Onusa
Encyclopedia
Wand
A wand is a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, stone, ivory, or metal. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar...
used in Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
rituals. It is decorated with many shide
Shide (shinto)
is a zigzag-shaped paper streamer, often seen attached to shimenawa or tamagushi, and used in Shinto rituals. A popular ritual is using a haraegushi, or "lightning wand", named for the zig-zag shide paper that adorns the wand. A similar wand, used by miko for purification and blessing, is the gohei...
(zig-zagging paper streamers). When the shide are attached to an hexagonal or octagonal staff, it can be also called . It is waved left and right during purification ritual
Ritual purification
Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of a deity...
s.
Ōnusa are not to be confused with hataki
Hataki
A is a type of household cleaning tool, originating in Japan. Consisting of durable cloth strips attached to a stick or pole, it is used for removing dust from surfaces onto the floor, where it can be swept or vacuumed. Similar to a feather duster, it is not to be confused with an Ōnusa....
, which look somewhat similar.