No matter how many times you visit or when you worship, Ise Shrine is always refreshing.

One of the reasons I think so is the Isuzu River that flows through the Inner Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine. The pure flow and the sound of the rapids that cleanse the soul, and the cool feeling of the water when washing your hands in the Mitarashi (mitarashi) toilet in the Inner Shrine. The memory of that refreshing feeling, etched in my mind with all five senses, comes back to me vividly when I hear the word "shrine."

What is the Great Purification Ceremony at Ise Shrine?

The shrine's Great Purification is held eight times each year: on the last day of June and December (the last day of the month), and in the month before the main festival. For example, the Great Purification for the February Niinamesai festival is held on the last day of the preceding January, and so on. Prior to the festival, the Grand Priest, along with other priests and musicians, perform purification rituals for the sins and impurities of each individual at a place called the "haraedo," a place with a shimenawa rope stretched around it near the first torii gate of the Inner Shrine.

In Shinto, sin and impurity refer to various things that we unconsciously acquire in our daily lives.OneTsumuBody), and impurity refers to "depletion of energy," and it is said that covering up and hiding one's true self is a sin, and that impurity is the withering of "energy," or the diminishing of one's vitality. In other words, humans are originally blessed with wonderful bodies, but when something that covers them up attaches to them, their true self is hidden, leading to undesirable conditions such as illness and disaster.

Misogi is the act of purifying oneself with water.
Purification is the removal of sins and impurities using water, fire, salt, and purification tools.

In order to remove such sins and impurities, purification rituals and purification rites have been performed in Japan since ancient times.

Misogi is the act of purifying oneself using water. Pure water, especially from the sea or river, is believed to have the sacred power to purify impurities, and in ancient times people would purify themselves in the river that flows in front of the altar. The sanctuary at the Inner Shrine was originally a place where people involved in the shrine's rituals could perform misogi. Today, washing your hands and rinsing your mouth at the temizuya before praying is considered a simplified form of misogi.

Harai, on the other hand, is the removal of sins and impurities using water, fire, salt, and purification tools. Anyone who has formally visited a shrine may have witnessed the shubatsu ritual, which begins before the ritual. After the priest recites the harae-kotoba (purification words), hemp branches (called onusa) or sticks (called shide) made from specially cut white paper or hemp threads called asao (ramie) are waved back and forth over the heads of attendees.

Even if one does not know the meaning, when one visits a shrine, each worshipper is performing a simple form of purification and exorcism, which have been important since ancient times, to purify their mind and body, and then step forward before the gods.

From 'Ke' to 'Hare'
The very act of visiting a shrine is connected to a purification process.

"Norito prayers often use the phrase 'Today is the day of fulfillment,' meaning 'Today is a day of vitality and contentment.' Visiting a shrine is exactly such a day, a transition from the state of everyday life (Ke) to that of hare. In other words, I believe that the very idea of visiting a shrine is a transformation from Ke to hare, and a purification ritual takes place within that person."

Satoru Otowa, deputy director of the Jingu Shrine's public relations department, said:

What's interesting is that sin and impurity are not just moral or man-made.

"For example, ancient people believed that when we suffered from various natural disasters, such as lightning strikes or heavy rain, it was because of sin or impurity in our daily actions," says Otowa.

In ancient times, sin and impurity were thought to be not only personal problems, but also obstacles to the development and happiness of the community.

The O-harae ritual was originally a state ritual. According to the Jingi-ryo (a document outlining the fundamental matters of state rituals), enacted in the 8th century, it was stipulated that the O-harae be held as a regular ritual every June and December.

"Ancient people placed great importance on cycles. Within this cycle of repetition, they would perform purification rituals at various junctures, returning to their origins. In other words, purification rituals are essentially the bare minimum rules that humans must follow in order to live in society, and they are also a return to our origins, and I believe that they are significant in that they are performed regularly to ensure that things circulate in an orderly manner."

In addition, when various horrible events such as natural disasters or natural calamities occurred, special purification ceremonies were also held. It was believed that these ceremonies would purify the land of all sins and impurities, ward off disasters, and bring about good fortune.

Unraveling the myth behind why purification rituals bring good fortune

However, this raises the question: why can purification rituals bring about good fortune?

The clues to the answer are found in the myths.

According to the Kojiki, when Izanagi-no-Mikoto visited the underworld (Yomi no Kuni) hoping to meet his late wife, Izanami-no-Mikoto, he came into contact with impurity and, in order to purify himself, threw away his clothing and belongings and immersed himself in the sea. This is said to be the beginning of misogi (purification rituals). However, the myth doesn't end there. From this point on, Izanagi-no-Mikoto gave birth to a succession of gods, eventually giving birth to the three noble gods Amaterasu-Omikami, Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto, and Susanoo-no-Mikoto. In other words, the three most noble gods were born after Izanagi-no-Mikoto had purged himself of sin and impurity.

So, what was the Great Purification, a national Shinto ritual, like?

During the Nara period, the Imperial Court held the annual Great Purification Ceremony in June and December. Men and women, including government officials, gathered in front of the Suzaku Gate, the main gate of Heijo-kyo, where the Oharae no Kotoba (Words of the Great Purification) was read aloud, after which they underwent a purification ritual. Each person then stroked or blew on a wooden katashiro (a doll) that served as a substitute for themselves, transferring their sins and impurities to the doll, which was then thrown into a river or ditch.

Currently, the "Nagoshi no Harae" (Summer Purification) held at shrines around the country on the last day of June is an event that has become established among the people as a result of this Great Purification ritual. Although it is widely known as "passing through the straw circle," at some shrines, the custom of parishioners caressing the body with a doll and then offering it at the shrine remains deeply rooted. The custom of purification and purification, which is to remove the sins and impurities that people have unknowingly acquired, has spread widely among the general public in various forms and is still passed down to the present day.

The mystery of the shrine's purification ritual and prayers, in which sakaki trees are used

On the other hand, in the Great Purification Ceremony held at the shrine, sakaki branches are used instead of dolls.

The Great Purification begins at 10:11 PM (January, April, October, November, December) or 12:XNUMX PM (May, June, September). At the purification site, where the sound of the Isuzu River can be heard, the priests and musicians are first handed sakaki branches, and then they prostrate themselves with the branches in their hands while the assistant priest chants the Great Purification Prayer softly. Once this is complete, they are purified with hemp and each person blows into the sakaki branch they are holding. After the ceremony is over, the sakaki branches are then released into the Isuzu River.

Incidentally, the O-harae no Kotoba is one of the 28 prayers recorded in the Engishiki, a compilation of ancient Japanese texts from the mid-Heian period. It is said to be the oldest prayer in Japan, having been recited for over a thousand years. Of particular note is the latter half of the prayer. It describes how, through the work of four gods known as the Four Haraedo Gods, the sins people have committed unknowingly are washed down the mountains into rivers, then carried out into the ocean, where they ride the tides and travel to the bottom of the sea, where they will eventually disappear in the land of the roots.

The shrine's Great Purification ritual is held on the riverside, and the sakaki branches that have transferred each person's sins and impurities are released into the river, all in accordance with the Great Purification Prayer.

"There are many parts of the Oharae no Kotoba that we don't understand. For example, what kind of gods are Kamurogi no Mikoto and Kamuromi no Mikoto, who appear at the beginning? They are not mentioned in the Kojiki or Nihon Shoki, and only appear in the Oharae no Kotoba, so we don't know the specifics. However, the Oharae no Kotoba is a curse (words chanted to achieve a magical purpose), and I think the most important thing is that it is chanted."

Salt is used for purification rituals
Is it because it contains sea essence that eliminates sin and impurity?

Come to think of it, the use of salt and salt water (entou = water with salt dissolved in it) in purification rituals such as Shuharai must be due to the Oharae no Kotoba. Japanese salt is made from collected seawater. In other words, it can be said that salt is filled with the essence of the sea, which eliminates sins and impurities.

At the shrine, the salt used in religious ceremonies is called mishio, and it is said that ever since the Naiku Shrine was established, salt from Futamigaura has been offered as offerings. Currently, salt is produced using the Irihama salt field method, a traditional Japanese salt production method, at a mishio beach established in an area called Shioai, where the waters of the Isuzu River and the seawater of Ise Bay mix.

After going through various processes, the hard salt is finally baked into a triangular pyramid shape.When used for purification, it is crushed into powder, and when offered as a sacred offering, the crushed chunks are used.

"I think one of the reasons salt is used in religious ceremonies is that the sea itself is the origin of everything. In the Kojiki, it is written that Izanagi and Izanami lowered a spear into the sea from the Heavenly Floating Bridge, pounded the seawater, and when they pulled the spear up, seawater dripped from the tip, and the salt hardened, forming an island. In other words, I think ancient people believed that everything is born from the sea."

Indeed, purification with salt or salt water is done after a purification with hemp to remove sins and impurities. Just as in the Kojiki, Izanagi-no-Mikoto gave birth to the three noble gods after performing a purification ritual, perhaps people can give birth to something new by undergoing purification and returning to their origins.

The world of purification and exorcism has a long history. The more you learn about it, the deeper it becomes.

Text by Misa Horiuchi

Writer

When I went to Europe to cover classical music, I was asked a lot of questions about Japan.This experience of being unable to answer most of the questions prompted him to begin researching Japanese music, culture, and prayer.This year marks his 16th year. His books include "Adult Nara: A journey to clear your mind" and "Adult Nara: A journey through breathtaking views" (both published by Tankosha), and "The World of Kamuy" (published by Shinchosha).

Photo by Akihiko Horiuchi

Photographers
He currently photographs mainly shrines and Japanese prayers. His photo books include "Ainu Prayers" (Kyuryudo) and "To the Forest of Brahms' Music" (Sekai Bunka Publishing). He is also a photographer who loves Bach, Evans, and sacred mountains.