noun
first ears of rice; first harvest of the season
Refers to the first rice ears or crops harvested in a season, often with ritual significance in Shinto contexts.
秋になると、農家では初穂を神棚に供える。
In autumn, farmers offer the first ears of rice at the household Shinto altar.
noun
offering to the gods; first-fruits offering
Specifically the act or item offered to deities, especially the first harvest; a core concept in Shinto ritual.
神社に初穂料を納める。
I pay a first-fruits offering fee at the shrine.
Kana spelling; useful when the kanji are not needed or for clarity.
Traditional kanji form using 穗 (kyūjitai of 穂); mainly seen in older texts or formal contexts.
初物 refers to the first produce of the season in general, while 初穂 specifically means the first ears of rice or the ritual offering of the first harvest.
From 初 (hatsu, 'first') + 穂 (ho, 'ear of grain'). The reading はつお is a variant, possibly from an older or dialectal form.