Rarely seen outside of Japan, Ooharae is a Shinto great purification ceremony which is conducted twice yearly (the end of June and December) to ward off distortions, sins, impurity, or spiritual exhaustion which have piled on your spirit for the previous six months. Shinto (“the way of the gods”) is an indigenous faith from Japan that dates back to the sixth century.

We are honored to host Certified Shinto Priestess, Rev. Kuniko Kanawa to conduct this ceremony. This virtual ceremony will be recorded at Rev. Kanawa’s home shrine and broadcast over Zoom.

Throughout the ceremony, attendees will be guided in Japanese and English and may chant along with the great purification liturgy. A katashiro, a small human-shaped paper doll representing you, will be released into the sacred river stream during the ceremony.

* Katashiro are for those who registered. As the registration maximum is 95 people, only up to 95 Katashito paper dolls can be prepared.
* Live Kagura may be replaced by a pre-recorded Kagura in case of inclement weather.
* Videotaping/Photographing the ceremony is not permitted by attendees to avoid any misusage of the ceremony images.
* No cancellation or refund after 6/26 at 3 pm, as personal ritual preparations are involved by then.

This 90-minute session includes:

• Attendees’ name hand drawn in calligraphy onto Katashito paper doll by Rev. Kanawa, to be released into sacred river flow during the ceremony
• Upon your request, your name can be chanted during Norito liturgy if you register by 6/22 at noon with your clear name pronunciation note. Please understand and agree that your name can be heard publicly.
• Norito liturgy will include the special prayer on Covid-19 crisis
• Rev. Kanawa will lead the Kagura Shinto sacred dance of Kiyo-harae (bow and arrow purification dance).
• A Q&A at the end of the event.

The three Shinto prayers include:

1. 1. 悪疫鎮静 Akueki-chinsei: Calmness of Covid-19: For the calming of the Novel Coronavirus which causes the COVID-19 infection
   2. 災厄転換 Saiyaku-Tenkan: Changing/improving the way of living by experiencing chaos and the recovery of great nature: For humankind to positively change and evolve our way of living to respect the Great Nature cycle and others in the society.
   3. 万物共存共栄 Banbutsu kyouzon-kyouei: Co-existence/prosper of Great Nature and Mankind: For the Earth to continue to recover and heal for preserving all precious life in addition to humankind, for all of us to humbly and peacefully coexist, that we shall live within the Cycle of Great Nature and beyond, throughout the Universe.

Hand-made Chinowa amulets will be available for separate purchase. This amulet originated from Japanese folk tale mythology.

A large version of this amulet ring made of cogon grass (Chigaya) is erected on the pathway leading to a shrine on the days of great purification (Oo-harae). Worshipers at the shrine pass through the ring as an act of purification from misfortune/distortion (magagoto), misdeeds/sins (tsumi), impurities/withered energy (kegare) , to invoke long healthy life without sickness and misfortune.

茅の輪（ちのわ）お守り

日頃知らず知らずのうちに積み重なった罪穢れを祓い、健全な心身を取り戻し、疫病や悪災疫除けから守る霊力があるとされています。その起源は民間神話まで遡ります。その昔、武塔神（後の須佐之男命）は旅の途中に一夜の宿を探している時、ある兄弟に出くわしました。弟の巨旦将来（こたんしょうらい）は大変なお金持ちでしたが、ケチなので断りました。一方、兄の蘇民将来は貧乏でしたが、栗飯と一夜の宿で、快くでもてなしました。 須佐之男命は幾年か後に再び蘇民将来を訪れ、御礼に茅の輪守りを授けました。「この茅の輪を祀れば子孫を疫病、災いから守る」と言われた蘇民将来は、親族子孫一同が腰に身つけていたことから皆、疫病にかかる事無く、災厄からも守られ、生涯を過ごしたということです。茅の輪くぐりの神事の起源でもあります。玄関の外、または柱か壁に外向けに掲げお祀り下さい。

Space is limited, so register today to ensure a seat.

$30 for non-members
$25 for members