Opening the shinsen?

[nalogg]

Hey,

During grading a few days ago a sensei got up on a ladder and opened little doors on the shinsen to reveal a little piece of paper.

Can anybody tell me what significance this has?
what is that paper inside?
why do we only open it during grading?

I didn't even know that thing had doors... cool!

[Aden]

Sounds like it is a kamidana, a sort of scale model shinto shrine.

What you do with it depends on the shrine - I had one that was to be never opened and returned for burning at New Years, have one that is to be opened once a year and dusted.

Inside the one that is dusted there is a paper wrapped board with writing / kamifuda - just the enshrined deities name on it.

Aden

[kuwaiti-kendoka]

Is okey not to have a shinsen...?