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Ōmoto is a Shinto-based Japanese New Religious Movement (NRM) that has made the most famous name for itself in Japanese Religious History. Initiated in the Meiji Period (1868-1912) in Japanese History, the movement came to the forefront in the Taishō (1912-1926) and Shōwa (1926-1989) periods by combining beliefs and worships with worldly-political thoughts. The movement, which became pacified with the Modern Period, entered a process of division with the influence of different tendencies within it. Today, they continue their activities as three separate religious groups. In Ōmoto, there are three temple officials in hierarchical order as kannushi, shinshoku and miko. They are responsible for the performance of collective worship at the shrine. Kannushi refers to the chief person in charge of the ritual in jincas. In Shinto shrines and Ōmoto, kannushi are not considered to be founders of a religion, but rather religious officials. In addition to presiding over rituals, they have a civilian life and may engage in other occupations and/or hobbies. They can marry and have children, in short, they can maintain their social life. In this sense, Ōmoto's co-founding leader Onisaburō presided over rituals and maintained a family and social life. Shinshoku is the general name given to the male officials who perform rituals in the jinja. This concept, which can also be used instead of kannushi, has sometimes led to confusion. This confusion has resulted from the name and mission changes in the historical process. Until the Edo Period, shinshoku was a comprehensive concept used for all the different names given to everyone involved in ritual activities according to their duties. In this context, with the Meiji Period, shinkan, the name of ritual officials in all the country’s jinjas, was abolished and replaced by shinshoku. Miko, which also means holy woman, female shaman, shrine woman, etc., is the name given to single, widowed and married female ritual attendants in the Jinja. They perform purification rituals, play percussion and wind instruments, and chant poetry during rituals, as well as perform daily chores in the cincas. Mikos are mostly young girls and a minority of older women. There are several stages of worship in the Shrine and at home: harai, shinsen, norito and naorai. Harai marks the beginning of Ōmoto rituals, without which the next stage of the ritual cannot proceed. There are many ways of practicing harai. Harai is performed by a shinshoku dressed in ritual garb with a purification tool called gohei. In Ōmoto, as in Shintoism, offerings are symbols of respect for the kami or spirit. Shinsen refers to the various foods and drinks offered to the kami. It generally includes plant products such as rice, grains, fruits and vegetables, as well as animals such as deer, pigs, rabbits, poultry and fish. In Shintoism, the norito recited during rituals is an essential element of religious practice. In Shintoism and Ōmoto, noritos are frequently used in regular annual, monthly, weekly and daily rituals; in rituals organized immediately after social events; and in the rites of passage of people. In Ōmoto, prayers in general are called norito. Specifically, there are four main prayers: kamigoto, amatsu norito, sosen-haishi and miyabi no kotoba. The first four of these have the same text as in Shintoism. Miyabi no kotoba is a prayer created by Onisaburō. It belongs to Ōmoto. Ōmoto is an ritual in which sake (a type of alcoholic Japanese drink) and other cooked and uncooked food offerings are eaten at the end of the ritual by all the people gathered for the ritual, both officials and non-officials. Eating the food offered at this event means sharing the same food and drink with the kami and gaining spiritual strength by feeding on their food. The ritual also aims to gain the power and protection of the kami. In Ōmoto, there are also prayers that take place at particular times. These are called Matsuri. Four are annual (taisai), one monthly (tsukinamisai), one weekly and two daily (asayu-sai). Annual worship in Ōmoto has a Shintoist basis, associated with the passing of the seasons and agricultural harvest times. It is celebrated in four periods, Setsubun Taisai, Miroku Taisai, Zuisei Taisai and Ōmoto Kaiso Taisai, respectively. In Ōmoto, there is only one main ritual that is organized around a specific topic each week. Unlike other rituals, this ritual, which is new in terms of its introduction, is organized in such a way that both physical and online participation is encouraged, and the majority of participation in the ritual is encouraged online. In Ōmoto, there are two daily and regular rituals, one in the morning and one in the evening, one at the shrine collectively and one at home individually, called asayu-sai.

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