形代 · かたしろ · objects

katashiro

Paper effigy used for transferring impurity.

Definition

Katashiro are paper or wooden effigies used in Shinto purification rituals to symbolize the transference of impurities from a person to the object. These figures are often crafted in human or human-like forms and are believed to absorb and carry away misfortune or spiritual contamination. During purification rites, the katashiro may be used in various ways, including being washed away in a river or burned in a ritual fire. This practice reinforces the Shinto belief in the physical embodiment of spiritual concepts.

Etymology

The term 'katashiro' combines 'kata' (形), meaning 'form' or 'shape', with 'shiro' (代), meaning 'substitute' or 'replacement'.