Chinowa is used in a purification or self-renewal ritual of Shinto/Nature worship.
People pass through the sacred ring made of straw, pampas or cogon and the walking act is called Chinowa-Kuguri.
You can find the ring at some Shinto shrines in the end of June and December.
(Summer and winter solstice)
I mean, Japanese purify their spiritual stain every half a year.
Summer purification is especially called Nagoshi-no-Harai/Harae.
Kameidoten Jinjya shrine, Tokyo.
Kanda-Myoujin shrine, Tokyo.
Kifune shrine, Kyoto.
Moses and some Hebrews passed by Kibune river in front of this place.
Chinowa-Kuguri,How to do
1,Counterclockwise
2,Clockwise
3,Counterclockwise again
4,Go to the God place
As a matter of fact, this manner has very important fix-effects for human.
Even most Shinto priests don't know the truth.
It is related to Earth's rotation and Era's stream.
A Russian super psychic, George Gurdjieff used the effect to ruin Nazi.
I mean, he told Hitler the token. (Right facing swastika)
Torii gate of shrine has almost the same meaning.
Except for Hokora(very small shrines), there are Torii in front of most Shinto shrines.
People need to "pass trough" and walk towards worship place for local nature gods.
Inside of Torii means Mother's body.
The approach to a shrine's worship place equals to a birth canal of human.
Round trip between Shrine and Torii = Becoming new, Rebirth and Refresh
Many foreign travelers love red color Torii, but they don't know about the background.
Shinto shrine is root of human's life.
Local nature gods distribute new lives to pregnant women in their area.
Chinowa-Kuguri or Torii represents human's repetition between this world and after life world.
So, Chinowa-Kuguri is equivalent to Immersion Baptism.
Photo by wikipedia
In addition, Chinowa Kuguri's another origin is an agricultural and hunt life in ancient time.
Once a year, after harvesting and hunting, people shut themselves up in small shed/hut made of plants.
The about 2 weeks calm ritual meant "apology" because people need to kill some bugs/pest for good harvest and animal to eat.
Killing something is one of Kegare in Shinto.
Kegare means a kind of uncleanness.
Purifying or cleaning Kegare is called Harai/Harae or Misogi.
Hrai/Harae = Purification ritual without water
Japanese always care about spiritual invisible and material visible Kegare.
There is a big cleaning event in the end of year.
All the people clean everywhere.
Ancient people stayed in a small straw shed and purified their Kegare.
Also the period simply healed their fatigue from hard work.
Still now, Japanese people say special words for foods.
"Thanks for all sacrificed foods and person who made the dish"