What Are the Main Symbols of Shintoism?

Download Article

Plus, an overview of Shinto mythology, beliefs, and practices

Co-authored by Coco Sato and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: January 24, 2026 Fact Checked

Download Article

What is Shintoism?

|

Important Symbols

|

Beliefs & Practices

|

More Religious Symbols

Shintoism is an animistic religion from Japan that encourages living in harmony with the natural world. It’s full of rich mythology, cultural rituals, and, like other spiritual practices, lots of sacred symbols that connect humankind to the divine. In this article, we’ll show you the most important Shinto symbols and sacred objects, as well as review the foundational beliefs and practices of the religion to explain why these symbols are so important.

Sacred Shinto Symbols

The most recognizable Shinto symbol is the torii gate (the entrance to shrines). Other important symbols are the shimenawa rope (to ward off evil), shide papers and sakaki branches (for cleansing rituals), the shinkyo mirror (an avatar for the gods), and the tomoe symbol representing the heavens, underworld, and earth.

Section 1 of 4:

What is Shintoism?

Download Article

Shintoism is the indigenous, animistic spiritual practice of Japan. The word Shintō translates to “the way of kami” (the various sacred gods and deities in nature). It’s different from other major religions in that there’s no founder, no official sacred books or scriptures, and no fixed dogmas to follow, meaning that worship styles and beliefs can vary from place to place.^{[1]
X
Research source} The practice is deeply rooted in the divinity of nature and is tied to the landscape of Japan (it’s rarely practiced in places outside the country, typically only where groups of Japanese people have migrated).^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Practitioners of Shintoism believe the kami reside in natural elements like trees, rivers, and mountains. The religion is all about respecting and coexisting with nature and maintaining purity.
- Ancestor worship is also a major component of the religion. Some ancestors can even become kami.
- Shinto is integrated into daily life in Japan and is often practiced alongside Buddhism (it’s not uncommon to practice multiple religions in Japan).
- Purity or cleansing rituals, large and vibrant festivals, and public and private shrines are major ways Shinto is practiced.

Section 2 of 4:

Important Symbols & Sacred Objects in Shintoism

Download Article

1
Torii gates mark the entrance to shrines and sacred spaces. These portals are some of the most recognizable symbols of Japan and mark the division between the world of humans and thekami, or nature spirits. They consist of 2 cylindrical pillars topped by 2 crosswise rectangular beams and are typically orange or red.^{[3]
X
Research source} These colors represent the sun and life in Japan and are said to ward off bad omens and disasters. By crossing a torii, you’re cleansed of bad energy and are ready to interact with the kami.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Torii are often wooden, but can be made of stone or metal too. The color can vary, too, based on the material used.
- There are about 60 different torii shapes, but the most common are myojin and shinmei. Myojin torii curve upwards at their ends and have a beam that extends beyond the pillars. Shinmei torii have a straight top and a beam that ends at each pillar.
- Torii are so globally recognizable that there’s a “Shinto shrine” emoji ⛩️. Some Minecraft users even build them within their games!
2
Shimenawa are protective ropes that repel evil spirits from sacred spaces.Shimenawa can be found hanging from torii gates, looped around tree trunks and rocks, and sometimes, even tied around the waist of sumo wrestlers! They’re often decorated with zig-zag-shaped strips of white paper (shide) and tassels, and mark the boundary of shrines and sacred places.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- When shimenawa are used in sets of 3, they’re known as yorishiro, which means something that attracts gods or has a god living inside of it.
3
Shide are zig-zagged strips of paper used for purification and sacred spaces.Shide (pronounced “she-day”) often hang from shimenawa ropes around shrines and are shaped like bolts of lightning. Some believe the lightning shape represents the infinite power of the gods, while others think that thunder is an element of a good harvest and that the lightning shape is a prayer to the gods for an abundant growing season.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Shide are also attached to ceremonial wands for ritual purposes. The miko (women who work in shrines) use gohei wands with 2 shide attached to bless people and objects and purify sacred items.
- The kannushi (male Shinto priests) use haraegushi wands with many shide attached to cleanse or purify people or items newly obtained by someone (like a house or car).
4
The sakaki is a sacred, evergreen tree that marks and purifies shrines. Nature worship is a major part of Shintoism, and certain types of trees are sacred (called shinboku). The most important of these is the sakaki, a species native to Japan, that is commonly planted around shrines to form a sacred fence. A sakaki branch is often used as an offering to the gods.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Sakaki are symbols of immortality because they’re evergreen.
- They’re also associated with a Japanese myth of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Amaterasu hid herself in a cave, plunging the world into darkness. The other kami decorated a sakaki tree to lure her out and restore light to the world.
5
The tomoe is a sacred symbol of samurai warriors, household crests, and nature. Tomoe roughly translates to “comma”, and the symbol resembles a round head with a tapering tail behind it. The mitsu-tomoe (“three commas”) is the most common tomoe symbol in Shinto and shows 3 commas swirling around each other in a circle, representing the 3 realms of existence (heaven, earth, and the underworld).^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Tomoe symbols were also historically used on badges of authority (mon) and came to be associated with samurai warriors and elite families.
- Tomoe symbols can have 1, 2, 3, or even 4 commas in their design, although 3 is the most recognizable.
6
A shinkyo (“god’s mirror”) connects the human world to the spirit realm. Shinkyo are mirrors that are displayed on Shinto altars as an avatar of the kami. Gods and spirits can enter the mirror and interact with the human world. The origin of this symbol goes all the way back to the legend of the sun goddess Amaterasu hiding in a cave:^{[9]
X
Research source}
- To lure Amaterasu out of the cave and return light to the world, the kami decorated a sakaki tree with jewels and a mirror and began celebrating. Amaterasu asked why they were partying, and they told her that there was a goddess even more beautiful than her outside the cave.
- Amaterasu left the cave and saw her own reflection in the mirror. While she was distracted, the other kami sealed the cave behind her with a shimenawa.
- Later, the same mirror was given to Amaterasu’s grandson, and he was instructed to worship it as if it were the goddess itself. Afterward, the shinkyo became an avatar for the gods, or shintai (a physical substitute that the kami can inhabit in the human realm).
- The cave described in the legend is a real place called Amanoyasugawara Shrine in Miyazaki Prefecture.
7
Komainu are a pair of guardian dogs or lions at a shrine’s entrance. These statues are the protectors of the shrine. Often, one will have an open mouth while the other has a closed mouth, symbolizing beginnings and endings. AtInari shrines (shrines dedicated to Inari, the kami of rice), fox statues stand guard instead (the fox is the messenger of Inari).^{[10]
X
Research source}
- These statues sometimes wear a red bib to keep evil at bay.
- Open-mouthed statues may hold scrolls, keys, gems, rice straws, or other important offerings in their mouths.
8
Kazaridaru are decorative sake barrels symbolizing unification with the gods.Kazaridaru means “decoration barrels,” and they aren’t actually full of sake. Instead, they represent the way drinking sake unites humans with the kami. The oldest known word for sake in Japanese texts, miki, uses the characters for “god” and “wine,” and drinking sake at shrines during festivals is an important way to commune with the Shinto deities.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Sake brewers from all over Japan donate sake and barrels to shrines, especially around festival times when demand is higher.
- The shrines will only accept as many full barrels of sake as they need. This reflects the Shinto respect for the environment and the practice of not being wasteful.
9
Stone lanterns (ishidoro) illuminate the path to shrines. Originally brought to Japan from mainland Asia with the arrival of Buddhism, these lanterns were adopted by Shinto practitioners in shrines and gardens. They serve as yorishiro, or objects capable of attracting and housing the kami, and guide the spirits to the shrine. They can also guide the spirits of the ancestors back to the world of the living.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- Lanterns placed at transition points, like the entrance to a shrine or garden, are said to mark the threshold between the mundane and the sacred.
- Shrines may also have bright orange paper lanterns called chōchin, often hung at torii gates, that also act as guides for the spirits.

Section 3 of 4:

What are the main beliefs and practices of Shintoism?

Download Article

1
Shinto practitioners believe kami is a life energy that permeates everything. Kami energy manifests in natural features (waterfalls, rocks, trees, mountains, etc.) as well as in animals and people. It’s both a life force and the term used for individual manifestations of kami, like spirits or gods. Shinto is all about living in harmony with this energy—not just the divine deities, but the entire natural world.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- The Japanese word for Shinto, kami-no-michi, means “way of the gods.”
EXPERT TIP

Coco Sato
Origamist and Contemporary Artist
Coco Sato is an Origamist and Contemporary Artist based in Brighton, UK. She is an award-winning contemporary artist specializing in origami and geometric sculptures. With a multidisciplinary practice encompassing sculpture, performance, psychology, and geometry, she explores shifting perspectives through the intricate art of origami. Coco’s work bridges cultures by combining traditional Japanese aesthetics with contemporary concepts, inviting audiences to reconsider their relationship with the world.

Coco Sato
Origamist and Contemporary Artist

Shintoism is a belief in nature as divine. In Japan, there’s a long history of Shintoism. In this tradition, elements of nature, like trees, the sea, or flowers, can be seen as gods. This deep appreciation for nature has been part of Japanese culture for centuries.
2
Practitioners worship the kami at shrines. These are the dwellings of thekami, marked by torii gates and shimenawa ropes, and they contain sacred symbols and objects of worship in their innermost chambers (and in some cases, major natural features nearby, like waterfalls or mountains, are the object of worship).People visit shrines for good luck, to pay respect to the kami, to celebrate special days and festivals, to bless newborns, and even for important occasions like weddings.^{[14]
X
Research source} Small, household shrines or altars are known as kamidana, while larger public shrines are called jinja. Large shrines will typically have:
- Purification troughs full of water (temizuya) near the entrance, where visitors cleanse their hands and mouth before entering the main hall.
- A main hall (honden) and an offering hall (haiden), which may be separate structures or combined into one building.
- An open stage for kagura dance, noh theater performances, and other rituals.
- Omikuji, or fortune-telling paper slips that are randomly drawn by visitors.
- Ema, or small wooden plates that visitors can write wishes on and leave at the shrine for good luck and success.
- Omamori, or small protection amulets containing prayers or sacred inscriptions.
- Suzu (ritual bells), which are attached to shimenawa ropes and rung to alert the gods that you have come and seek their guidance or to pay respects.
3
The Shinto creation myth describes the birth of the kami, Japan, and the Japanese nobility. Shintoism is deeply tied to the geography of Japan. According to the myth, the heavens gradually separated from the earth, which was unformed and chaotic, and the first 7 generations of kami deities lived in the sky. With the 8th generation, they decided it was time to create the land of Japan.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- They sent Izanagi, the primal male, and Izanami, the primal female, to the earth. Izanagi dipped his jeweled spear into the ocean, and the foam that dripped off it formed the great island of Japan (Honshu). Later, Izanagi and Izanami had intercourse, and Izanami birthed the remaining Japanese islands and additional kami.
- The final kami she birthed was the kami of fire, which burned her to death. Distraught, Izanagi followed her to the underworld, but she chased him away because she did not want to be seen in a decomposed state.
- As Izanagi washed himself clean of the pollution of the underworld in a river, he created the gods of the sun (Amaterasu), the moon (Tsukiyomi), and storms (Susano).
- Susanoo and Amaterasu feuded over who could have the most children, and Susano cheated by using a fertility jewel. Angry, Amaterasu hid herself in a cave, depriving the world of light.
- The kami lured Amaterasu out of the cave with a mirror and the sun returned to Japan. Meanwhile, Susano redeemed himself and killed an 8-headed dragon that had a jeweled sword in its tail.
- Later, Amaterasu claimed sovereignty over all of Japan by sending her grandson, Ninigi, to claim the islands. She sent him with Susano’s jeweled sword, the fertility jewel, and the shinkyo mirror that lured her out of the cave. These items—the sword, jewel, and mirror—are known as the Three Sacred Treasures today.
- Ninigi’s grandson, Jimmu Tenno, became the first official emperor of Japan, and the royal family still traces their lineage to Amaterasu.
4
Purity and cleansing rituals are key components of Shinto beliefs and practices. One of the gravest sins in Shintoism is to interact with the kami while you’re ritually “impure.”^{[16]
X
Research source} Shrine visitors are expected to cleanse their hands and mouths with the temizuya (water troughs) at the entrance, and visitors with illnesses, open wounds, or who are in mourning are not encouraged to enter.^{[17]
X
Research source}
- Purification rituals are also regularly performed by shrine clergy. Wands and sakaki branches are used to ritually cleanse people of impurities and demons.^{[18]
  X
  Research source}
- In fact, this purification makes Shinto an adaptable practice that coexists with lots of new technology. Things like new homes, cars, and even computers can be ritually cleansed and brought into the space of the kami.