Shimenawa
Shimenawa (Japanese注 连 縄, rarely also标 縄and七五 三 縄) are beaten ropes made of rice straw, which separate in the world of Shinto gods ( kami ) of this world.
Furthermore Shimenawa Mark accrued residence of the Kami and to the presence of a God or a divine power symbolize.
Etymology
The exact meaning and etymology of Shimenawa is set controversial and not canonical, despite this proliferation. After Basil Hall Chamberlain and Motoori Norinaga that relate to the Kogoshūi, is the archaic version of the word shiri - kume - nawa (斯利 久 迷 绳) for " backwards braided straw rope ", which meant is that the straw rope is made that the roots protrude and so are visible at the ends.
This name goes back to an incident of the traditional Kojiki and Nihon Shoki by the mythological age. According to legend, Amaterasu, the sun goddess had withdrawn offended by the behavior of Susa -no- O -no- Mikoto, her brother, in a rock cave. Since the outgoing light from Amaterasu could no longer reach the world, and this was thus shrouded in darkness, the other gods try again elicit from their hiding place. As Amaterasu opened the door to her cave and a little had come out, harnessed Futo - Tama no Mikoto a shiri - kume - nawa behind her back out, so she could not withdraw back into the cave.
In the Kojiki, the word shiri - kume - nawa (尻 久 米 縄) means something like "backwards braided straw rope ". The Nihon Shoki, which tells the same story and the rope also called shiri - kume - nawa (端出 之 縄or左 縄 端出), the word, however, writes differently, so it the meaning " straw rope with ends hanging out " or " left straw rope results ".
With the " hanging out ", they are probably doing the hanging out roots meant that have arisen through the linkages with the stalks, and then stuck out. Today this root ends are indicated by special straws that are attached to the rope and hang it.
In contrast to Basil Hall Chamberlain and Motoori Norinaga of Shinto expert Katō Genchi explained that shime as much as " forbidden based on the notion shimeno (标 野, " forbidden place "); Taboo " meant, so shimenawa " taboo ropes are ". Thus Shimenawa should serve as a taboo sign, marking the place where they are located, as a consecrated the Kami, profane uses confiscated, sacred and against pollution ( kegare ) of any kind to be protected place. Even more prosaic etymologies relate the concept to the verbs shimesu (示or标" show [ a particular range ]") or shimeru (缔, " bind " ) back.
Occasionally you can find for Shimenawa the modern translation " gods rope".
Use
As symbols of the presence of divine presence, such ropes usually find at religious sites of Shinto shrines like, Torii and other holy places as impressive trees or rocks. The largest Shimenawa located on the Izumo Taisha Kaguraden of and has a length of 13 meters, a circumference of 9 meters and weighs 5 tons.
Rarely Shimenawa two or more objects connect with each other as the two stones of the Meoto - Iwa, or at Yoshida Shrine, where eight Shimenawa bind the misery hill ( yaku - zuka ) before the door of the Holy of Holies ( dogs ).
Also house shrines ( Kamidana ) are adorned with Shimenawa. Some are not thicker than an ordinary thread may achieve different diameters of more than two meters.
At New Year in Japan it is also a widespread custom, small Shimenawa as protection against diseases and evil through doorways and gates to tension.
Shimenawa are usually with zigzag cut and specially folded paper strips ( shide ), in turn, on wooden sticks in turn are attached ( together Gohei ), and followers of flax ( yū ) hung that a cleaning, but also decorative and indicative significance for sacred sites have. They come from older types of heihaku, offerings to the gods.
Shimenawa are sometimes also attached for identification numinous places in nature, such as in conspicuous shaped rocks in the sea. The attachment of the artfully braided Shimenawa is accompanied by elaborate ceremonies ( shimenawa -taki ). Such a ceremony that is to go back to Kono Michinobu, a commander of the Genpei War, was originally intended to ask a dragon god to calm seas. Place to commemorate this event an annual ceremonial preparation of a Shimenawa in the city of Hōjō in the Japanese Seto Inland Sea instead.
Production
This section describes the preparation of Shimenawa an example of Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture.
In a medium-sized shrine in the Japanese city of Ibaraki, an approximately 35 cm thick Shimenawa above the entrance of the main building is attached and another about 25 cm thick rope under the crossbar of the local Torii. As the dew is on the main entrance under a canopy, this has a shelf life of one year. The located under the Torii Shimenawa, which is often exposed to rain, however, must be replaced after half a year.
Consequently, three major annual Shimenawa are required for this shrine. These are produced on a December weekend in a common labor input of the male members of the community. They opted for their own production, because production would have cost by a firm for each of the three about 4 to 5 feet long ropes about 70,000 yen (about 500 euros ). (2009)
Required approximately two days and 10 men for the production. As starting material, the rice straw harvest of that year will be used. The first day is mainly used for freeing the straw from the ears of corn and to start the production of approximately 10 to 15 cm thick Kardeele. For this purpose a correspondingly thicker straw bale is wrapped from about 80 cm long straws with a rope. To obtain then on length, the bale is at a slightly widened end and inserted into the opening, a further bale of straw, however, only to a part. The rest stands out is now also bound about with a rope and then widened slightly to insert another straw bales. This procedure is continued until the desired length is reached.
For the final production of a Shimenawa three Kardeele and soul as a bamboo rod are needed in this case. This prevents torsional rigidity by his untwisting of the later Shimenawa. Thus may be counteracted due to its own weight and a tearing of the Shimenawa. The three Kardeele and the bamboo rod are connected at one end with wire firmly together. For the last step, this end is fixed to a rotatable shaft. Then each of the Kardeele of two to three men is twisted. This is traditionally around right. Meanwhile, the axis with the bamboo pole piece by piece is rotated so that the left wrap around the Kardeele around the rod. Due to the different direction of rotation of Kardeelen and total tau is achieved that run in spite of the double helix of the individual straws this parallel to the direction of the rope to the outside of the Shimenawa.
The attachment of the Shimenawa is performed of the year back in a ceremonial setting. The actual production of the ropes on the other hand has more of the character of a community-building labor input.
Sumō
The Gohei provided with rope, wearing the yokozuna in sumo, resembles a Shimenawa.
Since the sumo - wrestling has always been strong connections to Shinto, there are suspicions that it is derived from the Shimenawa.
Especially at the beginning and end of a race sumo wrestlers wear magnificent Aprons from said ropes, on which are often additionally zigzag Shide attached from white paper located at many Shimenawa.
Furthermore, the sumo ring is usually surrounded by a kind Shimenawa.