A miko, also known as a shrine maiden, is a woman who serves the Shinto kami. Their origins date back to the prehistoric Jomon period (approximately 10,500 BCE-300 BCE) in Japan. The responsibilities and requirements to become a miko have gone through many changes over the years. However, their traditional red hakama, white kosode, and …
Harae is the general term for ritual purification in Shinto, which is one of the four essential elements of a Shinto ceremony. Harae rites have been practiced for centuries. The aim of harae rites is to purify pollution or wrongdoing (tsumi) and impurity (kegare) from the body. These encompass not only guilt but also negative …
The term ‘kami’ comes from Shinto, Japan’s oldest belief system. Although Shinto has been classified as a religion by some, it is often treated more as a way of life. Most of Japan continues to practice Shinto beliefs and rituals to this day. And the main belief of Shinto is the worship of kami. In …