A yorishiro (依り代・依代・憑り代・憑代) in Shinto terminology is an object capable of attracting spirits called kami, thus giving them a physical space to occupy [1] during religious ceremonies.
Yorishiro are used during ceremonies to call the kami for worship.[2]
The word itself literally means approach substitute.[1] Once a yorishiro actually houses a kami, it is called a shintai. Shintai used in Shrine Shinto (Jinja Shinto) can be also called mitamashiro (御霊代 spirit replacement or substitute).[1]
In spite of what their name may suggest, shintai are not themselves part of kami, but rather just temporary repositories which make them accessible to human beings for worship.[2]
Mount Fuji is Japan's most famous shintai.
Ropes called shimenawa decorated with paper streamers called shide often surround yorishiro to make their sacredness manifest. Persons can play the same role as a yorishiro, and in that case are called yorimashi (憑坐 lit. possessed person) or kamigakari (神懸り・神憑 lit. kami possession).[3]
The most common yorishiro are swords, mirrors, ritual staffs decorated with paper streamers called gohei, comma-shaped jewels called magatama (勾玉 or 曲玉), large rocks (iwasaka (岩境) or iwakura (磐座), and sacred trees.[1][2]
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