Salt of Purity — The Japanese Custom of “Kiyome no Shio”

In Japan, salt is more than a seasoning.

It is a symbol ofpurity and protection, quietly present in homes, shrines, and rituals.

This simple mineral, drawn from the sea, has long been used to separate the sacred from the ordinary, the clean from the impure.

🧂 The Cultural Background

The practice of sprinkling salt, known as “kiyome no shio” or purifying salt, comes from Shinto tradition — Japan’s ancient way of honoring nature and spiritual balance.

It is most commonly seen atfunerals, where mourners receive a small packet of salt to sprinkle over themselves before entering their homes.

This act symbolically removes “kegare” — the state of impurity that follows contact with death — and restores harmony.

Salt is also placed at the entrance of shops or restaurants, a gesture inviting positive energy and warding off bad luck.

It’s not superstition alone; it’s a quiet wish to keep the space clear and welcoming.

🌊 Why Salt?

From a practical view, salt preserves and purifies — it prevents decay and cleanses.

From a mythological view, it connects tothe sea, which in Shinto stories is the source of cleansing and renewal.

In the ancient tale ofIzanagi, the god purifies himself in the ocean after visiting the underworld, and saltwater becomes a symbol of rebirth.

Thus, the use of salt bridges nature’s science and spiritual meaning —

it is both physical and symbolic purification.

🌏 How It Differs from the West

In Western cultures, salt has symbolic uses — “salt of the earth” for honesty, or salt used in Catholic holy water —

but the act ofsprinkling salt for purificationafter funerals or at doorways is uniquely Japanese.

It reflects Japan’s sensitivity toboundaries— between life and death, clean and unclean, inside and outside —

a concept that is deeply woven into its spiritual sense of order.

🕊️ A Modern Reflection

Today, many Japanese no longer follow the practice strictly, yet the idea remains:

purity is not perfection — it is a way of keeping balance.

Sprinkling salt after a difficult day, or keeping a small dish of salt near the entrance, can be a quiet reminder that we can reset our inner space,

just as our ancestors once purified their homes and hearts.

Salt, humble and enduring, continues to carry Japan’s ancient message:

Lightness begins with cleansing.