Naorai
直会
Culture & History
Definition
The communal feast held after a Shinto ceremony, where worshippers share the food and sake that was offered to the gods. Naorai represents a spiritual communion — by consuming what the kami have blessed, participants share in divine favor.
In Depth
Naorai literally means 'returning to the ordinary' — the transition from the sacred time of the ceremony back to everyday life. The sharing of omiki (sacred sake) and shinsen (food offerings) creates a communal bond among participants and between humans and the divine. Naorai ranges from simple sake sipping at a neighborhood shrine to elaborate banquets at major festivals. The practice reinforces community ties and is one of the oldest continuing social traditions in Japanese culture.