atom symbol
Unicode: 269B FE0F
Description
A Japanese shrine or temple, typically depicted with a red or vermillion colored torii gate and a building with a curved roof. The 'FE0F' is a variation selector that ensures it's displayed as an emoji.
Group:
Symbols > religion
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Neutral, but evokes feelings of spirituality, tradition, peace, and cultural connection to Japan.
Backstory
The 'Shinto Shrine' emoji was approved as part of Unicode 5.2 in 2009 and added to Emoji 1.0 in 2015. It represents a significant cultural and religious landmark in Japan, often associated with traditional festivals and spiritual reverence.
Usage Examples
- Planning a trip to Japan: 'Our Japan itinerary includes a visit to a shrine! ⛩️'
- Discussing Japanese culture: 'Learning about Shintoism and its beautiful shrines ⛩️'
- Celebrating a traditional event: 'Happy New Year! Heading to the shrine for Hatsumode ⛩️'
- Representing a location: 'Visited the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine today ⛩️'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Largely recognized as an iconic symbol of Japan, representing tourism, culture, and spirituality in an exoticized context.
East Asian culture:
Understood as a direct representation of Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples; used in contexts relating to holidays, specific places, traditional events, or spiritual practices.