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.
In autumn, farmers offer the first ears of rice at the household Shinto altar.
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.
I pay a first-fruits offering fee at the shrine.
ceremony fee; offering to the gods
Standard kanji spelling; 初穗 is a traditional variant with the old form of 穂.
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.
From 初 (hatsu, 'first') + 穂 (ho, 'ear of grain'). The reading はつお is a variant, possibly from an older or dialectal form.