harae

Harae, also written harai, is a Shinto purification rite dedicated to cleansing kegare (impurities) and preventing misfortune. It is one of the core practices in Shinto for restoring and maintaining ritual cleanliness, and it can be performed for individuals, places, or objects as needed.

The purpose of harae is to remove impurities arising from birth, death, disease, contact with the unclean, or other defilements. Purification is regarded as essential before approaching deities or undertaking sacred activities. Rites can include prayers, offerings, and symbolic acts such as sprinkling purified water, scattering salt, or using ritual implements. Purification may be performed by priests, though lay participants may also receive personal harae in certain ceremonies.

A well-known form is the Great Purification, or Ōharae. In many Shinto communities, the rite is observed biannually as a way to cleanse the community of accumulated impurity: a summer purification (Nagoshi no Harae) and a year-end purification in late December or nearby dates. These ceremonies often feature prayers (norito), offerings, and the use of ritual tools by priests, such as a purification wand or other sacred implements, to symbolically sweep away impurities.

In addition to public rites, individuals may undergo personal harae before important ceremonies or life events. Harae is part of a broader Shinto emphasis on purity and ritual cleanliness, which also includes related practices such as misogi (purification by water) and the general preparation required before worship at a shrine.