Shaved Kezurikake

Japanese: 削掛け - けずりかけ

The bark of trees such as sumac and willow is scraped partway down into thin strips with a hook-shaped knife called a hana-kaki, and then curled to resemble a flower (illustration) (illustration). They are also called hana or hodare. They are displayed on altars, doorways, and shrines during the Little New Year, and the shape of the blossoms and drooping ears is meant to celebrate a good harvest in the year. Many of the "iwaibo" (celebration sticks) used during the Little New Year are also decorated with shavings, and the custom of shavings of sumac and other trees likening them to ears of foxtail millet, called "awabohiebo," to celebrate the harvest, is widespread in eastern Japan.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

ヌルデ，柳などの木を，花搔き（はなかき）という鉤形の小刀で表皮を薄く細長く途中までそぎ削り，これをちぢらせて花のようにしたもの（イラスト）（イラスト）。ハナ，ホダレなどともいう。小正月に神棚や戸口，神社などに飾るが，花が開き，穂が垂れた形には一年の豊作を予祝する意味がこめられている。小正月の〈祝棒（いわいぼう）〉にも削掛けをほどこしたものが多く，ヌルデなどを削掛けにしたものをアワの穂に見たて，〈粟穂稗穂（あわぼひえぼ）〉といって実りを予祝する習俗は東日本に分布している。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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