Show HN: Dengen Shrine – A privacy-focused digital Shinto ritual
yumeda Thursday, February 05, 2026Hi HN,
I built "Dengen Shrine," a web-based experience of a traditional Japanese Shinto ritual.
Key Features:
Privacy by Design: Your "Kotodama" (messages/prayers) are never stored in any database. They exist only in the animation and vanish upon completion.
No Login Required: You can experience the ritual instantly without an account.
Digital Offering: For those who wish to support the project, I’ve integrated a "digital offering" (Osaisen) via Stripe. This is completely optional—you can experience the core ritual for free without any payment. It’s not a donation, but a paid digital experience that unlocks a unique "Completion Message" for supporters.
Why I built this: I wanted to explore how ancient traditions like Shinto can be reinterpreted in a digital, ephemeral way. In Shinto, words have spirits (Kotodama), and I felt that the "ephemeral" nature of the web was a perfect fit for this.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the UI/UX and the concept of "ephemeral digital rituals."