Online dictionary of history and traditions in Japan: Mikoshi

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French version

Mikoshi

神輿
alternative words: Portable shrine, Portable shinto shrine
keywords: festival , religion , thing
related topics: Heian period , Shintoism
related web sites: http://www.big.or.jp/~haru/
explanation: Originated from a palanquin to transport nobles, it was first used to transport a deity from Hachimangu shrine in Kyushu to Todaiji temple in Nara in 749. During Heian period, it became a popular practice to carry mikoshi to purify the land around a shrine in annual festival. Mikoshi is composed with an altar of about 50cm with a golden phoenix at the top and supported with 2 horizontal wooden bars of about 5m. The whole structure is carried by 20-30 persons, going zigzag and crying "wassho wassho".