Masakaki

A masakaki is an object used in Shinto rituals. It is put on both sides of a table where the event takes place. A masakaki is made with the branches of a sakaki tree. These branches are attached to the top of cloth banners, which come in five colors - green, yellow, red, white, and blue. These five colors stand for the wuxing. At funerals, masakaki with yellow and white banners are used.
Special treasures are hung on these branches. On the left side, a sword is hung. On the right side, a mirror and a magatama are hung. The three of them symbolize the Imperial Regalia of Japan. This configuration is sometimes referred to as a masakaki-dai. A masakaki offering involves donating two such masakaki-dai to a shrine or at a jichinsai.
They were mentioned in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki as implements used to get Amaterasu to leave the cave.
In 2016, Shinzo Abe caused a controversy for making a masakaki offering to Yasukuni Shrine. It was incorrectly reported as being a small tree by some sources. In early 2023, Fumio Kishida ran into a similar controversy.