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. [citation needed]
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. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
