Making authentic shimenawa,starting with rice planting
Rice grown at Byodoji is prepared as straw, purified with sacred spring water, and woven with care into shimenawa.
Orders for this year's shimenawa ornaments open in October.
September 12, 2026Registration open
The rice is harvested by hand, and straw for the rope and decorations is selected with care.
The Shimenawa From the Field Project grows rice in a field in front of Byodoji and uses the straw to make shimenawa ropes, New Year shimenawa ornaments, and amulets.
Today many shimenawa are ready-made or imported. Byodoji wanted to offer a truly rooted shimenawa, so every stage is carried out at the temple: planting, harvest, straw preparation, rope-making, and prayer.
The straw is purified with water from the Hakusui well, said to have been found by Kobo Daishi Kukai, and blessed through goma prayer at Byodoji, the 22nd temple of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
These items are made with straw grown from the beginning and purified with sacred water.
These New Year decorations can be placed at an entrance or in a room. Three designs are prepared.
A round form inspired by a mandala where the Buddha's merit gathers.
From ¥3,800
A figure-eight shape suggesting infinity and widening good fortune.
From ¥5,800
An 88 form representing the Shikoku pilgrimage.
From ¥8,800
The 2026 sacred-water shimekazari will be prepared through this field-to-rope process. Distribution details will be posted here once ready.
View the 2026 making scheduleAn amulet for leg and back health, made with straw purified by sacred water and shaped like a small straw sandal.
Waraji straw sandals have long protected travelers' feet. This amulet is a miniature waraji woven from straw purified with sacred water.
3,000 yen
The waraji amulet is mailed after being blessed in goma prayer.
A good-fortune amulet woven in the shape of 8 with straw purified by sacred water.
The number 8 is auspicious in Japan because it suggests widening fortune. Two eights, 88, also symbolize the Shikoku pilgrimage and are said to carry the merit of visiting all 88 temples.
It is also cherished as an amulet for leg and back health and traffic safety, honoring walking pilgrims and experienced drivers who have visited Shikoku many times.
One set contains two amulets in the shape of 8. You may keep both or share one with someone important to you.
3,000 yen
Rice planting and green-rice cutting decide the straw's length, suppleness, and color. In 2026, Byodoji is watching tall sake rice and black rice closely while raising the right straw for shimenawa.
On May 16, 2026, rice planting took place in the field in front of Byodoji. Parishioners, supporters, and local participants planted each seedling carefully.
This is not only farm work. It is a sacred event of gratitude to the rice deity and prayer for a good harvest, with participants feeling the mud, soil, and water directly.
On July 25, 2026, the green-rice cutting marked a summer milestone. The temple checked the growth of tall sake rice and the color of black rice to see how the straw was developing for shimenawa.
Water management, weeding, and daily care continue with parishioners until the autumn harvest, deepening gratitude for the Buddha's support and nature's gifts.
In autumn, the golden rice will be harvested by hand on September 12, 2026 with parishioners and visitors. Each bundle is cut without machines, carrying gratitude for the rice.
The harvested rice is tied into bundles and sun-dried inside the temple grounds. This traditional drying method slowly uses sunlight and wind, bringing out the fragrance and texture of the straw.
From dried rice bundles, the straw suitable for shimenawa is selected one piece at a time. Only straight, undamaged straw with good color is kept.
The leaf sheath is removed so only the core straw remains. This patient handwork is essential because it shapes the beauty of the finished shimenawa.
The selected straw is purified with water from the Hakusui well, said to have been found by Kobo Daishi Kukai. Pilgrims have long cherished this water.
After purification, the straw is dried again in the sun. Through this stage, the straw becomes more than a plant material; it becomes material for sacred shimenawa.
Using straw purified with sacred water, the rope is finally woven. Everything is done by hand with skilled instructors and parishioners.
The straw is twisted into three-ply rope and shaped into designs such as Rinnen, 8, and 88. Auspicious crane-and-turtle mizuhiki ornaments are also attached by hand.
After about seven months from rice planting, the shimenawa is complete. It is a fully handmade rope made without machines.
The completed shimenawa and amulets will be blessed in the shimenawa goma prayer on December 8, 2026. In the main hall of Byodoji, the 22nd temple of the Shikoku pilgrimage, the prayer asks for health and safety through the coming year.
The fire of goma is said to burn away defilements and carry prayers to the Buddhas. With that prayer, the shimenawa are sent to each household.
2026 field notes
Photos and short notes posted by the administrator show the latest state of the rice and straw-making work.
The sake rice that has grown is very tall—when we measured it, it was about 130cm! We harvested it, with everyone getting buried in the stalks🌾 The rice paddy feels a bit lonely now that it's completely harvested. And amazingly, a rainbow appeared over the paddy today! Look forward to this year's sacred water festive decorations!!
In 2026, Byodoji is growing tall sake rice and ornamental black rice, and this page will report the path from planting to the goma prayer. Application details will also be posted here once year-end distribution is ready.
This year focuses on both the quality of the straw that forms the rope and the richer expression of the decorations.
The finished rope is only one part of the story. The changing field and the accumulation of handwork are also part of the 2026 record.
Rice plantingEnded (registration closed)
Seedlings for shimenawa straw were planted one by one in the field in front of the temple.
Green-rice cuttingEnded (registration closed)
The green-rice cutting marked a summer turning point as the temple checked the blue-green straw suited for shimenawa.
HarvestRegistration open
The rice is harvested by hand, and straw for the rope and decorations is selected with care.
Harvest details and applicationGoma prayer for shimenawa
The completed shimenawa are blessed in the goma prayer before being sent out.
Rice planting and green-rice cutting have ended, and registration is closed. Thank you to everyone who took part.
Byodoji's executive director supervises every stage of the Shimenawa From the Field Project.
A skilled instructor in rice planting and shimenawa making, passing on the traditional techniques from planting and harvest to straw weaving.
Many online visitors, parishioners, and supporters take part from planting and harvest to the final shimenawa making.
