portable shrine; mikoshi
A portable Shinto shrine carried through the streets during festivals. The reading is みこし; 神輿 can also be read しんよ in some contexts.
Carrying the mikoshi at the festival is tough work.
The portable shrine paraded through the neighborhood.
Only when written 御輿
Honorific term for a palanquin or litter, used in historical contexts. Restricted to the 御輿 spelling.
See also: 輿
In the past, nobles traveled by palanquin.
Only with reading みこし
Usually written in kana. Often used in set phrases like みこしを上げる (get up off one's seat) or みこしを据える (settle down to work).
Let's get up and head home soon.
He settled down at his desk to work.
On the day of the festival, young men carried the mikoshi through town.
I guess it's about time I got up and went to work.
Kana spelling is usual for the lower back/waist sense.