Shimenawa (標縄/注連縄/七五三縄, lit. 'enclosing rope'). Rice Straw: Beauty within the Prayers of Daily Life

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Shimenawa are ropes used in Shinto rituals to mark sacred spaces and ward off evil spirits. They are often made from rice straw or hemp and can be found at Shinto shrines, torii gates, and other sacred sites. 

How are shimenawa used?

• Mark sacred spaces

  Shimenawa are hung around or across objects and spaces to indicate their sanctity. For example, they are often hung in front of shrines, at torii gates, and around sacred trees. 
• Perform rituals

  Shimenawa are used in ritual purification. They can also be used as a base for the shimekazari, a New Year's decoration hung in front of Japanese homes. 
• Offerings

  Paper strips called shide are often attached to shimenawa as offerings to deities. 

What do shimenawa look like?

• Shimenawa can vary in diameter from a few centimeters to several meters.
• They are often twisted and have a "left-hand" twist. 
• Shimenawa that are suspended across a space are usually thicker in the center and taper toward the ends. 
• Shimenawa that are tied around sacred objects are generally of a consistent thickness. 

What materials are shimenawa made from? 

• Shimenawa were traditionally woven from hemp, but rice straw and wheat straw are more common today.

• “Shimenawa”: The Sacred Rope - nippon.com

  Jul 12, 2016 — The shimenawa is a special rope tied around or across an object or space to denote its sanctity or purity. Tassels usu...

  

  nippon.com
• Shimenawa | Museum of World Religions

  The “Shimenawa” is a rope that signifies a sacred area. It is often hung in front of the torii gate or kamidana (altar) at the ent...

  世界宗教博物館
• Shimenawa - 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム

  A straw rope hung before or around a site to demarcate sacred or pure space, such as in front of the inner sanctuary of a shrine,

  國學院大學デジタルミュージアム
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Shimenawa (標縄/注連縄/七五三縄, lit. 'enclosing rope') are lengths of laid rice straw or hemp rope used for ritual purification in the Shinto religion.

Shimenawa - Wikipedia

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https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Shimenawa

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Rice Straw: Beauty within the Prayers of Daily Life

Core Kyoto

Straw is important in rituals at Shinto shrines dedicated to the deity of rice. Twisted straw ropes welcome the deity of the new year. An artisan makes straw craftwork that binds urban and rural life.

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