Shinboku - Sacred Trees
Trees recognized as dwelling places of kami, marked with shimenawa ropes.
Certain ancient or remarkable trees are venerated as shinboku, the dwelling places of kami. These trees, marked with shimenawa ropes, are never cut and receive offerings and worship. They represent the deep connection between divinity and the plant kingdom.
The great tree has stood for centuries as a living temple of the kami.
Shinboku worship preserves some of the oldest elements of Japanese religion.
Folk Shinto
Written about in
- What Shinto says about reverence
Particular old trees are treated as dwelling places of kami, marked with a rope and never cut. Reverence here has a very specific address.
- What Shinto says about beauty
A tree recognised as shinboku is roped with shimenawa and never cut. The tradition's response to a beautiful object is not to acquire it, improve it or reproduce it, but to mark it and leave it standing.