Originally Posted by
dsomers
Thank you, can you also tell me what Dana means, as in Kamidana?
David
Dana 棚 means shelf, as in bookshelf, ledge or mantlepiece. So kamidana is the shelf for the kami or deities who are believed to protect the household. Some households will also have a BUTSUDAN, or Buddhist altar. This DAN is quite different from the dana above and has the primary sense of altar, stage or podium/rostrum.
In an earlier post tokonoma 床の間 was mentioned. This is a space or alcove and usually contains a makimono 巻物 or hanging scroll. In my house here in Hiroshima, the tokonoma is large enough for an altar, but it contains a hondana, or bookself, not a kamidana. It also has a makimono, with a picture painted by an old student of mine.
Last edited by P Goldsbury; 24th February 2006 at 10:57.
Peter Goldsbury,
Forum Administrator,
Hiroshima, Japan