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Shimenawa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shimenawa (注連縄 or 七五三縄? lit. "enclosing rope") are lengths of braided rice straw rope used for ritual purification in the Shinto religion. They are often seen festooned with shide. A space bound by shimenawa often indicates a sacred or pure space, such as that of a shrine. Shimenawa are said to act as a ward against evil spirits, and are often set up at a ground-breaking ceremony before construction begins on a new building. Shimenawa may be found at Shinto shrines, torii gates, and sacred landmarks. They are also used to mark trees that are inhabited by spirits called Kodama. Cutting down these trees is thought to bring misfortune.
