Why Paper are Hanging from Stones/Trees at Japanese Shrines

You might have noticed when watching anime or movies, that objects in Japanese shrines tend to have ropes and paper wrapped around them. These are called しめ縄 shiménawa or 紙垂 shidé, and they indicate that the place or object is sacred.

In Japanese mythology Kojiki (712), there is a story about the sun goddess Amaterasu becoming enraged by the rampant actions of her brother Susanoo, and hiding in a cave, leaving the world into complete darkness.

In order to lure Amaterasu out of the cave, all the other gods worked together and held a festival with a sacred tree with pieces of cloth hanging from it. This is said to be the origin of the shidé.

After Amaterasu came out of the cave, the entrance was sealed with a rope so that she could not hide in it again. This is the origin of shiménawa.

The shidé is said to express two things: The first is “infinite expansion” by alternately cutting and splitting a piece of white paper, which represents the power of god.

Another theory suggests that it represents lighting. It was believed that lightning would bring in a rich harvest, because it is common during the rice harvest season.

*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects

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