light offered to a deity; sacred light
A lamp or light presented as a religious offering at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples. Often seen in the compound 御神灯 (ごしんとう) or related terms like 御灯 (みあかし).
A sacred light was lit in the worship hall of the shrine.
paper lantern at a performer's door
A paper lantern traditionally hung near the entrance of a geisha house or performer's dressing room, often bearing the name of the performer. This usage is historical and may be encountered in period settings or traditional entertainment districts.
At the entrance of the geisha district, paper lanterns bearing the names of geisha were hung.
御灯 (みあかし) is a more general term for a sacred light offered at shrines, while 御神灯 specifically emphasizes the light as an offering to a deity.
神灯 (しんとう) can refer to a sacred light or a light used in religious contexts, but 御神灯 adds the honorific prefix 御 (ご) for politeness.
Standard kanji spelling using 灯 (light).
Variant using 燈, the traditional form of 灯.
Spelling with ご instead of 御; common in less formal contexts.
Combination of ご and traditional 燈; less common.
Compound of 御 (ご, honorific prefix) + 神 (しん, 'god') + 灯 (とう, 'light'). The reading ごしんとう is standard; ごじんとう is a less common variant.