祭礼

• Reading: さいれい
• Romaji: sairei
• Kanji breakdown: 祭 (sai) — festival, worship, celebrate; 礼 (rei) — rite, ceremony, courtesy
• Pronunciation: /sa.i.ɾe.i/

Meaning

Religious festival; ritual ceremony. A formal celebration with religious significance.

A noun for festivals or ceremonies with religious or sacred significance, typically associated with Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples. More formal and traditional than 祭り (matsuri, festival) — while 祭り can be casual and secular, 祭礼 emphasises the religious and ceremonial aspects. Common collocations include 祭礼を行う (sairei wo okonau, to hold a religious festival) and 年中祭礼 (nenjuu sairei, annual religious festivals). Often appears in historical and cultural contexts.

Examples

1. この神社では毎年秋に大きな祭礼が行われる。 A grand religious festival is held every autumn at this shrine.
2. 祭礼の日には町中が賑やかになる。 On the day of the festival, the whole town comes alive.
3. 古くから伝わる祭礼を守り続けている地域がある。 There are communities that continue to preserve traditional religious festivals passed down through the ages.

Usage Guide

Context: Shinto, Buddhism, cultural events

Tone: reverent

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 祭 (sai, festival/worship) + 礼 (rei, rite/ceremony). Literally 'festival rite' — a ceremonial observance with religious underpinnings.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal