Shide (紙垂,四手) arezigzag-shapedpaper streamers, often seen attached toshimenawa ortamagushi to demarcate holy spaces, and used inShinto rituals inJapan.[1][2] They are usually found adorning doorways, shrine buildings, andkamidana.
The origins ofshide are traced to theyūshide, a thread made from the bark ofBroussonetia ×kazinoki mentioned in theKojiki. There are different styles of foldingshide. One method requires placing the paper zigzags in a cut slit on a stick, creating a ritual object known as agohei orheihaku.[3] Agohei is an offering to kami that can be seen onkamidana altars and inside the main building of a Shinto shrine.[4]
A common purification ritual uses aharaegushi, a wooden stick with linen or papershide attached at the top.[5] A Shinto priest waves theharaigushi over a person, item, or newly bought property, such as a building or a car. The wand is waved at a slow and rhythmic pace, but with a little force so that theshide strips make a rustling noise on each pass of the wand. For new properties, a similar ritual known asjichiin sai (lit. "calming the land") is performed with aharaigushi within an enclosed part of the land (enclosed byshimenawa).
Media related toShide (Shintō object) at Wikimedia Commons.svg)
