Mikoshi (Portable Shrine)

A mikoshi is a portable shrine — an elaborate, often gilded structure mounted on carrying poles — used during matsuri to transport the kami from the shrine into the surrounding community. The belief is that the kami temporarily leaves the honden and enters the mikoshi for the duration of the festival procession, blessing the areas it passes through.

Mikoshi are typically carried on the shoulders of dozens of festival participants who chant rhythmic calls ('wasshoi, wasshoi!' or variations thereof) as they parade through the streets. The carriers often rock and shake the mikoshi vigorously, which is believed to increase the kami's spiritual power. The procession follows a prescribed route through the community before the kami is returned to the shrine.

Mikoshi come in all sizes, from massive structures requiring over a hundred bearers to small children's mikoshi (kodomo-mikoshi) designed to introduce young people to the tradition. The construction is often remarkably ornate, featuring gold leaf, carved phoenixes, miniature torii, and elaborate metalwork. Some communities' mikoshi are centuries-old treasures that represent enormous cultural and financial value.