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Shake (social Class)
The ''Shake'' (社家) was a Japanese social class and the name for families that dominated Shinto shrines through hereditary government offices and priestly positions. Officially abolished in 1871 with 14 ''shake'' families granted hereditary nobility (''Kazoku''), most shrines were however unaffected and at many shrines hereditary succession of former ''shake'' families continues to this day. Prominent ''shake'' families include the Nakatomi family and the Suwa family. History In ancient times, shrine rituals were performed by political leaders and clan heads, whereas in some rural areas villagers took turns serving the village shrine. Eventually, when it became necessary for a priest to work full-time, professional priests were born, and the positions became hereditary. Since ancient times, the ''shake'' families worshipped their ancestral god of the clan. For this reason, most ''shake'' families serving ancient shrines were originally '' Kuni-no-miyatsuko'' clans. The ''sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north toward the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, and Taiwan in the south. Japan is a part of the Ring of Fire, and spans Japanese archipelago, an archipelago of List of islands of Japan, 6852 islands covering ; the five main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu (the "mainland"), Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa Island, Okinawa. Tokyo is the Capital of Japan, nation's capital and largest city, followed by Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Kobe, and Kyoto. Japan is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eleventh most populous country in the world, as well as one of the List of countries and dependencies by population density, most densely populated and Urbanization by country, urbanized. About three-fourths of Geography of Japan, the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kasuga-taisha
is a Shinto shrine in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It is the shrine of the Fujiwara family, established in 768 CE and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lanterns that lead up the shrine. The architectural style '' Kasuga-zukuri'' takes its name from Kasuga Shrine's ''honden'' (sanctuary). The Torii at Kasuga-taisha is one of the oldest in Shinto and helped influence the style of Torii seen across much of Japan. Kasuga Shrine, and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest near it, are registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". The path to Kasuga Shrine passes through a deer park. In the park, deer are able to roam freely and are believed to be sacred messengers of the Shinto gods that inhabit the shrine and surrounding mountainous terrain. Kasuga Shrine and the deer have been featured in several paintings and works of art of the Nambokucho Period. O ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shinkan (official)
''Shinkan'' (神官) were government officials serving at ''shakaku''-ranked Shinto shrines in Japan. Commonly, ''shinkan'' were officially appointed ''kannushi''. Terminology According to the 1884 Daijō-kan decree, ''shinkan'' is an official who has been given the status of a government official ('' kanri'') to serve at a ''shakaku''-ranked shrine. However, in 1887, at shrines ranking below '' kanpei-sha,'' with the exception of Ise Grand Shrine, the position of ''shinkan'' was abolished and the position of ''shinshoku'' was introduced. In 1945, Ise Grand Shrine abolished the position of ''shinkan''. Today, the position of ''shinkan'' does not exist, and the ''kannushi'' of Shinto shrines are collectively referred to as ''shinshoku''. See also * Kannushi * Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines * Clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoshida Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Sakyō-ku in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded in 859 by the Fujiwara clan. History The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period. In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian ''kami'' of Japan. These ''heihaku'' were initially presented to 16 shrines; and in 991, Emperor Ichijō added three more shrines to Murakami's list — including Yoshida.Ponsonby-Fane, ''Shrines,'' p. 118. From 1871 through 1946, the Yoshida Shrine was officially designated one of the , meaning that it stood in the second rank of government supported shrines.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan,'' pp. 126. Yoshida Kanetomo, founder of Yoshida Shinto, is buried here. Beppyo shrines See also * List of Shinto shrines * Twenty-Two Shrines * Modern system of ranked Shinto Shrines Notes References * Breen, John and Mark Teeuwen. (2000) ''Shinto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Izumo-taisha
, officially Izumo Ōyashiro, is one of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan. No record gives the date of establishment. Located in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, it is home to two major festivals. It is dedicated to the god , famous as the Shinto deity of marriage and to Kotoamatsukami, distinguishing heavenly ''kami''. The shrine is believed by many to be the oldest Shinto shrine in Japan, even predating the Ise Grand Shrine. A style of architecture, ''taisha-zukuri'', takes its name from the main hall of Izumo-taisha. That hall, and the attached buildings, were designated National Treasures of Japan in 1952. According to tradition, the hall was previously much taller than at present. The discovery in the year 2000 of the remains of enormous pillars has lent credence to this. The shrine has been rebuilt every 60 to 70 years to maintain the power of the ''kami'' and maintain architectural techniques. This regular rebuilding process is called "Sengū" (遷宮) an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ise Grand Shrine
The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . The Inner Shrine, Naikū (also officially known as "Kōtai Jingū"), is located in the town of Uji-tachi, south of central Ise, and is dedicated to the worship of Amaterasu, where she is believed to dwell. The shrine buildings are made of solid cypress wood and use no nails but instead joined wood. The Outer Shrine, ''Gekū'' (also officially known as "Toyouke Daijingū"), is located about six kilometers from Naikū and dedicated to Toyouke-Ōmikami, the god of agriculture, rice harvest and industry. Besides Naikū and Gekū, there are an additional 123 Shinto shrines in Ise City and the surrounding areas, 91 of them connected to Naikū and 32 to Gekū. Purportedly the home of the Sacred Mirror, the shrine is one of Shinto's holiest and most imp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suwa-taisha
, historically also known as Suwa Shrine (諏訪神社 ''Suwa-jinja'') or , is a group of Shinto shrines in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The shrine complex is the ''ichinomiya'' of former Shinano Province and is considered to be one of the oldest shrines in existence, being implied by the '' Nihon Shoki'' to already stand in the late 7th century. Kanpei-taisha Overview The entire Suwa shrine complex consists of four main shrines grouped into two sites: the Upper Shrine or ''Kamisha'' (上社), comprising the and the , and the Lower Shrine or ''Shimosha'' (下社), comprising the ''Harumiya'' (春宮, spring shrine) and the ''Akimiya'' (秋宮, autumn shrine). The Upper Shrine is located on the south side of Lake Suwa, in the cities of Chino and Suwa, while the Lower Shrine is on the northern side of the lake, in the town of Shimosuwa. In addition to these four main shrines, some sixty other auxiliary shrines scattered throughout the Lake Suwa area (ranging from miniature st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kashima Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Kashima, Ibaraki in the northern Kantō region of Japan. It is dedicated to , one of the patron deities of martial arts. Various dōjō of ''kenjutsu'' and ''kendō'' often display a hanging scroll emblazoned with the name "Takemikazuchi-no-Ōkami". Prior to World War II, the shrine was ranked as one of the three most important imperial shrines in the Shinto hierarchy, along with Ise Grand Shrine (伊勢神宮 ''Ise Jingū'') and Katori Shrine (香取神宮 ''Katori Jingū''). During the New Year period, from the first to the third of January, Kashima Shrine is visited by over 600,000 people from all over Japan. It is the second most visited shrine in Ibaraki prefecture for new year pilgrims. Introduction Kashima Shrine is located at the top of the Kashima plateau in south-east Ibaraki Prefecture, intersecting Lake Kitaura and Kashima Bay and in close proximity to Katori Shrine, which also has a strong connection to the martial arts. The shrine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katori Shrine
The is a Shintō shrine in the city of Katori in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is the ''ichinomiya'' of former Shimōsa Province, and is the head shrine of the approximately 400 Katori shrines around the country (located primarily in the Kantō region). The main festival of the shrine is held annually on April 14, with a three-day Grand Festival held every 12 years. Enshrined ''kami'' The primary ''kami'' of Katori Jingū is * , the ''kami'' of swords and lightning, and a general of Amaterasu. History The foundation of Katori Jingū predates the historical period. Per the ''Hitachi-koku Fudoki'', an ancient record and per shrine tradition, it was established in 643 BC, the 18th year of the reign of Emperor Jimmu. During this period, the migrated from Higo Province in Kyushu, conquering local ''emishi'' tribes, and forming an alliance with the nearby Nakatomi clan, the progenitors of the Fujiwara clan at what is now Kashima Jingū. As the ''Hitachi-koku Fudoki'' dates from the e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peerage
A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks. Peerages include: Australia * Australian peers Belgium * Belgian nobility Canada * British peerage titles granted to Canadian subjects of the Crown * Canadian nobility in the aristocracy of France China * Chinese nobility France * Peerage of France * List of French peerages * Peerage of Jerusalem Japan * Peerage of the Empire of Japan * House of Peers (Japan) Portugal * Chamber of Most Worthy Peers Spain * Chamber of Peers (Spain) * List of dukes in the peerage of Spain * List of viscounts in the peerage of Spain * List of barons in the peerage of Spain * List of lords in the peerage of Spain United Kingdom Great Britain and Ireland * Peerages in the United Kingdom ** Hereditary peer, holders of titles which can be inherited by an heir ** Life peer, members of the peerage of the United ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shinto Shrine
A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meaning: "main hall") is where a shrine's patron ''kami'' is/are enshrined.Iwanami Japanese dictionary The ''honden'' may be absent in cases where a shrine stands on or near a sacred mountain, tree, or other object which can be worshipped directly or in cases where a shrine possesses either an altar-like structure, called a ''himorogi,'' or an object believed to be capable of attracting spirits, called a ''yorishiro,'' which can also serve as direct bonds to a ''kami''. There may be a and other structures as well. Although only one word ("shrine") is used in English, in Japanese, Shinto shrines may carry any one of many different, non-equivalent names like ''gongen'', ''-gū'', ''jinja'', ''jingū'', ''mori'', ''myōjin'', ''-sha'', ''taisha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kokuhei Shōsha
The was an organizational aspect of the establishment of Japanese State Shinto. This system classified Shinto shrines as either official government shrines or "other" shrines. The official shrines were divided into #Imperial shrines (''kampeisha''), which are parsed into minor, medium, or major sub-categories; and #National shrines (''kokuheisha''), which are similarly categorized as minor, medium, or major.Institute for Japanese Culture and Classics, Kokugakuin University Glossary of Shinto Names and Terms, ''Kampei Taisha.''/ref> Some shrines are the "first shrines" called ''ichinomiya'' that have the highest rank in their respective provinces of Japan. The Ise Grand Shrine stood at the top of all shrines and thus was outside the classification. History On the fourteenth day of the fifth month of 1871, by decree of the Dajō-kan, the fundamental elements of the modern shrine system were established: a hierarchic ranking of Shinto shrines, with specification of the grades of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
