Jingū Taima

Jingū Taima are the ofuda of Jingū, in Isë, the main jinja enshrining Amaterasu Ōmikami. The Shinto establishment believes that every household in Japan should have, and venerate, a Jingū Taima, and despite decades of decline, over eight million are distributed every year. Even though they are very common, their history and significance are not straightforward. This essay places them in context, and explains their role in current practice.

Torii image © Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved.