shiyakujin no hokora
A Book of Little Traditions
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ToCminzoku shintôminkandenshôjôreisaiki

saiki (Ritual Tools) – 09 / 15 / 2020
saiki さいき 祭器
sai (ritual, offer prayers, celebrate, deify, enshrine, worship)
ki (utensil, vessel, receptacle, implement, instrument, container, tool, set)

❖ Equipment used in rituals
❖ Also called saigu
saigu さいぐ 祭具
sai (ritual, offer prayers, celebrate, deify, enshrine, worship)
gu (tool, utensil)
chi-no-wa ちのわ 茅輪
chi (miscanthus reed)
no (possesive particle)
wa (ring)

❖ Or chinowa
❖ An instrument for casting out sources of misfortune
❖ People are purified by passing through a large sacred ring, made of loosely twisted miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis)
heihaku へいはく 幣帛
hei (cash, gift, shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)
haku (cloth)

❖ In its broadest sense a general term for offerings made to the kami
❖ The type and number of heihaku vary greatly depending on the type of ritual
❖ Items offered include cloth, clothing, weapons, miki, and shinsen
❖ Also called mitegura, heimotsu, hei, shinpei, go-shinpei, go-hei
heimotsu へいもつ 幣物
hei へい
shinpei しんぺい 神幣
go-shinpei ごしんぺい 御神幣
hei (cash, gift, shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)
motsu (thing, object)
heimotsu (shintô offerings; present to a guest)

hei (cash, gift, shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)

shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
pei | hei (cash, gift, shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)

go (honorable)
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
pei | hei (cash, gift, shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)
go-hei ごへい 御幣
go | o (honorable)
hei (cash, gift, shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)

❖ Or gohei
❖ Made by attaching shide of gold, silver, white or multicolored (five-color) paper to a heigushi and offered to kami
❖ Also called mitegura
mitegura みてぐら 御手倉
mi (honorable)
te (hand)
gura | kura (warehouse, storehouse, treasury)
go-shiki-ban ごしきばん 五色幡
go (five)
shiki (color)
ban (flag)

❖ Or goshikiban
❖ Five-colored sets of ribbons hung in altar areas
❖ Buddhist colors for the directions:
❖ Blue / green – East
❖ Red – South
❖ White – West
❖ Black / purple – North
❖ Yellow / brown – Center
❖ The sequence of the colors is (usually) green, yellow, red, white, and blue / black / purple
shiki しき
(color)

❖ Also called iro
iro いろ
(color)
aka あか
(red)

kun'yomi
akai (adj ending)
❖ Symbolizes strong emotions, energy, vitality, heat, power, love and intimacy, sexual desire
❖ Color of life force and energy, the (rising) sun
❖ Also called seki
seki せき
(red)

on'yomi
ao あお
(blue, or green)

kun'yomi
aoi (adj ending)
❖ Symbolizes purity and cleanliness, calmness and stability
❖ Color of the seas surrounding Japan, a feminine color
❖ Also called sei
sei せい
(blue, or green)

on'yomi
midori みどり
(green, greenery)

(green, greenery)

kun'yomi
midorino (adj ending)
❖ Symbolizes fertility, growth, youth, vitality, freshness
❖ Color of nature and the eternal
❖ Also called midoriiro, ao
midoriiro みどりいろ 緑色
翠色
midoriiro (green)

midoriiro (green)

kun'yomi
midoriirono (adj ending)
kiiro きいろ 黄色
kiiro (yellow)

kun'yomi
kiiroi (adj ending)
❖ Symbolizes courage, nobility, beauty, refinement, cheerfulness
❖ Color of the sacred
❖ Also called ki
ki
(yellow)

kun'yomi
kuro くろ
(black)

kun'yomi
kuroi (adj ending)
❖ Symbolizes death, destruction, doom, fear, sorrow, mourning, misfortune, formality, elegance
❖ Color of mystery and the night
❖ Also called koku
koku こく
(black)

on'yomi
murasaki むらさき
(purple)

kun'yomi
murisakino (adj ending)
❖ Symbolizes privilege, wealth, long life, perseverance
❖ Color of nobility
❖ Also called murasakiiro
murasakiiro むらさきいろ 紫色
murasakiiro (violet)

kun'yomi
❖ murasakiirono (adj ending)
shiro しろ
(white)

kun'yomi
shiroi (adj ending)
❖ Symbolizes purity, cleanliness,blessedness, sacred nature
❖ Color of weddings and other joyful life events
❖ Also called haku
haku はく
(white)

on'yomi
heigushi へいぐし 幣串
hei (cash, gift, Shinto offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)
gushi | kushi (spit, skewer)

❖ A staff made of bamboo or other wood to which shide are attached to make a go-hei
hôbei ほうべい 奉幣
hô (observance, offer, present, dedicate)
bei | hei (cash, gift, shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)

❖ Presentation of go-hei, or heihaku, or offerings to be used by kami
hitogata ひとがた 人型
hito (person)
gata (model)

❖ Human shaped paper cutout used in the nagoshi no ôharae and shiwasu ôharai to absorb fujô through contact with a person
❖ (See Ritual)
kamidana かみだな 神棚
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, gratitude, awe, or terror)
dana | tana (shelf, ledge, mantle)

❖ (Literally: kami-shelf)
❖ A household shrine placed or hung high on a wall
❖ (See Purification of Place)
kamidana layout – this varies depending on available space
御塩
o-shio

sakaki
御札
ofuda

sakaki
御米
o-kome
御水
o-mizu
  香具
kôgu
  御酒
o-miki
kamidana haishi かみだなはいし 神棚拝詞
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, gratitude, awe, or terror)
dana | tana (shelf, ledge, mantle)
hai (bowing one's head in respect or worship, worship)
shi (words, writing, lyrics)
haishi (prayer)

❖ kamidana prayer
❖ (See Prayer)
ishidôrô いしどうろう 石灯篭
石灯籠
ishi (stone)
dô | tô (lamp, a light)
rô (cage)

ishi (stone)
dô | tô (lamp, a light)
rô (basket, cage)

❖ Stone lantern
❖ Also called toro, mokusei tôrô, and kasuga tôrô
tôrô とうろう 灯篭
灯籠
mokusei tôrô もくせいとうろう 木製灯篭
木製灯籠
kasuga tôrô とうろう 春日灯篭
春日灯籠
tô (lamp, a light)
rô (cage)
tôrô (lantern)

tô (lamp, a light)
rô (basket, cage)
tôrô (lantern)

moku (tree, wood)
sei (made in, made of)
mokusei (wooden, made of wood)
tô (lamp, a light)
rô (cage)
tôrô (lantern)

moku (tree, wood)
sei (made in, made of)
mokusei (wooden, made of wood)
tô (lamp, a light)
rô (basket, cage)
tôrô (lantern)

kasu (spring, springtime)
ga (day, sun)
kasuga (spring day)
tô (lamp, a light)
rô (cage)
tôrô (lantern)

kasu (spring, springtime)
ga (day, sun)
kasuga (spring day)
tô (lamp, a light)
rô (basket, cage)
tôrô (lantern)
kadai かだい 花台
ka | hana (flower)
dai (pedestal, a stand)

❖ Stands for sakakitate vases
kagaribi かがりび 篝火
kagari (beacon basket)
bi | hi (fire)

❖ Brazier, bonfire, watch fire, cresset
kôgu こうぐ 香具
kô (incense, smell, perfume)
gu (tool, utensil, ingredients, sets of furniture)
kôgu (incense set, incense paraphernalia, incense components)

❖ Incense set – e.g. burner, tray, tongs, etc.
こう
(incense, smell, perfume)
kôro こうろ 香炉
kô (incense, smell, perfume)
ro (hearth, furnace, kiln)
kôro (censer; incense burner)
kumoi くもい 雲居
kumo (cloud)
-i (reside, to be, exist)
kumoi (sky, high place, distant place)

❖ Written on paper and placed above kamidana if there is a floor above it
masakaki まさかき 真榊
ma (true, reality)
sakaki (sacred shintô tree)

sakaki branch with go-shiki-ban and sanshu-no-jingi
ofuda おふだ 御札
o (honorable)
fuda (tag, placard, emblem)

❖ A talisman usually issued by a shintô shrine, made of paper, wood, or metal, inscribed with the name of a kami and used for protection in the home
❖ Typically placed in the home at a kamidana
❖ Renewed annually
❖ (See ofuda / gofu Generator)
❖ Also called fuda, kamifuda
fuda ふだ
kamifuda かみふだ 神札
(tag, placard, emblem)

kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
fuda (tag, placard, emblem)

❖ (See gofu)
osonaemono おそなえもの 御供物
o (honorable)
sona.e (submit, offer, present, serve)
mono (thing)

❖ Traditional offerings of kome, sake, mizu, shio and sakaki
❖ (See shinsen)
ozen おぜん 御膳
o (honorable)
zen (small low table, tray)

❖ Tray for shinki
shinki しんき 神器
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
ki (utensil, vessel, receptacle, implement, instrument, container, tool, set)

❖ Offering vessels or ritual tools
❖ Also called shinguSETTO (usually in sales catalogs)
shinguSETTO しんぐセット 神具セット
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
gu (tool, utensil)
SETTO (katakana – Japanese pronounciation of English – set)
heiji へいじ 瓶子
hei (bottle, vial, jar, jug)
ji | gi (child)

❖ Two lidded bottles containing o-miki
mizutama みずたま 水玉
mizu (water)
tama (ball, jewel)

❖ Round, pointed-lidded jar containing water
sakakitate さかきたて 榊立て
榊立
sakaki (sacred shintô tree)
ta.te | da.te (stand up)

sakaki (sacred shintô tree)
tate | date (stand up)

❖ Two tall vases for the sakaki
❖ o-sakaki (honorable sakaki)
❖ Also pronounced sakakidate
sakakidate さかきだて 榊立て
榊立
sakaki (sacred shintô tree)
da.te (stand up)

sakaki (sacred shintô tree)
date (stand up)
sara さら
(dish, plate)

❖ Two plates, dishes for o-kome and o-shio
❖ Also called shiro sara, o-sara
shiro sara さら 白皿
o-sara さら 御皿
shiro (white)
sara (dish, plate)

o (honorable)
sara (disk, plate)
shinkyô しんきょう 神鏡
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
kyô (mirror)

❖ Sacred kagami with stand
kagami かがみ
(mirror)
kamidoko かみどこ 神床
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, gratitude, awe, or terror)
doko | toko (floor)

❖ (Literally: kami floor)
❖ A household or dôjô shrine placed on a floor-level platform usually having several steps
oo-nusa おおぬさ 大幣
oo (large, big)
nusa (shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)

❖ Or oonusa
❖ A ritual purification wand presented when invoking the kami or when exorcising tsumi or kegare
❖ May be made of shide attached to a branch of the sakaki, or the streamers may be attached to a hexagonal or octagonal staff of unfinished wood
❖ (See Ritual)
❖ (See heihaku)
❖ Also called nusa, haraegushi
nusa ぬさ
haraegushi はらえぐし 祓串
(shintô offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper)

hara.e (exorcise)
gushi | kushi (skewer)
saikigu さいきぐ 祭器具
sai (ritual, offer prayers, celebrate, deify, enshrine, worship)
ki (utensil, vessel, receptacle, implement, instrument, container, tool, set)
gu (tool, utensil)

❖ Ritual utensils used in harai ceremonies
hassokuan はっそくあん 八足案
has | hatsu (eight)
soku (leg)
an (desk, table, stand)

❖ Eight-footed table used to bear items such as heihaku, shinsen, and tamagushi.
❖ Also called an
an あん
(desk, table, stand)
oshiki おしき 折敷
o. (bend, fold)
shi.ki (spread, sit)

❖ Offering tray placed on top of the sanbô
sanbô さんぼう 三方
san (three)
bô | hô (sides, directions)

❖ A short stand used to bear the shinsen or food offerings
❖ Usually made of unpainted hinoki
❖ Also pronounced sanpô
sanpô さんぽう 三方
san (three)
pô | hô (sides, directions)
takatsuki たかつき 高坏
taka (high, tall)
tsuki (bowl)

❖ Wooden pedestal table used to bear the shinsen
❖ Also called taka hai, kaku-takatsuki, maru-takatsuki
taka hai たかはい 高坏
kaku-takatsuki かくたかつき 角高坏
maru-takatsuki まるたかつき 丸高坏
taka (high, tall)
hai (shallow bowl)

kaku (angle)
taka (high, tall)
tsuki (shallow bowl)

maru (circle)
taka (high, tall)
tsuki (shallow bowl)

❖ Angular top pedestal table
❖ Round top pedestal table
shaku しゃく
(baton, mace, scepter)

❖ Flat wooden or ivory baton carried in the right hand when in shintô garb
❖ Frequently printed with norito or instructions for ritual
shide しで 紙垂
shi (paper)
de (droop, suspend, hang)

❖ Zigzag folded paper or cloth offerings
shimenawa しめなわ 標縄
shime | shirube (marker)
nawa (straw rope)

❖ (Literally: enclosing rope)
❖ Rice straw rope used to absorb impurities
shinboku しんぼく 神木
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
boku (tree, wood)

❖ A sacred tree or grove
❖ Also called goshinboku, shinju
goshinboku ごしんぼく 御神木
ご神木
shinju しんじゅ 神樹
go (honorable)
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
boku (tree)

shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
ju (timber trees, wood)
shintai しんたい 神体
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
tai (body, substance, object, reality)

❖ An object in which a kami is believed to dwell
❖ (See Dwelling)
❖ (See yorishiro)
❖ Also called go-shintai, mitamashiro
go-shintai ごしんたい 御神体
mitamashiro みたましろ 御霊代
go (honorable)
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
tai (body, substance, object, reality)

mi (honorable)
tama (spirits, soul)
shiro (substitute)
tamagushi たまぐし 玉串
玉籤
tama (jewel, ball)
gushi | kushi (skewer, spit)

tama (jewel, ball)
gushi | kuji (lottery, raffle)

❖ A branch of sakaki with shide attached that is offered to kami with the appropriate hakushu as the final act of sampai
❖ Also pronounced tamakushi
tamakushi たまくし 玉串
玉籤
tama (jewel, ball)
kushi (skewer, spit)

tama (jewel, ball)
kushi | kuji (lottery, raffle)
torii – Sacred gateway to a shrine usually consisting of two uprights with either a shimenawa strung between, or one or two crossbeams (See torii)
torimono とりもの 採物
to.ri (pick, take, fetch, take up)
mono (thing, object, matter)

❖ A prop which is held in the hand of the dancer in sacred dance rituals such as kagura
❖ It can also refer to the thing the dancer holds when performing a dance to purify the implements to be used in a sacred ritual or dance
❖ Some torimono are sakaki (sacred leaves), mitegura (ritual paper object), tsue (rod), sasa (bamboo grass), yumi (bow), tsurugi (sword), hoko (halberd), hisago (ladle), kazura (vines), suzu (bell tree), and goza (straw/rush mat)
❖ (See satokagura)
suzu すず
suzu (small bell)

❖ A hand-held, bell tree composed of three tiers of jingle bells
❖ The first (top) tier has 3 bells, the second tier has 5 bells and the lowest tier has 7 bells
❖ Sometimes with go-shiki-ban attached to the handle
❖ The emphasis on odd numbers is a Buddhist influence
❖ Also called kagura suzu
yorishiro よりしろ 依代
yori (reliant, depend on)
shiro (substitute, change, convert, replace)

❖ A temporary dwelling place (or object or person or animal) of kami when they descends for a religious ceremony or when possessing a person
❖ yorishiro may be natural objects such as trees or rocks, or implements prepared for use in rituals, such as pillars, banners, or ritual emblems called go-hei
❖ (See shintai)

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