day 329 - bamboo. Ritual ablutions.

Near every temple and shrine in Japan you'll find somewhere to perform ritual handwashing.

Shuzenji.

Traditionally these scoops were bamboo, although increasingly they seem to be aluminium or plastic.

The handle is driven into a slot in a larger culm.

Arashiyama.

Izu Shuzenji temple.

Occasionally the scoops are ingeniously crafted from a single piece of bamboo, with a side-shoot forming the handle.