Matsuri here means prayer, which include not only prayers by Shinto priesthood as a divine yorishiro but also by ordinary people who thank gods for everyday life by placing their hands together before shintai (an object of worship housed in a Shinto shrine and believed to contain the spirit of a deity), Shinto shrine as yorishiro, himorogi, iwakura, mounts, hokora (a small shrine), Doso-shin (traveler's guardian deity), Jizo, or the inazuma and rain that sometimes bring good harvest.
祀りは祈りのことであり、神職による神の依り代としての祈祷だけでなく、庶民が神体や依り代である神社の社や神籬や磐座、塚・祠・道祖神・地蔵や時として豊作をもたらす稲妻や慈雨に対し手を合わせ日々を生を感謝すること。