Miko
In Shinto, a Miko (巫女) is a shrine (jinja) maiden or a supplementary priestess. Miko were once likely seen as a shaman but are understood in modern Japanese culture to be an institutionalized role in daily shrine life, trained to perform tasks, ranging from sacred cleansing to performing the sacred Kagura dance.
Physical description
The traditional attire of a miko would be a pair of red hakama (long, divided trousers) or a long, red, slightly pleated skirt tied with a bow, a white haori (kimono jacket), and some white or red hair ribbons. In Shintoism, the color white symbolizes purity.
Traditional Miko tools include azusayumi (梓弓 or “catalpa bow”) the tamagushi (玉串 or “offertory sakaki-tree branches”) and the gehōbako (外法箱 or the “supernatural box that contains dolls, animal and human skulls ... [and] Shinto prayer beads”).
The miko also use bells, drums, candles, and bowls of rice in ceremonies.
Definition
The Japanese words miko and fujo ('female shaman' and 'shrine maiden' respectively) is usually written 巫女 as a compound of the kanji 巫 ('shaman'), and 女 ('woman').Miko was archaically written 神子 (literally. 'kami' or 'god child') and 巫子 ('shaman child').
