About This Items
Wooden scepter(Shaku).
Length 39cm / 15.35in
Tip thickness 6.8cm / 2.67in
Butt thickness 4.2cm / 1.65in
Shaku is a long, thin board held in the right hand during ceremonial dress and sokutai, and is used for regalia.
Shaku has a long history and is said to have been introduced from China around the time of Emperor Kinmei (6th century).In China, it was used as a board for officials to write down the contents of sovereign orders so that they would not forget them.In Japan, a shaku was used with a piece of paper affixed to it for reminder before the sovereign.
The scepter came to be used as formal attire in the Shinto priesthood uniform system after the Meiji era (1868-1912), and has become one of the essential possessions of the priesthood.For female priests, a fan is sometimes used instead of a scepter.
Formally, it is as described above, but it seems to have been used to wholesale the kami to Shaku and to make decisions about success or failure.