注連縄 · しめなわ · objects

shimenawa

Rope used to mark sacred areas and objects.

Definition

Shimenawa is a straw rope adorned with white paper strips (shide) that marks off sacred spaces and objects in Shinto practice. It is often found around the honden, around sacred trees, and at points of importance within a shrine precinct. The shimenawa symbolizes the boundaries between the sacred and the profane, emphasizing the area's ritual purity.

Etymology

The term 'shimenawa' combines 'shime' (to bind) and 'nawa' (rope), indicating its function to bind and delineate sacredness.