Religion:An (Shinto)

A hakkyaku-an carrying a tamagushi

The an (案) is a small table, desk or platform used during Shinto ceremonies to bear offerings. It may have four, eight or sixteen legs; the eight-legged variety, called hassoku-an or hakkyaku-an (八足案, 八脚案, lit. "eight-legged table"), is the most common.

See also

• Glossary of Shinto, for an explanation of terms concerning Shinto, Shinto art, and Shinto shrine architecture.
• Basic Terms of Shinto, Kokugakuin University, Institute for Japanese Culture and Classics, Tokyo 1985

References

• "An". Encyclopedia of Shinto. Tokyo, Japan: Institute of Japanese Culture and Classics, Kokugakuin University. 2006. http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=300. Retrieved 2007-08-07. 
• Picken, Stuart (1994). Essentials of Shinto: An Analytical Guide to Principal Teachings. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 369. ISBN 0313264317.