste.  For my first visit here, I ordered the pulled pork sandwich.  It was an excellent, well-balanced meal, served with fries and a pickle.  I switched it up the second visit, by ordering a breakfast item for lunch. 

For round two, I ordered a special menu item called “Bacon Explosion”.  It included eggs, hash browns, and a bacon wrapped sausage with bacon chunks wheel at 5 inches in diameter.  The meat is prepared one day in advance and stuck in the freezer overnight for freshness.  When ordered, one might be overwhelmed by the salty punch this thing brings.  It was the salt content that was a distraction because its was filling and might cause slight acid reflux.  It wasn’t at all bad, the eggs and hash browns were an excellent combination that complimented the smoky-smooth meat.

Totem Family Diner does show appreciation towards the military community by offering a military discount.  This is a very smart and excellent way to gain loyal customers.  Like most businesses, they don’t advertise their military discount program, so military personnel and veterans will have to inquire.  I wish other small businesses in military communities were more keen to this approach.