Notes from daily life
Short notes on prayer for everyday life: seasonal observances, ancestors, and the stories behind surnames.
Why Sakaki Belongs on the Kamidana — Its Origin in the Kojiki and How to Care for It at Home
The sakaki (a sacred evergreen) offered on a kamidana (a household shrine) marks the boundary between the realm of the kami and our own. This article traces its origin to the Amano-Iwato scene in the Kojiki and explains when to replace it, why domestic sakaki lasts longer, and what to do when it withers.
How to Clap Kashiwade: Clearing Negative Ki and Reading the Ki of a Place
The clap at a Shinto shrine is more than a gesture of thanks. It clears negative ki and calls the kami. Here is the formal way to clap, with the right hand slightly lowered, and how to use it at mountains, rivers, your own home, and places you travel to.
How to Keep Ofuda and Omamori in a Home Without a Kamidana
Even in an apartment or rented home with no kamidana (a household shrine), you can keep ofuda (shrine talismans) and omamori (amulets) with real care. A Shinto priest explains how to think about the kamidana, where to place an ofuda, how it differs from an omamori, and how to look after them day to day.
Love Is the Single Step Where You Turn and Look Back
We tend to think of love as the force that pushes us forward. Yet after conducting a shinzenshiki, a Shinto wedding rite, I felt the opposite: love appears at the moment we stop walking. This article reads the Japanese words ji and ai to ask why the thread of a family does not break.