Shimenawa

Shimenawa (標縄), which literally means enclosing rope, are lengths of rope that are used in Shinto to mark an area as a sacred or purified area. They are usually seen outside of Shinto shrines, near torii gates or around the site where a Shinto ritual takes place. They are believed to protect against evil spirits and are usually placed around a sacred area before construction of a new shrine begins. The rope is usually made of rice straw rope that is braided to the left. The length and width can vary depending on where it's being used. Shimenawa usually have shide (紙垂) hanging from them. Shide are zig-zag paper streamers that look like lightning bolts.

Shimenawa are also tied around objects to mark them as yorishiro (依り代). Yorishiro are objects like trees or rocks that are believed to be inhabited by the spirit of a kami when a Shinto ceremony takes place. Yorishiro are usually found near Shinto shrines or other sacred areas. The trees around the Narukami Shrine in Himuro Mansion are all marked as yorishiro and shimenawa can be seen tied to them.

Japanese Culture
Religion
Buddhism - Shinto
Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Funayūrei - Goryō - Hitodama - Ikiryō - Onryō - Ubume - Yōkai - Yūrei
Specific Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Oiwa - Okiku - Yuki-onna
Terms
Dosojin - Grave Mound - Hannya Mask - Higanbana - Jizo - Kaidan - Miko - Mukoyōshi - Sanzu River - Shimenawa - Toro-Nagashi - Wara Ningyo
Locations
Northeastern Japan - Shizuoka - Sugisawa Village - Tono
Media and Entertainment
Kagome, Kagome - Ringu