Gohei

nihongo|Gohei|御幣|, nihongo|onbe|御幣| or nihongo|heisoku|幣束| are wooden wands, decorated with two "shide" (zigzag paper streamers) used in Shinto rituals.

The streamers are usually white, although they can also be gold, silver, or a mixture of several colors. The zigzag paper streamers themselves (also referred to as "gohei") are often attached to straw ropes ( "shimenawa" ) used to mark sacred precincts.

The shrine priest or maiden attendants ( "miko" ) use the "gohei" to bless or sanctify in various Shinto rituals. "gohei" is used for some ceremonial practices, but its usual purpose is to cleanse the sacred place in temples and to cleanse, bless, or exorcise any object that is thought to have negative energy. In addition to their use in purification rituals like "Ōnusa" (wooden wand with many "shide"), they can also be used as an object of worship (nihongo|"Go-shintai"|御神体|) of Shinto shrines.

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