page_title: Yorishiro
section_title: Common yorishiro
hierarchical_section_title: Yorishiro / Common yorishiro
context_page_description: A yorishiro in Shinto terminology is an object capable of attracting spirits called kami, thus giving them a physical space to occupy during religious ceremonies. Yorishiro are used during ceremonies to call the kami for worship. The word itself literally means approach substitute. Once a yorishiro actually houses a kami, it is called a shintai. Ropes called shimenawa decorated with paper streamers called shide often surround yorishiro to make their sacredness manifest. Persons can play the same role as a yorishiro, and in that case are called yorimashi or kamigakari.
  To many they are the natural residence of spirits, kami in the case of Japan.
context_section_description: The most common yorishiro are swords, mirrors, ritual staffs decorated with paper streamers called gohei, comma-shaped jewels called magatama (勾玉 or 曲玉), large rocks (iwasaka (岩境) or iwakura (磐座), and sacred trees. Kami dwell often in unusually shaped rocks or trees, or in caves and earth mounds.  Yorishiro can also be persons, and in that case they are called yorimashi (憑坐).
caption: Two iwakura: the Meoto Iwa, the Husband-and-Wife Rocks
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