Why is purification important in Shinto?

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Small wooden shrine at Arakura Sengen Shinto Shrine in Fujiyoshida, Japan, flanked by two traditional orange lanterns and surrounded by green foliage. — Shintō Shintō shrine with paper streamers, Fujiyoshida, Japan.

In Shinto, purification is essential for individuals to approach deities or sacred powers (kami). These purification rites, known as harai, cleanse people from impurities, enabling them to engage with the sacred. This practice is observed before entering a shrine, participating in worship, or attending festivals. Physical and spiritual purification are stressed to achieve a "true heart" (magokoro), a state of sincerity and purity necessary for communion between kami and humans, allowing individuals to receive blessings. Rites can involve simple actions like washing hands or rinsing the mouth, or more extensive ceremonies conducted by priests.12