About Katashiro

A Katashiro is a kind of Yorishiro in which a Godly Spirit takes refuge. In Shinto rituals and folk customs, dolls are used as human substitutes to transfer sins and impurities during exorcisms. They are usually made of paper or thin boards. After the exorcism, they are thrown into the river or sea, or burned. During Hinamatsuri in March, people used these dolls to stroke the parts of their bodies that were not in good shape, and then cast them into the river or sea to pray for the growth of their children.
The actions of priests at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo have generated controversy across East Asia

Shinto religious objects – The Kami worship

There is no universally agreed definition of Shinto. However some scholars define Shinto as the belief in "kami", the supernatural entities at the centre of the religion. Shinto encompasses doctrines, institutions, ritual, and communal life based on kami worship. Various scholars have referred to practitioners of Shinto as Shintoists, although this term has no direct translation in the Japanese language. This is a list of some religious objects used for the practice of .