The practice of visiting shrines is a deeply ingrained cultural practice in Japan. Ranging from honoring the gods (depending on the kind of shrine you visit), prayers for good grades on an exam, or to remembering someone who has passed. For Zoro in particular, due to how deeply the loss of his childhood friend affected him and his life’s goals, Zoro honors Kuina’s memory every time he visits a shrine, as we see in his opening scene in the Live Action.

For those of you unaware of who Kuina is, she was his only childhood friend, rival, and distant cousin. The two of them trained under her father in the art of the sword and she died at a young age due to an accident shortly after they made a promise to train together until one of them became the greatest. Zoro’s sword, the Wado Ichimonji, was originally Kuina’s blade that he took up upon her death in honor of this promise that he now carries for the two of them.

I personally have it headcanoned that he’ll visit the shrine and light a candle for her if one is to be found on the islands that they visit. Sometimes going as far as to build his own little one in honor of her memory. This time of reflection and remembrance serves both as a way to heal the everpresent pain of her loss while also reaffirming their promise to become the greatest swordsman ever.

This is something he’s been doing since before becoming a Strawhat and continues to practice afterward. His crew learns early on and then tells newcomers that it isn’t a time when he wishes to have company, but would rather be left alone.

Another key thing to note here is just how much Kuina’s death affected Zoro, particularly for my interpretation of him. He’s already not someone who’s going to open up easily and talk about his emotions and at a young age already put a lot of pressure on himself to be the best. Even before his promise is made to Kuina. That promise for him eased the pressure a bit, giving him someone to share the burden of such dedication with.

Losing her so suddenly and so shortly after finding that relief impacted him greatly. Two of my other headcanons (Tea Ceremony and Playing the Niko) for Zoro are based on this time of grief when his Sensei had to figure out how to help him grieve her loss in his own way without literally training himself to death. Visiting the shrine would have also been a way for him to relieve the inner turmoil, grief, and struggle that he was experiencing.

Zoro learned how to play the Niko soon after Kuina’s death. Since they are both descended from the Shimotsuki Family, Kuina’s father had her train in other traditional learnings for young women of noble stature. One of these lessons included learning to play the Koto.

Even before their promise to train together, Zoro would often secretly practice his drills and work through various steps with his duel katanas while listening to Kuina play. After the promise was made, they’d practice together in the courtyard. Her music guided the speed and intensity of each particular routine, turning Zoro’s fluid motions into a dance. This fluidity can still be seen to this day in his fighting style.

Upon her death, Zoro found working through the grief of losing her challenging. While tea ceremony and training in the art of the sword helped him to focus and mentally process the loss of his close friend his Sensei realized that he was still having issues healing on an emotional level.

Since the art of playing a musical instrument is often learned by Samurai he was able to talk Zoro into taking up music. Sensing that the young orphan wouldn’t be willing to talk through his feelings.

Because he began learning how to play the Niko, Zoro’s music always has an almost haunting quality. For those skilled in the art of listening to music always note the lines of deep sadness reflected in his music.

Example: here and here

Zoro is actually a very clean person. While yes he can get very dirty due to his former profession and now as a pirate, he loves taking a bath and prefers not being covered in blood, sweat, and dirt. When traveling as a bounty hunter he didn’t bother to take a shower/bath every day the way he did growing up simply because it wasn’t realistic. Whenever he did stay in an Inn or tavern he would, but while camping and stuff, it was more hassle than it was worth.

On the Going Merry, he usually only gives himself a sponge bath every day since fresh water is a precious resource. It keeps him clean and washes away the sweat and smell of his daily training, but doesn’t use up water. This way he leaves the majority of the bathing water for Nami and Robin to use.

When he does get to fully partake in a bath he cleans himself first before getting into the warm water and then will soak for as long as he can to relax his muscles. Often adding salts to help detoxify the toxins and such while he’s at it.

While growing up in Shimotsuki Villiage, one of the skills Zoro was taught was the art of tea ceremony. It, like the art of the sword, is an ancient tradition passed down through the ages, though at first he only wished to focus on his training.

It was only after Kuina’s death that he truly came to appreciate the art.

In those first few months, he struggled with the sudden loss and the promise they had only just made to each other, throwing himself into his training to the point that he collapsed. It was then that his Sensei turned him towards the art of Tea Ceremony, adding it to his daily training schedule to ensure he would complete it.

The precise movements and ritual of the art provided movement for his restless body while ensuring a time of rest. Meanwhile, the meditative state it provides gives him the quiet solitude to process the loss of his only friend and the inner turmoil that, if left unresolved, would eventually hold him back.

To this day, when he becomes truly lost or is in need of quiet reflection he still turns to this art form.