small purification wand
Archaic Shinto ritual object; a small wand used in purification ceremonies. Rare in modern language, mostly encountered in historical or religious texts.
In the records of an old shrine, a purification ritual using a small wand is described.
thinly cut hemp or paper mixed with rice (scattered as an offering)
Refers to the material itself: finely cut hemp or paper mixed with rice grains, scattered as an offering to the gods. Related to 切麻. Also archaic and limited to ritual contexts.
See also: 切麻
In Shinto rituals, finely cut hemp or paper called konusa was sometimes mixed with rice and scattered.
Kanji spelling for the archaic ritual object; 幣 is a common character for Shinto offerings.
Alternate kanji spelling using 麻 (hemp), reflecting the material origin.
Compound of 小 (small) and 幣 (Shinto offering wand). The alternate spelling 小麻 reflects the use of hemp (麻) in the ritual object. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is firmly rooted in ancient Shinto practice.