An or simply is a wooden
wand
A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal or plastic.
Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or sceptres, which c ...
traditionally used in
Shinto
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
purification ritual
Ritual purification is the ritual prescribed by a religion by which a person is considered to be free of ''uncleanliness'', especially prior to the worship of a deity, and ritual purity is a state of ritual cleanliness. Ritual purification may ...
s.
are decorated with a number of (paper streamers). When the are attached to a hexagonal or octagonal staff, the wand is also known as a .
See also
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Flail
A flail is an agricultural tool used for threshing, the process of separating grains from their husks.
It is usually made from two or more large sticks attached by a short chain; one stick is held and swung, causing the other (the swipple) to st ...
*
Glossary of Shinto
This is the glossary of Shinto, including major terms on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk (*) are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries.
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A
* – A red papier-mâché cow bobblehead toy; a kind of ''engimo ...
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References
* ''Encyclopedia of Shinto''
"Ōnusa" accessed on March 29, 2009.
Ceremonial weapons
Exorcism in Shinto
Honorary weapons
Ritual weapons
Shinto cult objects
Shinto in Japan
Wands
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