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😃: Shinto shrine and paper shides
🤖: You are referring to a Shinto shrine and "shide," which are colorful paper strips often found at these sacred places. I'll provide you with detailed information about both of these elements.
Shinto Shrines:
Shintoism, also known as Kokugaku, is an indigenous religion of Japan that emphasizes the worship of kami, or divine spirits, which are present in various natural phenomena, objects, and places. Shinto shrines are sacred spaces dedicated to enshrining and venerating these kami. They serve as places for people to seek blessings, purification, and spiritual connection with the divine.
Shinto shrines vary in size and architectural style, but they generally share several common features:
- Torii gate: A traditional Shinto shrine is often marked by a torii gate, which serves as a symbolic boundary between the mundane and sacred realms. Torii gates come in various sizes and materials, but they are typically made of wood or stone and painted in vermilion color. Passing through the torii gate symbolizes entering a sacred space.
- Honden (main hall): This is the primary building where the main kami enshrined in the shrine resides. Honden is usually a simple structure with a thatched or tiled roof, and it may not always be open to the public.
- Haiden (worship hall): This is a hall for visitors to offer prayers and perform rituals. Haiden is often open to the public and features a sacred mirror, called a megami-ji, and a sacred water basin, called a temizuya, where visitors purify themselves before praying.
- Yorishiro: A yorishiro is an object or place that serves as a physical embodiment or manifestation of a kami. In some cases, a Shinto shrine may enshrine a sacred tree, a waterfall, or a rock as a yorishiro. The most common yorishiro, however, is a sacred object, such as a mirror, sword, or jewel.
- Omikoshi (portable shrines): These are ornate, portable shrines used in festivals and processions to transport the kami from one location to another or to bring good fortune to the community.
- Chozuya ( purification station): A purification station where visitors cleanse themselves before entering the shrine grounds. It usually consists of a stone basin (tsukubai) with a ladle for scooping water, and a water source (fountain or a bucket).
- Roofs and decorations: Shinto shrines often feature curved roofs, decorative ridge tiles, and elaborate roof finials, known as katsuogi, which symbolize auspiciousness and longevity.
Paper Shide (Shrines Strips):
Shide, also spelled "shide," are colorful, zigzag-patterned paper strips used as decorative elements in Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. They serve various purposes:
- Symbolizing sacredness: Shide are believed to ward off evil spirits and create a sacred atmosphere by visually distinguishing the shrine or temple from the surrounding environment.
- Purification: Some people believe that the zigzag pattern of shide represents the flow of water, symbolizing purification and spiritual cleansing. When folded and placed in a water basin, they are used as part of the purification ritual.
- Festivals and ceremonies: Shide are often used in various Shinto and Buddhist rituals, such as weddings, funerals, and festivals. They can be found adorning torii gates, hanging on ropes, or attached to the omikoshi portable shrines during processions.
- Gift offerings: Visitors to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples often bring shide as a symbolic offering, which they attach to the shrine's roof, fence, or torii gate.
In summary, Shinto shrines are sacred spaces dedicated to the worship of kami, while paper shide are colorful, zigzag-patterned paper strips that serve various decorative and symbolic purposes in these sacred spaces. They are essential elements of Japanese religious and cultural practices, and their presence enhances the spiritual atmosphere of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.