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Title |
Text |
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| 1 |
Heihaku |
Also called mitegura or heimotsu , heihaku in its broadest sense refers to offerings made to the kami . Mitegura is said to carry the meaning of "full storehouse," but in classic works such as Kojiki , Nihongi , and Kōgoshūi we also find the term expressed as hei , shinpei , and ... |
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| 2 |
Himorogi |
Originating in ancient times, himorogi refers to a temporarily erected sacred space or "altar" used as a locus of worship. Today, himorogi are represented by the demarcation of a physical area with branches of green bamboo or sakaki at the four corners, between which are ... |
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| 3 |
Hizatsuki |
A type of mat used when kneeling in shrine worship. Also written 膝著 and 膝突. Originally used as a mat for kneeling in an outdoor courtyard during official court functions, the hizatsuki was later adopted for use indoors. Mats called komo or tatami were also sometimes used instead. Used ... |
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| 4 |
Hokora |
Also written 叢祠, 秀倉, 禿倉, 宝倉, 穂椋. A small shrine dedicated to a minor kami . The term may also be read hokura . Originally, the term referred to a storeroom ( kura ) raised on stilts for the storage of shrine treasures ( shinpō ). A passage in the Nihongi notes that "a shrine storehouse ( ... |
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| 5 |
Honden |
Also called seiden . The "sanctuary," or central structure of a shrine that houses the seat ( shinza ) of the deity worshipped there ( saijin ). The honden is considered the most sacred space within the shrine, and its sacred doors ( mitobira ) are normally kept closed and loc... |
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| 6 |
Ikenie |
A kind of offering ( shinsen ) in which a living animal is presented to the kami . A few such living offerings are still conducted today, including white chickens offered at the Grand Shrines of Ise. According to Engishiki , however, a variety of animals were offered in ancient times, in... |
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| 7 |
Iwakura |
A formation of rocks considered to be sacred to which a kami is invited to descend for worship. Together with ishigami (stone- kami ) and iwasaka , such forms of worship represent a type of rock-worshiping cult. As rites are repeated, the rocks themselves are worshipped as divine ston... |
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| 8 |
Iwasaka |
A stone altar or cairn erected in ancient times for the purpose of invoking the kami during worship. According to an "alternative tradition" describing the episode of the "Descent of the Heavenly Grandchild" ( tenson kōrin ) in the Nihongi , Takamimusubi erec... |
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| 9 |
Jingū taima |
Shrine amulets distributed throughout Japan by the Grand Shrines of Ise on an annual basis. The work of the priests called oshi in spreading the cult of the Grand Shrines nationwide began from the end of the Heian period and continued through the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, reach... |
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| 10 |
Jingūreki |
A calendar ( koyomi or reki ) published by the Grand Shrines of Ise. Prior to World War II, it was called the honreki ("official calendar") and was issued by the Grand Shrines Administration (Jingū Shichō) as the only official calendar. In 1946, however, the distribution o... |
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| 11 |
Kagami |
Also written 鑑. Mirror. A device that reflects an image using the reflective properties of its surface. Mirrors may be made of copper, silver, iron, jewels, or glass, and can be found in many different styles, including round, square, elliptical, "eight-petal hollyhock&quo... |
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| 12 |
Kaguraden |
A pavilion or stage used for the offering of sacred dance ( kagura ). Also called maidono . Permanent structures for the performance of ritual dance appeared from the late Heian period and spread widely during the subsequent Kamakura period. In some cases, one part of another shrine s... |
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| 13 |
Kamidana |
A household Shinto altar, a facility for the conduct of family rites at home, in which amulets of the kami , an "apportioned spirit" ( bunrei ) of the kami , and similar items may be enshrined. The place chosen for installation of the kamidana should be clean, bright, and quie... |
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| 14 |
Kannabi |
The place where a kami resides, especially a sacred forest or mountain. The word appears to originate from a term meaning "divine seclusion," and is considered a synonym for the word mimoro , an ancient name for Mt. Miwa. Man'yōshū includes numerous verses that emplo... |
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| 15 |
Karidono |
Also called kariden . A "provisional hall" used to temporarily house the divine emblem ( shintai ), as opposed to the main sanctuary ( honden ). Such provisional structures are necessary when rebuilding or repairing the main shrine, in cases of disaster, or when installi... |
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| 16 |
Katashiro |
An object used as a substitute for a spirit in rites of worship. The term also refers to objects representing human figures ( hitogata or nademono ) used in rites of purification ( misogi or harae ) in place of the subject of the rite. In such cases, the subject rubs the object on his body or ... |
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| 17 |
Katsuogi, Chigi |
Two characteristic features of shrine architecture, katsuogi refer to log-like sections laid horizontally along and perpendicular to, the ridge line of the structure, while chigi refer to poles that appear to extend from the roof's gableboards, intersecting at the ridge an... |
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| 18 |
Kenmusha |
"Jointly administered shrine." A shrine lacking its own parish priest that is served by a priest belonging to another shrine. This system is an inevitable result of the fact that the number of Shinto shrines far outstrips the number of available professional priests, an... |
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| 19 |
Kinsokuchi |
"Tabooed land," a type of sacred space. Normally found within a shrine's precincts ( keidaichi ) or related lands, humans are not permitted to enter tabooed land since it is believed that a divine spirit dwells or descends. Typical examples of tabooed land would incl... |
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| 20 |
Komainu |
[Koma inu] Literally, "Korean lions," paired figures of lion tutelaries found at the entryway to shrine buildings, or alongside their torii or approachways. Also written 高麗犬 or 胡麻犬. Most are made of stone, although bronze, iron, wood, and ceramic examples can also be f... |
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