mikoshi

A mikoshi is a portable Shinto shrine used to transport a kami during matsuri (festivals). It acts as a temporary dwelling for the deity while away from its main shrine, allowing the kami to be carried through the community to bless participants and homes.

Construction and appearance: A mikoshi is typically a wooden structure built on a palanquin or litter, roofed like a shrine and often elaborately decorated with lacquer, gilding, metal fittings, textiles, and banners. Inside the mikoshi is a sacred object or symbol representing the kami; the exact form varies by shrine, but the object is treated with reverence while the shrine is carried.

Carrying and procession: The mikoshi is carried on long wooden poles by teams of bearers, who lift it onto their shoulders and move in procession. Teams may include dozens of people, and the mikoshi is often roused with chants, drumbeats, and synchronized movements as it passes through streets and neighborhoods. The belief is that the deity accepts the journey and blesses the area.

After the festival, the mikoshi returns the deity to the main shrine or is stored until the next matsuri. While the basic concept is common across Japan, regional styles vary in size, shape, and decoration. The practice, part of Shinto ritual, emphasizes communal participation and the sharing of divine blessings.