In Shinto, a yorishiro is a sacred object or natural feature used as a vessel or focus for a kami.
Yorishiro can include trees, rocks, mirrors, swords, or other objects believed capable of attracting or hosting a kami’s presence. The word is often translated as an object of divine reliance or an object that draws a kami near. In early shrine practice, sacred natural features could serve this role before permanent shrine buildings became widespread.
Yorishiro is related to, but not identical with, shintai. A shintai is the sacred body or object in which a kami is enshrined, especially within a shrine’s inner sanctuary. A himorogi is a temporary sacred enclosure or arrangement used to invite a kami. The precise distinctions can vary among Shinto traditions and scholarly explanations.