haraigushi

Haraigushi (祓串) is a Shinto purification wand used by priests to perform harai, purification rites intended to remove kegare, or impurity. The word combines harae (purification) and gushi (wand or staff). The wand is typically a wooden staff adorned with white paper streamers called shide attached near the tip.

During purification ceremonies, the priest or a shrine helper waves the haraigushi over the person, object, or space, tracing the air with sweeping motions to drive away impurity or to purify. The rite is often performed alongside prayers and may be part of larger purification rituals such as the Ōharae (Great Purification). Haraigushi is one of several tools used for purification in Shinto practice; others include the onusa and the gohei.

In shrine settings, the haraigushi may be carried by the priest or presented on a ceremonial stand, treated with reverence as a sacred object. The exact form and decoration can vary by shrine, but its function as a purifier remains constant. The haraigushi is a traditional example of Shinto ritual implements used to maintain ceremonial cleanliness and spiritual purity.