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Shimenawa: The Sacred Rope That Divides the Divine and Human Realms
Shimenawa are the sacred ropes hung at torii gates, sacred trees, and rock formations across Japan to mark the boundary between the sacred and the ordinary. The great shimenawa at Izumo Taisha's kaguraden — 13 meters long and weighing 5.2 tons — is the largest in Japan. This guide explains their origins in Shinto myth, how they are made, and where to see the most impressive examples.
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Author
Hijiri
| Shrines & Temples
Contents
MOKUJI
一
The Origins of Shimenawa: Myth and Meaning
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二
Types of Shimenawa and Their Forms
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三
Where Shimenawa Are Found and What They Mean
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四
Making and Renewing Shimenawa
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五
Visiting Shimenawa Sites: Points and Recommended Spots
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六
Frequently Asked Questions
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The massive shimenawa at Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden, approximately 13 m long and 5.2 tons
Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Shimenawa are the thick twisted ropes of rice straw, adorned with white paper streamers, that hang at torii gates, drape around sacred trees, and encircle ancient rock formations across Japan. More than a decorative element, shimenawa are the physical demarcation of sacred space: what lies within the rope is divine territory; what lies outside is the ordinary world. Understanding shimenawa means understanding one of Shinto’s most fundamental spatial concepts.
The Origins of Shimenawa: Myth and Meaning
The Amano-Iwato Myth
According to Japanese mythology, the origin of shimenawa traces to the Amano-Iwato (Heavenly Rock Cave) episode. When the sun goddess Amaterasu withdrew into a cave and plunged the world into darkness, the other gods gathered outside and performed a raucous celebration to lure her out. When she opened the cave door slightly in curiosity, the strongman god Ame-no-Tajikarao flung it open. To prevent Amaterasu from retreating again, the gods stretched a rope across the cave entrance — this rope, according to some interpretations, is the mythological origin of the shimenawa.
What the Word Shimenawa Means
The characters in shimenawa carry the meaning of “occupying” or “binding” a space — establishing a claim on it as sacred. By stretching a rope around or across a space, the shrine marks it as belonging to the gods. The rope is made primarily from ine-wara (dried rice straw), itself a sacred material in Shinto since rice is understood as the dwelling of the grain spirit (kokurei).
The White Paper Streamers: Shide
The white zigzag paper strips hanging from shimenawa are called shide. Folded from white washi paper in a four-fold or eight-fold pattern, they are sometimes said to represent lightning. White is the color of purity and the divine in Japanese religious tradition. The shide amplify the rope’s sacred character, signaling that the space is under the protection of the gods.
Types of Shimenawa and Their Forms
Shimenawa at Izumo Taisha, a left-twisted rope hung across the main hall
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
The Great Shimenawa of Izumo Taisha
The most famous shimenawa in Japan hangs at the kaguraden (sacred dance hall) of Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture. Measuring approximately 13 meters in length and weighing around 5.2 tons, it is among the largest in Japan. Unlike most shimenawa, which are twisted in the standard right-hand direction, the Izumo rope is twisted left-handed — a distinctive tradition unique to this shrine. The rope is remade periodically in a major communal ceremony involving the shrine community.
Regional Variation in Shimenawa Styles
Shrine
Characteristics
Izumo Taisha
Left-twisted; thick on the right when viewed from front
Ise Jingu
Slender shimenawa in shinmei style
Kasuga Taisha
White ropes on massive ancient trees
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
Stretched across the haiden (prayer hall)
The New Year’s Shimekazari
The shimekazari (shimenawa decoration) hung at the gate or entrance of a home during New Year’s is the domestic equivalent of the shrine shimenawa. Combining twisted straw, urajiro (fern), daidai (bitter orange), and shide, the shimekazari creates a sanctified threshold to welcome the toshigami (New Year’s deity). Regional variations in shimekazari design across Japan reflect the diversity of local New Year’s customs.
Where Shimenawa Are Found and What They Mean
Sacred Trees (Goshinboku) Wrapped in Shimenawa
A goshinboku is a tree considered to be inhabited by a divine presence. The forests of Meiji Jingu and the ancient cryptomeria of Ise Jingu contain trees wound with shimenawa, marking them as protected divine presences. Many of these trees are hundreds or even thousands of years old, and the rope signals to visitors that they are in the presence of something ancient and sacred.
Sacred Rock Formations (Iwakura)
An iwakura is a rock or rocky outcrop understood as a seat of divine power. Shimenawa are stretched around these formations at sites like Ise Jingu Naiku and Suwa Taisha, where the physical landscape itself is understood as a manifestation of the divine. The rock does not need to be decorated — the rope marks what is already there.
The Torii Gate Combination
Shimekazari New Year decoration in Katori City, Chiba, hung at the front door
Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
At many shrines, shimenawa stretch across the top of torii gates, combining two forms of sacred boundary marker into one. At Itsukushima Jinja, the sea-floating torii bears a shimenawa that sways in the ocean breeze — the combination of gate, rope, and water creates one of the most visually powerful expressions of Shinto sacred space in Japan.
Making and Renewing Shimenawa
How Shimenawa Are Made
Shimenawa are made from dried rice straw twisted into thick rope. The direction of twisting, the number of strands, and the proportions are specified by shrine tradition. At most shrines, making the shimenawa is a communal act performed by shrine priests and parishioners as a form of religious service. The Izumo Taisha great shimenawa is made by a team of craftspeople and takes several days to complete.
Why They Are Replaced Regularly
Sacred space must be maintained in a state of purity. Dirt and deterioration are forms of kegare (impurity), so shimenawa are renewed periodically — at New Year’s, at the time of major festivals, and at other intervals specific to each shrine. Old shimenawa are ritually burned (otakiage) at the shrine. The act of replacement is itself a purification ceremony.
Visiting Shimenawa Sites: Points and Recommended Spots
Types of shide paper streamers: Yoshida, Shirakawa, Ise and other styles differ in folding method
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Phoenix7777)
Three Key Points for Observing Shimenawa
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Note the twist direction: Right-twisted is standard; left-twisted (as at Izumo Taisha) marks a distinctive tradition.
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Count the shide: Four-fold or eight-fold — the variation reflects local custom.
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Look for shimenawa on trees and rocks: Not just gates — sacred trees and rock formations are equally important.
Recommended Spots
Kanto / Koshinetsu
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Meiji Jingu (Tokyo) — Sacred forest trees wrapped in shimenawa within an ancient-feeling landscape.
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Tsurugaoka Hachimangu (Kamakura) — Shimenawa draped across the prayer hall.
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Suwa Taisha (Nagano) — One of Japan’s oldest shrines; shimenawa at the onbashira pillars and sacred precincts.
Tokai / Kinki
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Ise Jingu Naiku (Mie) — Shimenawa on sacred trees and at the inner sanctuary.
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Ise Jingu Geku (Mie) — The outer shrine counterpart; shimenawa throughout the approach.
Chugoku
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Izumo Taisha (Shimane) — The 13-meter, 5.2-ton great shimenawa at the kaguraden; the most impressive in Japan.
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Senso-ji (Tokyo) — Experience shimenawa in a Buddhist temple context, evidence of shinbutsu shugo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it acceptable to touch a shimenawa?
Shimenawa should not be touched. They are sacred boundary markers, and casual handling is disrespectful. This applies especially to shimenawa on goshinboku (sacred trees) and iwakura (rock formations). Looking and photographing are fine; touching or shaking the rope is not.
When should shimekazari be removed?
New Year’s decorations are traditionally removed at the end of the matsuri-no-uchi (New Year’s period) — January 7th or January 15th depending on the region. The traditional method of disposal is the dondo-yaki or sagichō bonfire held at shrines in mid-January, where decorations are ritually burned.
What is the difference between left-twisted and right-twisted shimenawa?
Standard Japanese rope and shimenawa are twisted in the right-hand direction (migi-yori). The left-twisted (hidari-yori) shimenawa at Izumo Taisha is a distinctive local tradition associated with the shrine’s unique standing in the Shinto pantheon. The spiritual significance of the twist direction is interpreted differently by various scholars and priests.
Why are shimenawa made from rice straw specifically?
Rice (ine) is sacred in Shinto: it is understood as the vessel of the grain spirit (kokurei) and has been associated with divine sustenance since ancient times. Using rice straw for shimenawa links the boundary marker to the fundamental sacred material of Japanese agriculture and religious life.
最終更新: 2026年4月25日
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Author
Hijiri（ひじり）
Shrines & Temples
Toku editorial team — shrines and temples. Former designer who reads temple architecture and gardens through an aesthetic lens, quietly tracing the lineages of sects and doctrines.
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