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Yorishiro
A in Shinto terminology is an object capable of attracting spirits called , thus giving them a physical space to occupy during religious ceremonies. are used during ceremonies to call the for worship. The word itself literally means "approach substitute". Once a actually houses a , it is called a . Ropes called decorated with paper streamers called often surround to make their sacredness manifest. Persons can play the same role as a , and in that case are called or . History and their history are intimately connected with the birth of Shinto shrines. Early Japanese culture did not have the notion of anthropomorphic deities, and felt the presence of spirits in nature and its phenomena.Tamura (2000:21) Mountains, forests, rain, wind, lightning and sometimes animals were thought to be charged with spiritual power, and the material manifestations of this power were worshiped as , entities closer in essence to the mana (Oceanian cultures), Oceanian concept of mana. Village c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Glossary Of Shinto
This is the glossary of Shinto, including major terms on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk (*) are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries. __NOTOC__ A * – A red papier-mâché cow bobblehead toy; a kind of ''engimono'' and an ''omiyage'' (a regional souvenir in Japan) that is considered symbolic of Aizu. * – A type of fan held by aristocratic women of the Heian period when formally dressed; it is brightly painted with tassels and streamers on the ends. Held today in Shinto by a ''miko'' in formal costume for festivals. See also ''hiôgi''. * – The term's meaning is not limited to moral evil, and includes misfortune, inferiority and unhappiness. * – A malevolent fire spirit, demon or devil. * – Also known as the ''Akujin'', the ''Kibi-no-Ananowatari-no-Kami'' and as the ''Anato-no-Kami'', ''Akuru'' is a malevolent ''kami'' that is mentioned in the ''Keikoki'' (records regarding the time of the Emperor Keiko), the ''Nihonshoki'' (Chronicles o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shintai
In Shinto, , or when the honorific prefix ''go''- is used, are physical objects worshipped at or near Shinto shrines as repositories in which spirits or ''kami'' reside.''Shintai'', Encyclopedia of Shinto ''Shintai'' used in Shrine Shinto (Jinja Shinto) can be also called . In spite of what their name may suggest, ''shintai'' are not themselves part of ''kami'', but rather just temporary repositories which make them accessible to human beings for worship. ''Shintai'' are also of necessity '' yorishiro'', that is objects by their very nature capable of attracting ''kami''. Description The most common ''shintai'' are man-made objects like mirrors, swords, jewels (for example comma-shaped stones called '' magatama)'', '' gohei'' (wands used during religious rites), and sculptures of ''kami'' called , but they can be also natural objects such as rocks (), mountains (), trees (), and waterfalls (). Before the forcible separation of ''kami'' and Buddhas of 1868 ('' shinbutsu bunri'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shinto Shrine
A Stuart D. B. Picken, 1994. p. xxiii is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more kami, , the deities of the Shinto religion. The Also called the . is where a shrine's patron is or are enshrined.Iwanami Japanese dictionary The may be absent in cases where a shrine stands on or near a sacred mountain, tree, or other object which can be worshipped directly or in cases where a shrine possesses either an altar-like structure, called a himorogi, , or an object believed to be capable of attracting spirits, called a yorishiro, , which can also serve as direct bonds to a . There may be a and other structures as well. Although only one word ("shrine") is used in English, in Japanese, Shinto shrines may carry any one of many different, non-equivalent names like , , , , , , , , , or . Miniature shrines (hokora, ) can occasionally be found on roadsides. Large shrines sometimes have on their precincts miniature shrines, or . Because the and once had differe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meotoiwa
, or Married Couple Rocks, are a kind of rock formation seen as religiously significant in Shinto. They are a subtype of Iwakura rock. According to Shinto, the rocks represent the union of the creator ''kami'', Izanagi and Izanami. The rocks, therefore, celebrate the union in marriage of man and woman. The most famous pair is the pair at Futami Okitama Shrine in Futami-ura Futami-ga-ura is a sub-bay or inlet of Ise Bay in Japan, where the Isuzu River enters the bay.Futami-ura Futami-ga-ura is a sub-bay or inlet of Ise Bay in Japan, where the Isuzu River enters the bay.Futami-ura Futami-ga-ura is a sub-bay or inlet of Ise Bay in Japan, where the Isuzu River enters the bay.Futami-ura Futami-ga-ura is a sub-bay or inlet of Ise Bay in Japan, where the Isuzu River enters the bay.Futami-ura Futami-ga-ura is a sub-bay or inlet of Ise Bay in Japan, where the Isuzu River enters the bay.Futami-ura Futami-ga-ura is a sub-bay or inlet of Ise Bay in Japan, where the Isuzu Rive ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hokora
is a miniature Shinto shrine either found on the precincts of a larger shrine and dedicated to folk ''kami'', or on a street side, enshrining ''kami'' not under the jurisdiction of any large shrine.Encyclopedia of ShintoHokora Accessed on December 14, 2009 ''Dōsojin'', minor ''kami'' protecting travelers from evil spirits, can for example be enshrined in a ''hokora''. The term ''hokora'', believed to have been one of the first Japanese words for Shinto shrine, evolved from , literally meaning "kami repository", a fact that seems to indicate that the first shrines were huts built to house some ''yorishiro''.The word literally means ''approach substitute''. ''Yorishiro'' were tools conceived to attract the ''kami'' and give them a physical space to occupy, thus making them accessible to human beings. See also * Glossary of Shinto * Setsumatsusha * Spirit house * Aedicula Notes References [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mana (Oceanian Cultures)
In Melanesian and Polynesian cultures, ''mana'' is a supernatural force that permeates the universe. Anyone or anything can have ''mana''. They believed it to be a cultivation or possession of energy and power, rather than being a source of power. It is an intentional force. ''Mana'' has been discussed mostly in relation to cultures of Polynesia, but also of Melanesia, notably the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In the 19th century, scholars compared ''mana'' to similar concepts such as the '' orenda'' of the Iroquois Indians and theorized that ''mana'' was a universal phenomenon that explained the origin of religions. Etymology The reconstructed Proto-Oceanic word *mana is thought to have referred to "powerful forces of nature such as thunder and storm winds" rather than supernatural power. As the Oceanic-speaking peoples spread eastward, the word started to refer instead to unseen supernatural powers. Polynesian culture ''Mana'' is a foundation of Polynesian theology, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anito
''Anito'', also spelled ''anitu'', refers to ancestor spirits, nature spirits, and deities in the Indigenous Philippine folk religions from the precolonial age to the present, although the term itself may have other meanings and associations depending on the Filipino ethnic group. It can also refer to carved humanoid figures, the ''taotao'', made of wood, stone, or ivory, that represent these spirits. ''Anito'' (a term predominantly used in Luzon) is also sometimes known as ''diwata'' in certain ethnic groups (especially among Visayans). ''Pag-anito'' refers to a séance, often accompanied by other rituals or celebrations, in which a shaman ( Visayan: ''babaylan'', Tagalog: ''katalonan'') acts as a medium to communicate directly with the dead ancestors and spirits. When a nature spirit or deity is specifically involved, the ritual is called ''pagdiwata''. The act of worship or a religious sacrifice to a spirit and deities. The belief in ''anito'' are sometimes refer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balete Tree
The balete tree (also known as balite or baliti) are several species of trees in the Philippines from the genus ''Ficus'', which are generally referred to as ''balete'' in Filipino. A number of these are ''strangler figs'', as they germinate upon other trees, before entrapping their host tree entirely and eventually killing it. Consequently the young plants are hemiepiphytes, i.e. epiphytes or air plants that grow several hanging roots which eventually touch the ground and take root. Some baletes produce natural rubber of an inferior quality. The Indian rubber tree, ''Ficus elastica, F. elastica'', was formerly cultivated to some extent for rubber. Some of the species like ''tangisang-bayawak'' or ''Ficus variegata (plant), Ficus variegata'' are large and could probably be utilized for match wood. The wood of ''Ficus'' species are soft, light, and of inferior quality, and the trees usually have ill-formed, short Bole (botany), boles.Whitford, H.N., Bureau of Forestry"The Fore ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shintai
In Shinto, , or when the honorific prefix ''go''- is used, are physical objects worshipped at or near Shinto shrines as repositories in which spirits or ''kami'' reside.''Shintai'', Encyclopedia of Shinto ''Shintai'' used in Shrine Shinto (Jinja Shinto) can be also called . In spite of what their name may suggest, ''shintai'' are not themselves part of ''kami'', but rather just temporary repositories which make them accessible to human beings for worship. ''Shintai'' are also of necessity '' yorishiro'', that is objects by their very nature capable of attracting ''kami''. Description The most common ''shintai'' are man-made objects like mirrors, swords, jewels (for example comma-shaped stones called '' magatama)'', '' gohei'' (wands used during religious rites), and sculptures of ''kami'' called , but they can be also natural objects such as rocks (), mountains (), trees (), and waterfalls (). Before the forcible separation of ''kami'' and Buddhas of 1868 ('' shinbutsu bunri'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kadomatsu
are traditional Japanese decorations made for the Japanese New Year, New Year. They are a type of ''yorishiro'', or objects intended to welcome ancestral spirits or ''kami'' of the harvest. ''Kadomatsu'' are usually placed in pairs in front of homes and buildings. Construction and placement Historically, ''kadomatsu'' was often made with pine wood, but these days bamboo is more common. The central portion of the ''kadomatsu'' is formed from three large bamboos, though plastic ''kadomatsu'' are available. After binding all the elements of the ''kadomatsu'', it is bound with a straw mat and newly woven straw rope. ''Kadomatsu'' are placed in pairs on either side of the gate, representing male and female. Usage In modern times, ''kadomatsu'' are placed after Christmas until January 7 (or January 15 during the Edo period) and are considered temporary housing (''shintai'') for ''kami''. Designs for ''kadomatsu'' vary depending on region but are typically made of pine, bamboo, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maneki-neko
The ''maneki-neko'' (招き猫, ) is a common Japanese figurine which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner. In modern times, they are usually made of ceramic or plastic. The figurine depicts a cat, traditionally a calico Japanese Bobtail, with a paw raised in a beckoning gesture. The figurines are often displayed in shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, dry cleaners, laundromats, bars, casinos, hotels, nightclubs, and other businesses, generally near the entrance, as well as households. Some ''maneki-neko'' are equipped with a mechanical paw that slowly moves back and forth. ''Maneki-neko'' come in different colors and styles and vary in degrees of detail. Common colors are white, black, red, and gold. In addition to statues, ''maneki-neko'' can be found in the form of keychains, piggy banks, air fresheners, pots, and numerous other media and merchandise. ''Maneki-neko'' are sometimes referred to simply as "lucky cats" or "calling cats". Common features ''Maneki-n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spirit Tablet
A spirit tablet, memorial tablet, or ancestral tablet is a placard that people used to designate the seat of a deity or past ancestor as well as to enclose it. The name of the deity or the past ancestor is usually inscribed onto the tablet. With origins in traditional Chinese culture, the spirit tablet is a common sight in many East Asian countries, where forms of ancestor veneration are practiced. Spirit tablets are traditional ritual objects commonly seen in temples, shrines, and household altars throughout mainland China and Taiwan. General usage A spirit tablet is often used for deities or ancestors (either generally or specifically: e.g. for a specific relative or for one's entire family tree). Shrines are generally found in and around households (for household gods and ancestors), in temples for specific deities, or in ancestral shrines for the clan's founders and specific ancestors. In each place, there are specific locations for individual spirit tablets for ances ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
