#shimenawa

[merpmonde]

Meoto Iwa - the married rocks of Futami

We noted the presence of "married camphor trees" at Meiji-jingû last time, so I guess we can talk about other sacred things linked by rope.

One of the most famous of these is the couple of "married rocks" on the coast of Mie, on the premises of Okitama-jinja at Futami, near Ise. The Meoto Iwa represent the founding couple of Japan according to Shinto, Izanagi and Izanami.

The shimenawa ropes are more heavy-duty than what we saw on the camphor trees: 5 strands, 40 kg each. Still, as they are exposed to the seawater spray from crashing waves, they need to be changed several times a year, which involves quite a few people as you'd expect, as shown on the poster below. Ceremonies occur in May, September and December.

The ropes certainly look heavy on the smaller rock in particular, they look like they could slip off, but instead they cling on rather gracefully.

Dotted around the shrine are statues of the messengers of the gods: frogs.

While Futami's Meoto Iwa is the most important example of "paired rocks" in Japan, owing to how far the tradition dates back and its proximity to Ise Grand Shrine, there are quite a few others across the country. Below is another Meoto Iwa in Mihonoseki, Shimane.

[jumy-m]

Jumy-M Fortune comes in by a merry gate / 笑門

[koshigurajumy]

Jumy-M Shide / 森の中の聖なる場所

[hst432]

しめ縄

[lamneus]

hmmm flower

During my long walkies, I started to appreciate more every tiny detail I find and expend a good time staring it :3 ---------- HQ version in www.patreon.com/sifyro Find me in other sites wlo.link/@sifyro  

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[ouchlord-vivaldi]

If you haven’t traveled in the grasp of a colossal walking shimenawa, where are you even going?

[bonguri]

20260101 Anjo shrines 3 by Bong Grit Via Flickr: JRの南側に移動して南明治八幡社。いい一年になるといいですね。絵馬は安城学園高校の美術部が納めたみたい。 Photo taken at Minami-Meiji Hachiman shrine, Anjo city, Aichi pref.

[studentofshinto]

If you can't get one from a shrine or just want to know how a Gohei is made.