also: ぬさ
Shinto ritual staff with paper streamers
A wooden staff used in Shinto purification rituals, with zigzag paper streamers (shide) attached. Often seen in ceremonies such as harai (purification).
The Shinto priest waved the ritual staff to perform the purification.
paper money; banknote; bill
money; currency; coin
offering a ritual wand to a Shinto deity
staff with shide streamers; gohei staff
monetary system; currency system
Standard kanji spelling for the Shinto ritual staff.
Archaic reading; rarely used in modern Japanese. Included for recognition in historical or ritual contexts.
The kanji 幣 originally referred to offerings or gifts to the gods. The reading へい is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi, while ぬさ is an ancient native Japanese word for offerings, later applied to the ritual staff.