202 BULLETIN 14S, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



In every Shinto home a small shrme is put up to the Jcami, or 

 spii'its of the ancestors, before which the head of the family performs 

 devotions. Height, 13.^ inches; width, 7 inches; depth, o}/2 inches. 

 Kobe, Japan. (Cat. No. 150580, U.S.N.M.) 



7. Metal mirror. — One of the objects found in most Shinto shrines 

 is a metal mii'ror, being the shintai of Amaterasu, the sun goddess and 

 symbol of purity and the splendor of the divinity. The muTor, a 

 precious stone, and a sword, to which a brocaded banner was added 

 afterwards, are also the insignia of the imperial house. Diameter, 5 

 inches. Kobe, Japan. (Cat. No. 154833, U.S.N.M.) 



8. Gohei. — The gohei is a wand supporting a pendant of paper 

 zigzags. The paper slips are intended to represent the strips of cloth 

 which were formerly hung as offerings on trees. The use of the wand 

 is connected with an old Japanese rule of etiquette that presents to a 

 superior should be delivered attached to a branch of a tree, the object 

 being to mark a respectful aloofness from the giver to the receiver. 

 "By virtue of long association the offerings were looked upon as 

 representation of the deity, and thus the gohei instead of being given 

 by the worshiper to the shrine is now given out by the priest to the 

 worshiper, who takes it home and sets it up in his kamidana (god 

 shelf), or domestic altar. The gohei is also used in purification 

 ceremony. It is flourished over or rubbed against the person to be 

 absolved of ritual uncleanliness, or to dispel any evil influences which 

 may have attached themselves to his person." ^^ Kobe, Japan. (Cat. 

 No. 154834, U.S.N.M.) 



9-10. Two straw hoops. — They are offered at Shinto shrines and 

 are supposed to symbolize purity. Japan, (Cat. No. 130680, 

 U.S.N.M.) 



11-12. Two sTiime-naka. — The shimenaka, also called shimenawa, 

 are chaplets of rice straw. A rope of this kind was used to prevent the 

 sun goddess returning into the rock cave of heaven whither she had 

 retired in her anger. At the present day it is hung in front of shrines, 

 and at New Year before ordinary dwellings. Sacred trees are girt 

 with it. It is also suspended across the road to prevent the passage of 

 evil spirits. Diameter, 9,^o inches. Japan. (Cat. No, 130680, 

 U,S,N,M.) 



13. Pair ofjoxes. — Carved of v>-ood, covered with white gesso, and 

 lacquered. Represented sitting on a rock formation with large erect 

 tails, each holding up one foot; one has a jewel in form of a ball in the 

 mouth, the other a key. The rock bases are placed on wooden stands, 

 which are painted black, lacquered, and gilt. 



The fox was originally sacred to Inari, the god of rice, which was the 

 staple food and basis of wealth of ancient Japan, just as some other 

 gods have theu' animal attendants. But in the course of centuries the 



" Aston, Shinto, etc., p. 217. 



