Himorogi

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A himorogi at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū

Himorogi (神籬 lit. divine fence) in Shinto terminology are sacred spaces or altars used to worship.[1] In their simplest form, they are square areas with green bamboo or sakaki at the corners. These in turn support sacred ropes (shimenawa) decorated with streamers called shide.[1] A branch of sakaki or some other evergreen at the center acts as a yorishiro, a physical representation of the presence of the kami, a being which is in itself incorporeal.[1][2]

A himorogi built for a jichinsai
During the Aoi Festival in Kyoto the himorogi is a square space surrounded by green branches with an evergreen tree at the center as a yorishiro.[1] A more elaborate himorogi can also be made with a straw mat on the ground with on it a ceremonial 8-legged stand called an hassoku-an (八足案, eight leg an) decorated with shimenawa and sacred emblems.[1]

The etymology of the word is unclear, but it appears already in the Nihon Shoki and in the Man'yōshū.[1] The term "himorogi" refers equally to the focal point "tree" and to the sacred space, both of which are deemed to be purified or "unpolluted".[3]

Himorogi in Japan are most commonly seen at construction sites, where after use they stand for a while before actual work begins. They are built for a Shinto priest, who comes to bless the site during a ground-breaking ceremony called jichinsai (地鎮祭)

Look up 神籬 in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

See also

  • The Glossary of Shinto for an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Shinto, Shinto art, and Shinto shrine architecture.

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Sugiyama, "Himorogi"
  2. ↑ Kōjien, 神籬
  3. ↑ Bocking, Brian. (1997). A Popular Dictionary of Shinto. p. 41.

References

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