祭礼(さいれい)

さいれい
noun
religious festival; ritual ceremony
formalculturereligion
1. religious festival; ritual ceremony; rite
A formal religious ceremony or festival, typically associated with Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples. More formal and solemn in tone than the everyday word 祭り.
神社(じんじゃ)で祭礼(さいれい)が行(おこな)われた。
A religious ceremony was held at the shrine.
この祭礼(さいれい)は毎年(まいとし)秋(あき)に開催(かいさい)される。
This festival is held every autumn.
古(ふる)くから伝(つた)わる祭礼(さいれい)には、地域(ちいき)の人々(ひとびと)が大勢(おおぜい)参加(さんか)する。
Many local people participate in the traditional festival that has been passed down for generations.

Compound of 祭(さい) (festival, worship) and 礼(れい) (ceremony, rite). A formal term that emphasizes the religious and ceremonial aspects of a festival, as opposed to the celebratory or entertainment aspects.

Similar words

  • 祭(まつ)り — festival; the everyday, broad term covering both religious and secular events
  • 儀式(ぎしき) — ceremony; ritual; more general, not limited to festivals
  • 神事(しんじ) — Shinto ritual; specifically religious, not the public celebration
  • 例祭(れいさい) — regular festival; the main annual festival of a shrine

Common collocations

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Formal and written. In everyday conversation, 祭(まつ)り or お祭(まつ)り is much more common.

Related Words

Compare: 祭(まつ)り (festival)
Compare: 儀式(ぎしき) (ceremony)
Compare: 神事(しんじ) (Shinto ritual)
general
Added 2026.3.27 0:24 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
19500/19752_sairei