The doors of the main hall of a Shinto shrine are usually closed and occasionally opened for special rituals as well (this practice is also seen in kamidana (household Shinto alters) and soreisha (alters that enshrine the souls of ancestors), which are usually closed and opened only for specific services).
神社の本殿の扉もまた、普段は閉じられており、特定の祭祀の時にのみ扉が開かれる場合があるからである（他に神棚や祖霊舎もまた、普段は扉が閉じられており、特定の祭祀の時にのみ扉が開かれる場合がある）。