What is the etiquette for visiting a shinto shrine?

I am going to be visiting a Shinto shrine very soon and was wondering if any of you knew if they have any etiquette practices or rituals for tourists, and what are they? If you knew, that would be a great great help! thank you.

Follow everybody else to the inner portion of the shrine.
Throw some coins (lots of small coins will impress neighbors) in a wooden grated box,
Put your hands together in a prayer position, look solemn and earnest while wishing for money.

There are no philosophical beliefs or religious teachings involved in Japanese "spirituality". There are no Japanese gods to offend, no religious tenets to become familiar with. It is simply for show. The operators of these shrines are wealthy businessmen who don't serve or even pretend to serve the community in any way and simply pocket the tax-free money.

You will have to get your "investigate exotic cultures and experience their odd rituals" fix somewhere else. In Japan if it doesn't make cents it doesn't make sense.

At an entrance:
There is a fountain at the entrance of the shrine. Wash your hand and mouth for purification.
At front of a main hall:
First bow slightly. Second, pull rope to ring bells. And throw coin.
Main performance:
Bow courteously twice. Then clap your hands twice. If you have any wish pray in your mind (Don't speak loudly). Then bow again.
This is the most important performance called "Ni RI Ni hackish Chi RI?S'sns "Bow twice. Clap twice. Bow again. "
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However, nobody would reproach you even if you don't perform those. Any way, don't speak loudly.

One thing is to dress neatly. No shorts or tank tops. Maybe like you're going to church. Make sure your feet / socks are clean.

There aren't any specific practices for tourists. Here is the normal Shrine visiting etiquette.

It is best to not to be barefoot or wearing shorts or camisole when visiting the Shinto Shrine, but there aren't any real dress codes. Cleanliness is very important to Shinto, so it's a respectful to bathe if you have done any strenuous exercise before hand. When you get to the Shrine:

First visit the Temizuya (hand washing basin) and rinse your hands and mouth to purify yourself inside and out. The clean water is to remove impurity and is a simplified version of the Misogi ShuHo (ritual purification in moving water).

1 Holding the dipper in your right hand pour a bit of water on your left hand.

2. Transfer the dipper to your left hand, then pour a bit of water on your right hand.

3. Transfer the dipper back to your right hand. Fill the dipper again and pour water into your cupped left hand. Then rinse your mouth out and spit out the water into the area provided (not back into the basin). Some Jinja don't follow the mouth rinse part anymore, so before you do this step make sure there is a place to spit.

4. Pour water one more time over your left hand.

5. Tilt the dipper up and let the remaining water pour over the dipper's handle.

Note that many Japanese don't get the order right, so don't be embarrassed if you don't get it perfect the first time. Making an effort counts more than dotting all the "i"s.

Second, approaching the Shrine building:

Bow slightly to the inner Torii (gate) then proceed. Don't walk in the cent re of the path because that's a kind of bragging.

Third, prayer:

1. Move to Saisen Bako (offertory box) and the Suzu (bell) rope. Straighten your mind/body/spirit and stand on center line. You may drop Saisen (monetary offering) into box (A monetary offering is not obligatory).

2. Hold Suzu rope in both hands and swing the rope to ring the bell (Don't pull on the rope).

3. Look towards the Kagami (mirror) in front of the inner Shrine doors and then bow twice deeply. (Some Jinja may not have a mirror showing).

4. Clap twice

5. Bow once again

6. Pray while keeping your hands together in front of your heart.

7. Clap twice more when finished praying.

8. Bow once again

Various Jinja have different numbers of bows and claps and you'll see a wide variety of styles because most people practice the way their parents taught them. Variations include: Bow, clap, bow, pray, clap, bow, Bow, clap, pray, clap, bow, and Bow, clap, pray bow.

Optional things to do:

1. Hang an Ema (prayer plaque) with your wishes written on it. There will be a place provided where you'll see a number of Ema hanging (Emaden). Ema can be purchased at the Shrine office or you can bring one that you've gotten elsewhere. Periodically the priests gather up the Ema and burn them in a special ritual. Because this is Shinto, worldly requests (love, money, health, and school grades) are the norm. Some Jinja are famous for a particular kind of request.

2. Omikuji. A fortune telling lottery. You visit the Shrine office and they will provide a box that you shake and pull a stick out with a number on it. You then go to the drawer with that number and take out a fortune from that drawer (all the fortunes in a particular drawer will be the same). The fortunes range from very bad luck to very good luck. They often have a lucky colour and lucky number as well. You then tie the fortune paper to a tree to make it come true.