Saisen

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In Japanese, saisen (賽銭) is money offered to the gods or bodhisattvas. Commonly this money is put in a saisen box (賽銭箱, saisen-bako), a common item at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan.

Used to collect offerings, a saisen box is typically a wooden coin box, with a grate for the top cover. This design allows coins to be tossed in, while still preventing the money from being retrieved easily. Some have grates made of round bars, or have borders that slope downward, allowing the money to slide into the box easily.

The amount of money offered is usually small, often in coin format. Five yen coins are a popular offering at saisen boxes due to the pun between five yen, go-en (五円), and the concept of an unseen connection between humans who know each other, go-en (御縁).

Saisen boxes always have locks, but recently thefts of saisen are on the rise. Some shrine priests have caught thieves in the act, while others take preventive measures by adding covers to the saisen boxes.

References

1. ^ "Saisen: Basic Terms of Shinto". 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム (in Japanese).
2. ^ 新井, 俊邦. "「賽銭泥棒を捕まえました」深夜2時に警察から電話が…被害にあった神主が明かす"現行犯逮捕"の一部始終". 文春オンライン.

Citations

• Iwanami Kōjien (広辞苑) Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version

See also

• Mite box
• Offertory

v t e Shinto shrines
Shinto architecture Buildings chōzu or temizu Haiden Heiden hokora honden / shinden / shōden kagura-den setsumatsusha Architectonic elements Chinjusha chigi hidden roof kaerumata: see nakazonae kairō karahafu karamon katōmado katsuogi kitsune (fox) komainu mon nakazonae shinboku shōrō sōrin tamagaki tokyō torii tōrō Styles hirairi-zukuri tsumairi-zukuri hachiman-zukuri hiyoshi-zukuri irimoya-zukuri ishi-no-ma-zukuri kasuga-zukuri kibitsu-zukuri misedana-zukuri nagare-zukuri ōtori-zukuri owari-zukuri ryōnagare-zukuri shinmei-zukuri sumiyoshi-zukuri taisha-zukuri Decorations Sandō Saisen Tomoe Shimenawa
Others Implements An Chōzubachi Chōzuya Hakama Himorogi Jōe Kagura suzu O-miki Ō-nusa Gohei Sanbo Shide Shinsen Suzu Tamagushi Masakaki Washi Head shrines1 Fushimi Inari Taisha Inari Ōkami Inari shrine Usa Hachiman-gū Hachiman Hachiman Shrine Ise Grand Shrine Amaterasu Jingūkyō Jingu Taima Shinmei shrines Dazaifu Tenman-gū Tenjin Tenmangū Munakata Taisha daughters of Amaterasu Suwa Taisha Takeminakata Yasakatome Kotoshironushi Hiyoshi Taisha Ōkuninushi Oyamakui no Kami Sannō torii Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō Kumano Nachi Taisha Kumano Kodō Kumano Sanzan Tsushima Shrine Gion cult Yasaka Shrine Gion cult Tutelary deities Ujigami Chinjugami Garanshin Dōsojin Jinushigami Yama-no-Kami Oyagami Sorei Ubusunagami Kunitama Yorishiro and Shintai Mirrors Shinboku (trees) Chinju no Mori (forests) Iwakura (rocks) Meoto Iwa Kannabi (locations) Katashiro (dolls) Kadomatsu Bunrei and Kanjō (propagation) Ofuda Jingu Taima Omamori Senjafuda Arahitogami Mikoshi Matsuri float Shinko-shiki Staff Kannushi Miko Miscellaneous A-un Kanjo Nawa Junrei Misaki Miyamairi Shinshi Classification Twenty-Two Shrines Gokoku Shrines Beppyo Shrines Shinkai (divine rank) Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines Engishiki Jinmyocho Chinjusha Setsumatsusha Hokora Buddhist elements jingū-ji miyadera Whale mounds Kamidana Mitamaya Sōja shrine History Shrine Parishioner Registration Secular Shrine Theory Shrine Consolidation Policy Shrine Shinto Misc practices for visitors Ō-mikuji Shuin Ema Institutions Jinja Honchō Rites Futomani Harae Kagura Misogi Hakushu Two bows, two claps, one bow Jichinsai 1 (in order of the size of the shrine network they head)

v t e Buddhist temples in Japan
Japanese Buddhist architecture	Architectonic elements hidden roof hisashi irimoya kaerumata: see nakazonae kairō karahafu karesansui kentozuka: see nakazonae komainu katōmado mokoshi moya nakazonae Niō or Kongōrikishi sandō shichidō garan shōrō sōrin tokyō tōrō onigawara Mon (gates) karamon nijūmon niōmon rōmon sanmon sōmon torii Buildings Chinjusha chōzuya/temizuya -dō main hall (kon-dō, hon-dō, butsuden) kuri kyōzō or kyō-dō shoin Japanese pagodas gorintō hōkyōintō hōtō kasatōba sotōba muhōtō tahōtō Styles Daibutsuyō Wayō Setchūyō Shoin-zukuri Shin-Wayō Zenshūyō Ōbaku Zen architecture Others A-un ken
Schools and objects of worship	Major schools Jōdo Nichiren Shingon Tendai Zen schools Sōtō Ōbaku Rinzai Nanto rokushū Jōjitsu Hossō Kusha Kegon Ritsu Sanron Objects of worship Amida Nyōrai Benzaiten Dainichi Nyorai Jizō Kannon Marishi-ten Shaka Nyorai Shitennō (Four Kings) Twelve Heavenly Generals (Jūni Shinshō) Yakushi Nyorai
Other elements	Implements kei (ritual gong) mokugyō Others bussokuseki butsudan Glossary of Japanese Buddhism Japanese Buddhist pantheon jingū-ji miyadera saisenbako

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