There is confusion about what is the difference between shodai and prayer. However, this is nothing but the practice of prayer. When you face the Honmon no Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws , with faith in the Gohonzon, then chant - this is called Honmon no Daimoku. The important thing is this precise moment of ichinen. The Daishonin states in the Gosho, Questions and Answers on Embracing the Lotus Sutra.
Life is the accumulation of moment to moment.
Your ichinen must be the ichinen of faith. Place credence in the fact that the Gohonzon is the Buddha of limitless joy and the original Buddha of the Three Properties . The Gohonzon is the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin. This has great significance. Place credence in the fact that the Gohonzon is the realization of the Daishonin's enlightenment.