Shintō Shrine
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A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''
kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
'', the deities of the Shinto religion.


Overview

Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The ''
honden In Shinto shrine architecture, the , also called , or sometimes as in Ise Shrine's case, is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined ''kami'', usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a sta ...
''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 in Shinto terminology are sacred spaces or altars used to worship.Sugiyama, "Himorogi" In their simplest form, they are square areas with green bamboo or ''sakaki'' at the corners without architecture. These in turn support sacred ropes (''shim ...
,'' or an object believed to be capable of attracting spirits, called a ''
yorishiro A in Shinto terminology is an object capable of attracting spirits called , thus giving them a physical space to occupy during religious ceremonies. are used during ceremonies to call the for worship. The word itself literally means "approach ...
,'' 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 Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
shrines may carry any one of many different, non-equivalent names like ''gongen'', ''-gū'', ''jinja'', ''jingū'', ''mori'', ''myōjin'', ''-sha'', ''taisha'', ''ubusuna'' or ''yashiro''. Miniature shrines (''
hokora is a miniature Shinto shrine either found on the precincts of a larger shrine and dedicated to folk ''kami'', or on a street side, enshrining ''kami'' not under the jurisdiction of any large shrine.Encyclopedia of ShintoHokora Accessed on Dec ...
'') can occasionally be found on roadsides. Large shrines sometimes have on their precincts miniature shrines, or . Because the''sessha'' and ''massha'' once had different meanings but are now officially
synonyms A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
, these shrines are sometimes called , a
neologism A neologism Greek νέο- ''néo''(="new") and λόγος /''lógos'' meaning "speech, utterance"] is a relatively recent or isolated term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use, but that has not been fully accepted int ...
that fuses the two old names
''
Mikoshi A is a sacred religious palanquin (also translated as portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when ...
'', the palanquins which are carried on poles during festivals (''
matsuri Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions often celebrated with dance and music in Japan. Many festivals have their roots in Traditional Chinese holidays, traditional Chinese festivals, but have undergone extensive changes over time ...
''), also enshrine ''kami'' and are therefore considered shrines. In 927 CE, the was promulgated. This work listed all of the 2,861 Shinto shrines existing at the time, and the 3,131 official-recognized and enshrined ''kami''. In 1972, the
Agency for Cultural Affairs The is a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). It was set up in 1968 to promote Japanese arts and culture. The agency's budget for FY 2018 rose to ¥107.7 billion. Overview The ag ...
placed the number of shrines at 79,467, mostly affiliated with the . Some shrines, such as the
Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Empire of Japan, Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, First Sino-Japane ...
, are totally independent of any outside authority. The number of Shinto shrines in Japan is estimated to be around 100,000.Breen, Teeuwen in ''Breen, Teeuwen'' (2000:1) This figure may, or may not, include private shrines in homes and owned by small groups, abandoned or derelict shrines, roadside ''hokora'', etc. Since ancient times, the '' Shake'' (社家) families dominated Shinto shrines through hereditary positions, and at some shrines the hereditary succession continues to present day. The
Unicode Unicode, formally The Unicode Standard,The formal version reference is is an information technology Technical standard, standard for the consistent character encoding, encoding, representation, and handling of Character (computing), text expre ...
character representing a Shinto shrine (for example, on maps) is .


Birth and evolution


Early origins

Ancestors are ''kami'' to be worshipped. Yayoi-period village councils sought the advice of ancestors and other ''kami'', and developed instruments, , to evoke them. ''Yoshishiro'' means "approach substitute"Tamura, page 21 and were conceived to attract the ''kami'' to allow them physical space, thus making ''kami'' accessible to human beings. Village-council sessions were held in quiet spots in the mountains or in forests near great trees or other natural objects that served as ''yorishiro''. These sacred places and their ''yorishiro'' gradually evolved into today's shrines, whose origins can be still seen in the Japanese words for "mountain" and "forest", which can also mean "shrine". Many shrines have on their grounds one of the original great ''yorishiro'': a big tree, surrounded by a sacred rope called .Many other sacred objects (mirrors, swords, comma-shaped jewels called
magatama are curved, comma-shaped beads that appeared in prehistoric Japan from the Final Jōmon period through the Kofun period, approximately 1000 BCE to the 6th century CE. The beads, also described as "jewels", were made of primitive stone and eart ...
) were originally ''yorishiro'', and only later became ''kami'' by association
The first buildings at places dedicated to worship were hut-like structures built to house some ''yorishiro''. A trace of this origin can be found in the term , "deity storehouse", which evolved into ''hokora'' (written with the same characters 神庫), and is considered to be one of the first words for shrine.A ''hokora'' today is an extremely small shrine, of the type one sees on many roadsides


First temporary shrines

True shrines arose with the beginning of agriculture, when the need arose to attract ''kami'' to ensure good harvests. These were, however, just temporary structures built for a particular purpose, a tradition of which traces can be found in some rituals. Hints of the first shrines can still be found here and there.
Ōmiwa Shrine , also known as , is a Shinto shrine located in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is noted because it contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve Mount Miwa, the mountain on which it stands. For the same reas ...
in
Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
, for example, contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve the mountain on which it stands—images or objects are therefore unnecessary. For the same reason, it has a worship hall, a , but no place to house the ''kami'', called . Archeology confirms that, during the Yayoi period, the most common (a ''yorishiro'' actually housing the enshrined ''kami'') in the earliest shrines were nearby mountain peaks that supplied stream water to the plains where people lived.Cambridge History of Japan (1993:524) Besides the already mentioned Ōmiwa Shrine, another important example is
Mount Nantai is a stratovolcano in the Nikkō National Park in Tochigi Prefecture, in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. The mountain is high. A prominent landmark, it can be seen on clear days from as far as Saitama, a city away. Alongside M ...
, a
phallus A phallus is a penis (especially when erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history a figure with an erect penis is described as ithyphallic. Any object that symbolically—or, more precisel ...
-shaped mountain in Nikko which constitutes
Futarasan Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is also known as Nikkō Futarasan Shrine, to distinguish it from the Utsunomiya Futarayama Jinja, which shares the same ''kanji'' in its name. both shrines also claim the ...
's ''shintai''. Significantly, the name means "man's body". The mountain not only provides water to the rice paddies below but has the shape of the
phallic A phallus is a penis (especially when erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history a figure with an erect penis is described as ithyphallic. Any object that symbolically—or, more precisely ...
stone rods found in pre-agricultural Jōmon sites.


Rites and ceremonies

In 905 CE,
Emperor Daigo was the 60th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 醍醐天皇 (60)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Daigo's reign spanned the years from 897 through 930. He is named after his place of burial. Ge ...
ordered a compilation of Shinto rites and rules. Previous attempts at codification are known to have taken place, but, neither the ''Konin'' nor the ''Jogan Gishiki'' survive. Initially under the direction of
Fujiwara no Tokihira was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Tokihira" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1915). Career Tokihira was a minister under Emperor Daigo. * 891 ('' Kanpyō ...
, the project stalled at his death in April 909.
Fujiwara no Tadahira was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Tadahira" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1915). He is also known as ''Teishin-Kō'' (貞信公) or ''Ko-ichijō Dono'' ( ...
, his brother, took charge and in 912 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)
"''Engi-shiki''"
in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 178.
and in 927 the
Engi-shiki The is a Japanese book about laws and customs. The major part of the writing was completed in 927. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Engi-shiki''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 178. History In 905, Emperor Daigo ordered the compilation of the ...
(延喜式, literally: "Procedures of the Engi Era") was promulgated in fifty volumes. This, the first formal codification of Shinto rites and
Norito are liturgical texts or ritual incantations in Shinto, usually addressed to a given ''kami''. History The first written documentation of ''norito'' dates to 712 CE in the ''Kojiki'' and 720 CE in the '' Nihongi''. The Engishiki, a compilatio ...
(liturgies and prayers) to survive, became the basis for all subsequent Shinto liturgical practice and efforts. In addition to the first ten volumes of this fifty volume work (which concerned worship and the Department of Worship), sections in subsequent volumes addressing the Ministry of Ceremonies (治部省) and the
Ministry of the Imperial Household The was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was reorganized in the Meiji period and existed until 1947, before ...
(宮内省) also regulated Shinto worship and contained liturgical rites and regulation. Felicia Gressitt Brock published a two-volume annotated English language translation of the first ten volumes with an introduction entitled ''Engi-shiki; procedures of the Engi Era'' in 1970.


Arrival and influence of Buddhism

The arrival of
Buddhism in Japan Buddhism has been practiced in Japan since about the 6th century CE. Japanese Buddhism () created many new Buddhist schools, and some schools are original to Japan and some are derived from Chinese Buddhist schools. Japanese Buddhism has had a ...
in around the sixth century introduced the concept of a permanent shrine.Fujita, Koga (2008:20-21) A great number of Buddhist temples were built next to existing shrines in mixed complexes called to help priesthood deal with local ''kami'', making those shrines permanent. Some time in their evolution, the word , meaning "palace", came into use indicating that shrines had by then become the imposing structures of today. Once the first permanent shrines were built, Shinto revealed a strong tendency to resist architectural change, a tendency which manifested itself in the so-called , the tradition of rebuilding shrines faithfully at regular intervals adhering strictly to their original design. This custom is the reason ancient styles have been replicated throughout the centuries to the present day, remaining more or less intact.
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 Inn ...
, still rebuilt every 20 years, is its best extant example. The tradition of rebuilding shrines or temples is present in other religions, but in Shinto it has played a particularly significant role in preserving ancient architectural styles.
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 , ...
,
Sumiyoshi Taisha , also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is the main shrine of all the Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan. However, the oldest shrine that enshrines the Sumiyoshi sanjin, the thr ...
, and
Nishina Shinmei Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Ōmachi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is the oldest extant example of ''shinmei-zukuri'', one of three architectural styles which were conceived before the arrival of Buddhism in Japan. It predates in fact the more f ...
in fact represent each a different style whose origin is believed to predate
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
in Japan. These three styles are known respectively as ''
taisha-zukuri Kamosu Jinja's ''honden'' and a granary at Toro is an ancient Japanese architectural style and the oldest Shinto shrine architectural style. Named after Izumo Taisha's ''honden'' (sanctuary), like Ise Grand Shrine's ''shinmei-zukuri'' styl ...
'', ''
sumiyoshi-zukuri is an ancient Japanese Shinto shrine architectural style which takes its name from Sumiyoshi Taisha's ''honden'' in Ōsaka. As in the case of the '' taisha-zukuri'' and '' shinmei-zukuri'' styles, its birth predates the arrival of Buddhism in Jap ...
'', and ''
shinmei-zukuri is an ancient Japanese architectural style typical of Ise Grand Shrine's ''honden'', the holiest of Shinto shrines.Encyclopedia of Shinto It is most common in Mie Prefecture.JAANUS History Ancient shrines were constructed according to the styl ...
'' (see below). Shrines were not completely immune to change, and in fact show various influences, particularly that of Buddhism, a cultural import which provided much of Shinto architecture's vocabulary. The ,The ''rōmon'', or tower gate, is a gate which looks like a two-storied gate, but in fact has only one the ''
haiden Haiden may refer to: *A Gewürztraminer wine * Haiden (Shinto), the hall of worship of a Shinto shrine See also * Heiden (disambiguation) {{disambig ...
'', the , the ''
tōrō are a type of traditional East Asian lantern made of stone, wood, or metal. Originating in China, stone lanterns spread to Japan, Korea and Vietnam, though they are most commonly found in both China – extant in Buddhist temples and traditional ...
'', or stone lantern, and the ''
komainu , often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the ''honden'', or inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the ...
'', or lion dogs (see below for an explanation of these terms), are all elements borrowed from Buddhism.


''Shinbutsu shūgō'' and the ''jingūji''

Until the
Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
(1868–1912), shrines as we know them today were rare. With very few exceptions like
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 Inn ...
and
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 , ...
, they were just a part of a temple-shrine complex controlled by Buddhist clergy. These complexes were called , places of worship composed of a
Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...
and of a shrine dedicated to a local ''kami''. The complexes were born when a temple was erected next to a shrine to help its ''kami'' with its karmic problems. At the time, ''kami'' were thought to be also subjected to
karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...
, and therefore in need of a salvation only Buddhism could provide. Having first appeared during the
Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the cap ...
(710–794), the ''jingū-ji'' remained common for over a millennium until, with few exceptions, they were destroyed in compliance with the new policies of the Meiji administration in 1868.


''Shinbutsu bunri''

The Shinto shrine went through a massive change when the Meiji administration promulgated a new policy of separation of ''kami'' and foreign Buddhas (''
shinbutsu bunri The Japanese term indicates the separation of Shinto from Buddhism, introduced after the Meiji Restoration which separated Shinto ''kami'' from buddhas, and also Buddhist temples from Shinto shrines, which were originally amalgamated. It is a ...
'') with the . This event is of great historical importance partly because it triggered the ''
haibutsu kishaku (literally "abolish Buddhism and destroy Shākyamuni") is a term that indicates a current of thought continuous in Japan's history which advocates the expulsion of Buddhism from Japan. Under the shogunate, obtaining the permission to open or cl ...
'', a violent anti-Buddhist movement which in the final years of the
Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
and during the
Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
caused the forcible closure of thousands of Buddhist temples, the confiscation of their land, the forced return to lay life of monks, and the destruction of books, statues and other Buddhist property.. Until the end of
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
, local ''kami'' beliefs and Buddhism were intimately connected in what was called '' shinbutsu shūgō'' (神仏習合), up to the point where even the same buildings were used as both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. After the law, the two would be forcibly separated. This was done in several stages. At first an order issued by the ''Jingijimuka'' in April 1868 ordered the defrocking of ''shasō'' and ''
bettō is a term which originally indicated the head of an institution serving temporarily as the head of another one, but which came to mean also the full-time head of some institution.Iwanami Japanese dictionaryEncyclopedia of Shinto, Bettō The Kama ...
'' (shrine monks performing Buddhist rites at Shinto shrines).. A few days later, the 'Daijōkan' banned the application of Buddhist terminology such as ''
gongen A , literally "incarnation", was believed to be the manifestation of a buddha in the form of an indigenous kami, an entity who had come to guide the people to salvation, during the era of shinbutsu-shūgō in premodern Japan.Encyclopedia of Shint ...
'' to Japanese ''
kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
'' and the veneration of Buddhist statues in shrines. The third stage consisted of the prohibition against applying the Buddhist term ''Daibosatsu'' (Great
Bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...
) to the syncretic ''kami''
Hachiman In Japanese religion, ''Yahata'' (八幡神, ancient Shinto pronunciation) formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman (八幡神, Japanese Buddhist pronunciation) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements f ...
at the Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū and
Usa Hachiman-gū The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
shrines.. In the fourth and final stage, all the defrocked ''bettō'' and ''shasō'' were told to become "shrine priests" (''
kannushi A , also called , is a person responsible for the maintenance of a as well as for leading worship of a given .* ''Kannushi'' (in Japanese), Iwanami Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version The characters for are sometimes also re ...
'') and return to their shrines. In addition, monks of the
Nichiren Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of B ...
sect were told not to refer to some deities as ''kami''. After a short period in which it enjoyed popular favor, the process of separation of Buddhas and ''kami'' however stalled and is still only partially completed. To this day, almost all Buddhist temples in Japan have a small shrine (''
chinjusha In Japan, a is a Shinto shrine which enshrines a ; that is, a patron spirit that protects a given area, village, building or a Buddhist temple. The Imperial Palace has its own tutelary shrine dedicated to the 21 guardian gods of Ise Shrine. Tu ...
'') dedicated to its Shinto tutelary ''kami'', and vice versa Buddhist figures (e.g. goddess
Kannon Guanyin () is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara ( sa, अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She ...
) are revered in Shinto shrines..


''Shintai''

The defining features of a shrine are the ''kami'' it enshrines and the ''shintai'' (or ''go-shintai'' if the honorific
prefix A prefix is an affix which is placed before the Word stem, stem of a word. Adding it to the beginning of one word changes it into another word. For example, when the prefix ''un-'' is added to the word ''happy'', it creates the word ''unhappy'' ...
''go-'' is used) that houses it. While the name literally means "body of a kami", ''shintai'' are physical objects worshiped at or near Shinto shrines because a ''kami'' is believed to reside in them.''Shintai'', Encyclopedia of Shinto In spite of what their name may suggest, ''shintai'' are not themselves part of ''kami'', but rather just symbolic repositories which make them accessible to human beings for worship. It is said therefore that the ''kami'' inhabits them.. ''Shintai'' are also of necessity ''
yorishiro A in Shinto terminology is an object capable of attracting spirits called , thus giving them a physical space to occupy during religious ceremonies. are used during ceremonies to call the for worship. The word itself literally means "approach ...
'', that is objects by their very nature capable of attracting ''kami''. The most common ''shintai'' are man-made objects like mirrors, swords, jewels (for example comma-shaped stones called ''
magatama are curved, comma-shaped beads that appeared in prehistoric Japan from the Final Jōmon period through the Kofun period, approximately 1000 BCE to the 6th century CE. The beads, also described as "jewels", were made of primitive stone and eart ...
)'', ''
gohei , , or are wooden wands, decorated with two (zigzagging paper streamers) used in Shinto rituals. The streamers are usually white, although they can also be gold, silver, or a mixture of several colors, and are often attached as decorations to ...
'' (wands used during religious rites), and sculptures of ''kami'' called ,''Kami'' are as a rule not represented in
anthropomorphic Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
or physical terms, however numerous paintings and statues representing them have appeared under Buddhist influence
but they can be also natural objects such as rocks, mountains, trees, and waterfalls. Mountains were among the first, and are still among the most important, ''shintai'', and are worshiped at several famous shrines. A mountain believed to house a ''kami'', as for example
Mount Fuji , or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest p ...
or
Mount Miwa or is a mountain located in the city of Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It has been an important religious and historical mountain in Japan, especially during its early history, and serves as a holy site in Shinto. The entire mountain is co ...
, is called a .Ono, Woodard (2004:100) In the case of a man-made ''shintai'', a ''kami'' must be invited to reside in it (see the next subsection, ''Kanjō''). The founding of a new shrine requires the presence of either a pre-existing, naturally occurring ''shintai'' (for example a rock or waterfall housing a local ''kami''), or of an artificial one, which must therefore be procured or made to the purpose. An example of the first case are the
Nachi Falls in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, is one of the best-known waterfalls in Japan. With a drop of 133 meters (and 13 meters wide), it is the country's tallest water fall with single uninterrupted drop; however, the tallest waterfall ...
, worshiped at Hiryū Shrine near
Kumano Nachi Taisha is a Shinto shrine and part of the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range of Japan. The Kumano Kodō route connects it to other sites under the same classification, which are primarily locate ...
and believed to be inhabited by a ''kami'' called Hiryū
Gongen A , literally "incarnation", was believed to be the manifestation of a buddha in the form of an indigenous kami, an entity who had come to guide the people to salvation, during the era of shinbutsu-shūgō in premodern Japan.Encyclopedia of Shint ...
. The first duty of a shrine is to house and protect its ''shintai'' and the ''kami'' which inhabits it. If a shrine has more than one building, the one containing the ''shintai'' is called ''
honden In Shinto shrine architecture, the , also called , or sometimes as in Ise Shrine's case, is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined ''kami'', usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a sta ...
''; because it is meant for the exclusive use of the ''kami'', it is always closed to the public and is not used for prayer or religious ceremonies. The ''shintai'' leaves the ''honden'' only during festivals (''
matsuri Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions often celebrated with dance and music in Japan. Many festivals have their roots in Traditional Chinese holidays, traditional Chinese festivals, but have undergone extensive changes over time ...
''), when it is put in portable shrines (''mikoshi'') and carried around the streets among the faithful. The portable shrine is used to physically protect the ''shintai'' and to hide it from sight.


Re-enshrinement

Often the opening of a new shrine will require the ritual division of a ''kami'' and the transferring of one of the two resulting spirits to the new location, where it will animate the ''shintai''. This process is called ''
kanjō in Shinto terminology indicates a propagation process through which a ''kami'', previously divided through a process called ''bunrei'', is invited to another location and there re-enshrined. Evolution of the ''kanjō'' process ''Kanjō'' was ...
'', and the divided spirits , , or .Smyers (1999:235) This process of propagation, described by the priests, in spite of this name, not as a division but as akin to the lighting of a candle from another already lit, leaves the original ''kami'' intact in its original place and therefore does not alter any of its properties. The resulting spirit has all the qualities of the original and is therefore "alive" and permanent. The process is used often—for example during Shinto festivals (''
matsuri Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions often celebrated with dance and music in Japan. Many festivals have their roots in Traditional Chinese holidays, traditional Chinese festivals, but have undergone extensive changes over time ...
'') to animate temporary shrines called ''
mikoshi A is a sacred religious palanquin (also translated as portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when ...
''.Sonoda (1975:12) The transfer does not necessarily take place from a shrine to another: the divided spirit's new location can be a privately owned object or an individual's house.Smyers (1999: 156-160) The ''kanjō'' process was of fundamental importance in the creation of all of Japan's shrine networks ( Inari shrines,
Hachiman shrine A is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the ''kami'' Hachiman. It is the second most numerous type of Shinto shrine after those dedicated to Inari Ōkami (see Inari shrine). There are about 44,000 Hachiman shrines. Originally the name 八幡 was ...
s, etc.).


''Shake'' families

The '' Shake'' (社家) is the name for families and the former social class that dominated Shinto shrines through hereditary positions within a shrine. The social class was abolished in 1871, but many ''shake'' families still continue hereditary succession until present day and some were appointed hereditary
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
(''
Kazoku The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan, which existed between 1869 and 1947. They succeeded the feudal lords () and court nobles (), but were abolished with the 1947 constitution. Kazoku ( 華族) should not be confused with ' ...
'') after the
Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
. Some of the most well-known ''shake'' families include: * Arakida and Watarai of
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 Inn ...
* Senge and Kitajima of
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 , ...
* Ōnakatomi of
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 lan ...
* Urabe of
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 ...


Famous shrines and shrine networks

Those worshiped at a shrine are generally Shinto ''kami'', but sometimes they can be Buddhist or
Tao ''Tao'' or ''Dao'' is the natural order of the universe, whose character one's intuition must discern to realize the potential for individual wisdom, as conceived in the context of East Asian philosophy, East Asian religions, or any other phil ...
ist deities, as well as others not generally considered to belong to Shinto.The opposite can also happen.
Toyokawa Inari , popularly known as Toyokawa Inari (''shinjitai'': 豊川稲荷; ''kyūjitai'': 豐川稲荷), is a Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple located in the city of Toyokawa in eastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Although the temple's main image is that of t ...
is a
Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...
of the Sōtō sect in
Toyokawa is a city in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 183,930 in 72,949 households, and a population density of 1,141 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Toyokawa, famous for its Toyoka ...
,
Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectur ...
and, with its Akasaka branch, one of the centers of
Inari Inari may refer to: Shinto * Inari Ōkami, a Shinto spirit ** Mount Inari in Japan, site of Fushimi Inari-taisha, the main Shinto shrine to Inari ** Inari Shrine, shrines to the Shinto god Inari * Inari-zushi, a type of sushi Places * Inari, ...
's cult (Smyers 1999:26, 34)
Some shrines were established to worship living people or figures from
myth Myth is a folklore genre consisting of Narrative, narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or Origin myth, origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not Objectivity (philosophy), ...
s and
legend A legend is a Folklore genre, genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human valu ...
s. A famous example are the
Tōshō-gū is any Shinto shrine in which Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616) is enshrined. Ieyasu was the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate (1603-1868), which is the third and last of the shogunal governments in Japanese history. He was deified with the name , ...
shrines erected to enshrine
Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
, or the many shrines dedicated to
Sugawara no Michizane was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan. He is regarded as an excellent poet, particularly in Kanshi poetry, and is today revered in Shinto as the god of learning, . In the poem anthology ''Hyakunin Isshu'', he is known ...
, like
Kitano Tenman-gū is a Japanese comedian, television presenter, actor, filmmaker, and author. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. With th ...
. Often the shrines which were most significant historically do not lie in a former center of power like
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
,
Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
, or
Kamakura is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Kamakura has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 persons per km² over the total area of . Kamakura was designated as a city on 3 November 1939. Kamak ...
. For example,
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 Inn ...
, the Imperial household's family shrine, is in
Mie prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture to ...
.
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 , fam ...
, one of the oldest and most revered shrines in Japan, is in
Shimane Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Shimane Prefecture is the second-least populous prefecture of Japan at 665,205 (February 1, 2021) and has a geographic area of 6,708.26 km2. Shimane Prefecture borders Yamaguc ...
. This is because their location is that of a traditionally important ''kami'', and not that of temporal institutions. Some shrines exist only in one locality, while others are at the head of a network of . The spreading of a ''kami'' can be evoked by one or more of several different mechanisms. The typical one is an operation called ''
kanjō in Shinto terminology indicates a propagation process through which a ''kami'', previously divided through a process called ''bunrei'', is invited to another location and there re-enshrined. Evolution of the ''kanjō'' process ''Kanjō'' was ...
'' (see the Re-enshrinement above), a propagation process through which a ''kami'' is invited to a new location and there re-enshrined. The new shrine is administered completely independent from the one it originated from. However, other transfer mechanisms exist. In Ise Grand Shrine's case, for example, its network of Shinmei shrines (from Shinmei, 神明; another name for Amaterasu) grew due to two concurrent causes. During the late
Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
the cult of
Amaterasu Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the major deities (''kami'') of Shinto, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the ''Kojik ...
, worshiped initially only at Ise Grand Shrine, started to spread to the shrine's possessions through the usual ''kanjō'' mechanism. Later, branch shrines started to appear further away. The first evidence of a Shinmei shrine far from Ise is given by the ''
Azuma Kagami is a Japanese historical chronicle. The medieval text chronicles events of the Kamakura Shogunate from Minamoto no Yoritomo's rebellion against the Taira clan in Izokuni of 1180 to Munetaka Shinnō (the 6th shōgun) and his return to Kyoto in 12 ...
'', a Kamakura-period text which refers to Amanawa Shinmei-gū's appearance in
Kamakura, Kanagawa is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Kamakura has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 persons per km² over the total area of . Kamakura was designated as a city on 3 November 1939. Kamak ...
. Amaterasu began to be worshiped in other parts of the country because of the so-called phenomenon, the belief that she would fly to other locations and settle there. Similar mechanisms have been responsible for the spreading around the country of other ''kami''.


Notable shrines

The
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 Inn ...
in
Mie prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture to ...
is, with Izumo-taisha, the most representative and historically significant shrine in Japan. The ''kami'' the two enshrine play fundamental roles in the
Kojiki The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperia ...
and Nihon Shoki, two texts of great importance to Shinto. Because its ''kami'',
Amaterasu Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the major deities (''kami'') of Shinto, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the ''Kojik ...
, is an ancestor of the
Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
, Ise Grand Shrine is the Imperial Household's family shrine. Ise Grand Shrine is, however, dedicated specifically to the Emperor and in the past, even his mother, wife and grandmother needed his permission to worship there. Its traditional and mythological foundation date goes back to 4 BC, but historians believe it was founded around the 3rd to 5th century AD.
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 , ...
(in
Shimane Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Shimane Prefecture is the second-least populous prefecture of Japan at 665,205 (February 1, 2021) and has a geographic area of 6,708.26 km2. Shimane Prefecture borders Yamaguc ...
) is so old that no document about its birth survives, and the year of foundation is therefore unknown. The shrine is the center of a series of popular
sagas is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, from the Super NES to the Play ...
and myths. The ''kami'' it enshrines,
Ōkuninushi Ōkuninushi ( historical orthography: ''Ohokuninushi''), also known as Ō(a)namuchi (''Oho(a)namuchi'') or Ō(a)namochi (''Oho(a)namochi'') among other variants, is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology. He is one of the central deities in the cycle ...
, created Japan before it was populated by Amaterasu's offspring, the Emperor's ancestors. Because of its physical remoteness, in historical times Izumo has been eclipsed in fame by other sites, but there is still a widespread belief that in October all Japanese gods meet there. For this reason, the month of October is also known as the , while at Izumo Taisha alone it is referred to as the .
Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of the ''kami'' Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari which is above sea level, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines ...
is the head shrine of the largest shrine network in Japan, which has more than 32,000 members (about a third of the total).
Inari Okami Inari may refer to: Shinto * Inari Ōkami, a Shinto spirit ** Mount Inari in Japan, site of Fushimi Inari-taisha, the main Shinto shrine to Inari ** Inari Shrine, shrines to the Shinto god Inari * Inari-zushi, a type of sushi Places * Inari, ...
worship started here in the 8th century and has continued ever since, expanding to the rest of the country. Located in
Fushimi-ku, Kyoto is one of the eleven Wards of Kyoto, wards in the Municipalities of Japan, city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Jinja (shrine), Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down ...
, the shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines. Another very large example is the
Yūtoku Inari Shrine is a shrine located in Kashima City, Saga Prefecture. It is one of the most famous Inari shrines in Japan. History Dedicated to Inari, the ''kami'' whose messengers are foxes, it is the third largest of its kind in Japan. It was constructe ...
in Kashima City,
Saga Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. Saga Prefecture has a population of 809,248 (1 August 2020) and has a geographic area of 2,440 km2 (942 sq mi). Saga Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northeast and Nagasak ...
.
Ōita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,136,245 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,340 km2 (2,448 sq mi). Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, Kumam ...
's
Usa Shrine The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...
(called in Japanese Usa Jingū or Usa Hachiman-gū) is, together with Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū, the head of the Hachiman shrine network. Hachiman worship started here at least as far back as the
Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the cap ...
(710–794). In the year 860, the ''kami'' was divided and brought to Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū in Kyoto, which became the focus of Hachiman worship in the capital. Located on top of Mount Otokoyama, Usa Hachiman-gū is dedicated to
Emperor Ojin An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (empr ...
, his mother Empress Jungū, and female ''kami'' Hime no Okami.
Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto jinja (shrine), shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima, Hiroshima, Miyajima), best known for its "floating" ''torii'' gate.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005)"''Itsukushima-jinja''"in ''Japa ...
is, together with
Munakata Taisha is a collection of three Shinto shrines located in Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is the head of the approximately 6,000 Munakata shrines all over the country. Although the name Munakata Taisha refers to all three shrines—Hetsu-gū, ...
, at the head of the Munakata shrine network (see below). Remembered for his ''
torii A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred. The presence of a ''torii'' at the entrance is usually the simplest ...
'' raising from the waters, it is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of Susano-o no Mikoto, ''kami'' of seas and storms and brother of the great sun ''
kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
''.
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 lan ...
is a Shinto shrine in the
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
of
Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
, in
Nara Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Osaka Prefecture to the northwest, Wakayama P ...
,
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 ...
. Established in 768 AD and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the
Fujiwara family was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...
. The interior is noted for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lanterns that lead up the shrine. The architectural style ''
Kasuga-zukuri is a traditional Shinto shrine architectural style which takes its name from Kasuga Taisha's ''honden''. Description It is characterized by the use of a building just 1x1 ''ken'' in size with the entrance on the gabled end covered by a veranda. ...
'' takes its name from Kasuga Taisha's ''honden''. The
Kumano Sanzan A is a type of Shinto shrine which enshrines the three Kumano mountains: Hongū, Shingū, and Nachi [].Encyclopedia of ShintoKumano Shinkō accessed on October 6, 2008 There are more than 3,000 Kumano shrines in Japan, and each has received its k ...
shrine complex, head of the Kumano shrine network, includes
Kumano Hayatama Taisha is a Shinto shrine located in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, on the shores of the Kumanogawa in the Kii Peninsula of Japan. It is included as part of the Kumano Sanzan in the UNESCO World Heritage site "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the ...
(
Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
, Shingu),
Kumano Hongu Taisha literally means 'Bear Field'. It is a name adopted by various places in Japan. * Kumano Shrine * Kumano Shrines Grand Shrines * Kumano Kodō, ancient pilgrimage routes * Kumano Region * Kumano River * Kumano, Mie, a city in Mie Prefecture * Ja ...
(
Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
, Tanabe), and
Kumano Nachi Taisha is a Shinto shrine and part of the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range of Japan. The Kumano Kodō route connects it to other sites under the same classification, which are primarily locate ...
(
Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
,
Nachikatsuura file:Nachikatsuuracho.jpg, 270px, Nachikatsuura town hall is a List of towns in Japan, town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 14,420 in 7622 house ...
). The shrines lie between 20 and 40 km one from the other. They are connected by the pilgrimage route known as . The great Kumano Sanzan complex also includes two Buddhist temples,
Seiganto-ji , Temple of Crossing the Blue Shore, is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. In 2004, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other locations, under the name "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mounta ...
and
Fudarakusan-ji is Tendai temple of the Higashimuro district, Wakayama prefecture, Japan. The name of temple comes from mount Potalaka. It is said to have been founded by Ragyō Shōnin, a monk from India. In 2004, it was designated as part of a UNESCO World ...
.The presence of Buddhist temples within a Shinto shrine complex is due to an integration of Buddhism and Shinto ('' Shinbutsu shūgō'') which used to be normal before the
Meiji restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
and is still common. The ''kami'' which inhabits the Nachi Falls within the Kumano Sanzan shrine complex, the already mentioned Hiryū
Gongen A , literally "incarnation", was believed to be the manifestation of a buddha in the form of an indigenous kami, an entity who had come to guide the people to salvation, during the era of shinbutsu-shūgō in premodern Japan.Encyclopedia of Shint ...
, is itself
syncretic Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thu ...
.
Sacred site "Kumano Sanzan"
accessed on June 12, 2008
The religious significance of the Kumano region goes back to prehistoric times, and therefore predates all modern religions in Japan. The area was, and still is, considered a place of physical healing.
Yasukuni shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Empire of Japan, Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, First Sino-Japane ...
, in Tokyo, is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the
Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his positio ...
.


Shrine networks

There are estimated to be around 80,000 shrines in Japan. The majority of Shinto shrines are associated with a shrine network. This counts only shrines with resident priests; if smaller shrines (such as roadside or household shrines) are included, the number would be double. These are highly concentrated; over one-third are associated with
Inari Inari may refer to: Shinto * Inari Ōkami, a Shinto spirit ** Mount Inari in Japan, site of Fushimi Inari-taisha, the main Shinto shrine to Inari ** Inari Shrine, shrines to the Shinto god Inari * Inari-zushi, a type of sushi Places * Inari, ...
(over 30,000 shrines), and the top six networks comprise over 90% of all shrines, though there are at least 20 networks with over 200 shrines. The next ten largest networks contain between 2,000 branches down to about 200 branches, and include the networks headed by
Matsunoo-taisha , formerly , is a Shinto shrine located at the far western end of Shijō Street, approximately 1.3 kilometers south of the Arashiyama district of Kyoto. It is home to a spring at the base of the mountain, Arashiyama, that is believed to be blesse ...
,
Kibune Shrine is a Shinto shrine located at Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture Japan. 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 imp ...
, and
Taga-taisha is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Taga, Inukami District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is frequently referred to as by local residents. The gardens of the inner ''shoin'', which date to the Momoyama period are a nationally de ...
, among others.


Inari shrines

The number of branch shrines gives an approximate indication of their religious significance, and neither
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 Inn ...
nor
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 , fam ...
can claim the first place. By far the most numerous are shrines dedicated to
Inari Inari may refer to: Shinto * Inari Ōkami, a Shinto spirit ** Mount Inari in Japan, site of Fushimi Inari-taisha, the main Shinto shrine to Inari ** Inari Shrine, shrines to the Shinto god Inari * Inari-zushi, a type of sushi Places * Inari, ...
, tutelary ''kami'' of agriculture popular all over Japan, which alone constitute almost a third of the total. Inari also protects fishing, commerce, and productivity in general. For this reason, many modern Japanese corporations have shrines dedicated to Inari on their premises. Inari shrines are usually very small and therefore easy to maintain, but can also be very large, as in the case of
Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of the ''kami'' Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari which is above sea level, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines ...
, the head shrine of the network. The ''kami'' is also enshrined in some Buddhist temples. The entrance to an Inari shrine is usually marked by one or more
vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since ancient history, antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its correspondi ...
''
torii A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred. The presence of a ''torii'' at the entrance is usually the simplest ...
'' and two white foxes. This red color has come to be identified with Inari because of the prevalence of its use among Inari shrines and their ''torii''. The ''kitsune'' statues are at times mistakenly believed to be a form assumed by Inari, and they typically come in pairs, representing a male and a female, although sex is usually not obvious.Smyers (1999:93) These fox statues hold a symbolic item in their mouths or beneath a front paw – most often a jewel and a key, but a sheaf of rice, a scroll, or a fox cub are also common. Almost all Inari shrines, no matter how small, will feature at least a pair of these statues, usually flanking, on the altar, or in front of the main sanctuary.


Hachiman shrines

A syncretic entity worshiped as both a ''kami'' and a Buddhist ''daibosatsu'',
Hachiman In Japanese religion, ''Yahata'' (八幡神, ancient Shinto pronunciation) formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman (八幡神, Japanese Buddhist pronunciation) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements f ...
is intimately associated with both learning and warriors. In the sixth or seventh century,
Emperor Ōjin , also known as (alternatively spelled 譽田別命, 誉田別命, 品陀和気命, 譽田分命, 誉田別尊, 品陀別命) or , was the 15th (possibly legendary) Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dat ...
and his mother Empress Jingū came to be identified together with Hachiman. First enshrined at
Usa Hachiman-gū The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
in
Ōita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,136,245 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,340 km2 (2,448 sq mi). Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, Kumam ...
, Hachiman was deeply revered during the Heian period. According to the
Kojiki The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperia ...
, it was Ōjin who invited Korean and Chinese scholars to Japan, and for this reason he is the patron of writing and learning. Because as Emperor Ōjin he was an ancestor of the Minamoto clan, Hachiman became the of the
Minamoto was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the ...
samurai clan of Kawachi (
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
). After
Minamoto no Yoritomo was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1192 until 1199.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Minamoto no Yoriie" in . He was the husband of Hōjō Masako who acted as regent (''shikken'') after his ...
became ''
shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...
'' and established the
Kamakura shogunate The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459. The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no Y ...
, Hachiman's popularity grew and he became by extension the protector of the warrior class the ''shōgun'' had brought to power. For this reason, the ''shintai'' of a Hachiman shrine is usually a
stirrup A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a ''stirrup leather''. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal ( ...
or a bow. During the Japanese medieval period, Hachiman worship spread throughout Japan among not only samurai, but also the peasantry. There are 25,000 shrines in Japan dedicated to him, the second most numerous after those of the Inari network. Usa Hachiman-gū is the network's head shrine together with Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū. However,
Hakozaki Shrine is a Shintō shrine in Fukuoka .Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). ''Studies in Shinto and Shrines,'' p. 339. History Hakozaki Shrine was founded in 923, with the transfer of the spirit of the ''kami Hachiman'' from Daibu Hachiman Shrine in ...
and Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū are historically no less significant shrines, and are more popular.


Munakata shrines

Headed by Kyūshū's
Munakata Taisha is a collection of three Shinto shrines located in Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is the head of the approximately 6,000 Munakata shrines all over the country. Although the name Munakata Taisha refers to all three shrines—Hetsu-gū, ...
and
Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto jinja (shrine), shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima, Hiroshima, Miyajima), best known for its "floating" ''torii'' gate.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005)"''Itsukushima-jinja''"in ''Japa ...
, shrines in this network enshrine the , namely Chikishima Hime-no-Kami, Tagitsu Hime-no-Kami, and Tagori Hime-no-Kami. The same three ''kami'' are enshrined elsewhere in the network, sometimes under a different name. However, while Munakata Taisha enshrines all three in separate islands belonging to its complex, branch shrines generally do not; which ''kami'' they enshrine depends on the history of the shrine and the myths tied to it.


Tenjin shrines

The Tenjin shrine network enshrines 9th-century scholar
Sugawara no Michizane was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan. He is regarded as an excellent poet, particularly in Kanshi poetry, and is today revered in Shinto as the god of learning, . In the poem anthology ''Hyakunin Isshu'', he is known ...
. Sugawara had originally been enshrined to placate his spirit, not to be worshiped. Michizane had been unjustly exiled in his life, and it was therefore necessary to somehow placate his rage, believed to be the cause of a plague and other disasters.
Kitano Tenman-gū is a Japanese comedian, television presenter, actor, filmmaker, and author. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. With th ...
was the first of the shrines dedicated to him. Because in life he was a scholar, he became the ''kami'' of learning, and during the
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
schools often opened a branch shrine for him. Another important shrine dedicated to him is
Dazaifu Tenman-gū Dazaifu may refer to: * Dazaifu, Fukuoka is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, part of the greater Fukuoka metropolitan area.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Dazaifu" in . Nearby cities include Ōnojō and Chikushino. Although mos ...
.


Shinmei shrines

While the
ritsuryō , , is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei" (律令制). ''Kyaku'' (格) are amendments of Ritsuryō, ''Shiki'' ( ...
legal system was in use, visits by commoners to Ise were forbidden. With its weakening during the
Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
, commoners also started being allowed in the shrine. The growth of the Shinmei shrine network was due to two concomitant causes. During the late
Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
, goddess Amaterasu, worshiped initially only at Ise Grand Shrine, started to be re-enshrined in branch shrines in Ise's own possessions through the typical ''kanjō'' mechanism. The first evidence of a Shinmei shrine elsewhere is given by the
Azuma Kagami is a Japanese historical chronicle. The medieval text chronicles events of the Kamakura Shogunate from Minamoto no Yoritomo's rebellion against the Taira clan in Izokuni of 1180 to Munetaka Shinnō (the 6th shōgun) and his return to Kyoto in 12 ...
, a
Kamakura period The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle bet ...
text which refers to Amanawa Shinmei-gū's appearance in Kamakura. Amaterasu spread to other parts of the country also because of the so-called phenomenon, the belief that Amaterasu flew to other locations and settled there.


Kumano shrines

Kumano shrines enshrine the three Kumano mountains: Hongū, Shingū, and Nachi (the ).Encyclopedia of Shinto
Kumano Shinkō
accessed on April 1, 2010
The point of origin of the Kumano cult is the Kumano Sanzan shrine complex, which includes (
Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
, Shingu),
Kumano Hongu Taisha literally means 'Bear Field'. It is a name adopted by various places in Japan. * Kumano Shrine * Kumano Shrines Grand Shrines * Kumano Kodō, ancient pilgrimage routes * Kumano Region * Kumano River * Kumano, Mie, a city in Mie Prefecture * Ja ...
(
Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
, Tanabe), and
Kumano Nachi Taisha is a Shinto shrine and part of the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range of Japan. The Kumano Kodō route connects it to other sites under the same classification, which are primarily locate ...
(
Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...
,
Nachikatsuura file:Nachikatsuuracho.jpg, 270px, Nachikatsuura town hall is a List of towns in Japan, town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 14,420 in 7622 house ...
). There are more than 3,000 Kumano shrines in Japan.


Structure

The following is a list and diagram illustrating the most important parts of a Shinto shrine: #''
Torii A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred. The presence of a ''torii'' at the entrance is usually the simplest ...
'' – Shinto gate #Stone stairs #''
Sandō A in Japanese architecture is the road approaching either a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple.Iwanami Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version. Its point of origin is usually straddled in the first case by a Shinto ''torii'', in t ...
'' – the approach to the shrine #'' ''Chōzuya'' or ''temizuya'''' – place of purification to cleanse one's hands and mouth #''
Tōrō are a type of traditional East Asian lantern made of stone, wood, or metal. Originating in China, stone lanterns spread to Japan, Korea and Vietnam, though they are most commonly found in both China – extant in Buddhist temples and traditional ...
'' – decorative stone lanterns #''
Kagura-den The , also called or with reference to the bugaku traditional dance, is the building within a Shinto shrine where the sacred dance (''kagura'') and music are offered to the ''kami'' during ceremonies.
'' – building dedicated to ''
Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and ' ...
'' or the sacred ''
kagura is a type of Shinto ritual ceremonial dance. The term is a contraction of the phrase , indicating the presence of gods () in the practice. One major function of is , involving a procession-trance process. Usually a female shaman will perfor ...
'' dance #''Shamusho'' – the shrine's administrative office #'' Ema'' – wooden plaques bearing prayers or wishes #'' Sessha''/''massha'' – small auxiliary shrines #''
Komainu , often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the ''honden'', or inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the ...
'' – the so-called "lion dogs", guardians of the shrine #''
Haiden Haiden may refer to: *A Gewürztraminer wine * Haiden (Shinto), the hall of worship of a Shinto shrine See also * Heiden (disambiguation) {{disambig ...
'' – oratory or hall of worship #''
Tamagaki A is a fence surrounding a Japanese Shinto shrine, a sacred area or an imperial palace. Believed to have been initially just a brushwood barrier of trees, ''tamagaki'' have since been made of a variety of materials including wood, stone and—in ...
'' – fence surrounding the ''honden'' #''
Honden In Shinto shrine architecture, the , also called , or sometimes as in Ise Shrine's case, is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined ''kami'', usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a sta ...
'' – main hall, enshrining the
kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
#On the roof of the ''haiden'' and ''honden'' are visible ''
chigi Chigi may refer to: * Chigi (dog), a crossbreed between a Welsh Corgi and a chihuahua (dog) * House of Chigi The House of Chigi () is an Italian princely family of Sienese origin descended from the counts of Ardenghesca, which possessed castles ...
'' (forked roof
finials A finial (from '' la, finis'', end) or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature. In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the apex of a dome, spire, tower ...
) and ''
katsuogi or are short, decorative logs found on Japanese and Shinto architecture. They are placed at right angles to the ridgeline of roofs, and are usually featured in religious or imperial architecture. ''Katsuogi'' predate Buddhist influence and ...
'' (short horizontal logs), both common shrine ornamentations. The general blueprint of a Shinto shrine is Buddhist in origin. The presence of verandas, stone lanterns, and elaborate gates is an example of this influence. The composition of a Shinto shrine is extremely variable, and none of its many possible features is necessarily present. Even the ''honden'' can be missing if the shrine worships a nearby natural ''shintai''. However, since its grounds are sacred, they are usually surrounded by a fence made of stone or wood called ''
tamagaki A is a fence surrounding a Japanese Shinto shrine, a sacred area or an imperial palace. Believed to have been initially just a brushwood barrier of trees, ''tamagaki'' have since been made of a variety of materials including wood, stone and—in ...
'', while access is made possible by an approach called ''
sandō A in Japanese architecture is the road approaching either a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple.Iwanami Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version. Its point of origin is usually straddled in the first case by a Shinto ''torii'', in t ...
''. The entrances themselves are straddled by gates called ''
torii A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred. The presence of a ''torii'' at the entrance is usually the simplest ...
'', which are usually the simplest way to identify a Shinto shrine. A shrine may include within its grounds several structures, each built for a different purpose. Among them are the ''
honden In Shinto shrine architecture, the , also called , or sometimes as in Ise Shrine's case, is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined ''kami'', usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a sta ...
'' or sanctuaries, where the ''kami'' are enshrined, the '' heiden'' or hall of offerings, where offers and prayers are presented, and the ''
haiden Haiden may refer to: *A Gewürztraminer wine * Haiden (Shinto), the hall of worship of a Shinto shrine See also * Heiden (disambiguation) {{disambig ...
'' or hall of worship, where there may be seats for worshippers. The ''honden'' is the building that contains the ''shintai'', literally, "the sacred body of the kami".In spite of its name, the ''shintai'' is actually a temporary repository of the enshrined ''kami''. (Smyers, page 44) Of these, only the ''haiden'' is open to the
laity In religious organizations, the laity () consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother. In both religious and wider secular usage, a layperson ...
. The ''honden'' is usually located behind the ''haiden'' and is often much smaller and unadorned. Other notable shrine features are the '' temizuya'', the fountain where visitors cleanse their hands and mouth, and the , the office which oversees the shrine. Buildings are often adorned by ''chigi'' and ''
katsuogi or are short, decorative logs found on Japanese and Shinto architecture. They are placed at right angles to the ridgeline of roofs, and are usually featured in religious or imperial architecture. ''Katsuogi'' predate Buddhist influence and ...
'', variously oriented poles which protrude from their roof (see illustration above). As already explained above, before the
Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
it was common for a Buddhist temple to be built inside or next to a shrine, or vice versa.See Shinbutsu shūgō article If a shrine housed a Buddhist temple, it was called a . Analogously, temples all over Japan adopted and built to house them.Mark Teeuwen in ''Breen and Teeuwen'' (2000:95-96) After the forcible separation of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines (
shinbutsu bunri The Japanese term indicates the separation of Shinto from Buddhism, introduced after the Meiji Restoration which separated Shinto ''kami'' from buddhas, and also Buddhist temples from Shinto shrines, which were originally amalgamated. It is a ...
) ordered by the new government in the
Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
, the connection between the two religions was officially severed, but continued nonetheless in practice and is still visible today.


Architectural styles

Shrine buildings can have many different basic layouts, usually named either after a famous shrine's ''honden'' (e.g. ''hiyoshi-zukuri'', named after
Hiyoshi Taisha is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture Japan. This shrine is one of the Twenty-Two Shrines. Known before World War II as or Hie jinja, "Hiyoshi" is now the preferred spelling. It was also known as the . The head shri ...
), or a structural characteristic (e.g. ''irimoya-zukuri'', after the
hip In vertebrate anatomy, hip (or "coxa"Latin ''coxa'' was used by Celsus in the sense "hip", but by Pliny the Elder in the sense "hip bone" (Diab, p 77) in medical terminology) refers to either an anatomical region or a joint. The hip region is ...
-and
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
roof it adopts. The suffix ''-zukuri'' in this case means "structure".) The ''honden's'' roof is always gabled, and some styles also have a veranda-like aisle called ''
hisashi Hisashi is a masculine Japanese given name. Its meaning differs depending on the kanji used to write it. Kanji Single kanji used to write the name Hisashi include: *: "long time" *: "eternal" *: "still" *: "standard" *: "complete" *: "long" *: "li ...
'' (a 1-''
ken Ken or KEN may refer to: Entertainment * ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. * ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film. * ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine. * Ken Masters, a main character in ...
'' wide corridor surrounding one or more sides of the core of a shrine or temple). Among the factors involved in the classification, important are the presence or absence of: * – a style of construction in which the building has its main entrance on the side which runs parallel to the roof's ridge (non gabled-side). The ''shinmei-zukuri'', ''nagare-zukuri'', ''hachiman-zukuri'', and ''hie-zukuri'' belong to this type. * – a style of construction in which the building has its main entrance on the side which runs perpendicular to the roof's ridge (gabled side). The ''taisha-zukuri'', ''sumiyoshi-zukuri'', ''ōtori-zukuri'' and ''kasuga-zukuri'' belong to this type. (The gallery at the end of this article contains examples of both styles.) Proportions are also important. A building of a given style often must have certain proportions measured in ''
ken Ken or KEN may refer to: Entertainment * ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. * ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film. * ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine. * Ken Masters, a main character in ...
'' (the distance between pillars, a quantity variable from one shrine to another or even within the same shrine). The oldest styles are the ''tsumairi'' ''shinmei-zukuri'', ''taisha-zukuri'', and ''sumiyoshi-zukuri'', believed to predate the arrival of Buddhism. The two most common are the ''hirairi'' ''nagare-zukuri'' and the ''tsumairi'' ''kasuga-zukuri''.History and Typology of Shrine Architecture
Encyclopedia of Shinto accessed on November 29, 2009
Larger, more important shrines tend to have unique styles.


Most common styles

The following are the two most common shrine styles in Japan.


''Nagare-zukuri''

The or is a style characterized by a very asymmetrical
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
d roof ( in Japanese) projecting outwards on the non-gabled side, above the main entrance, to form a portico (see photo). This is the feature which gives the style its name, the most common among shrines all over the country. Sometimes the basic layout consisting of an elevated partially surrounded by a veranda called ''hisashi'' (all under the same roof) is modified by the addition of a room in front of the entrance. The ''honden'' varies in roof ridge length from 1 to 11 ''ken'', but is never 6 or 8 ''ken''.JAANUS
Nagare-zukuri
accessed on December 1, 2009
The most common sizes are 1 and 3 ''ken''. The oldest shrine in Japan,
Uji is a city on the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Founded on March 1, 1951, Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto. The city sits on the Uji River, which has its source in Lake Biwa. ...
's
Ujigami Shrine An is a guardian god or spirit of a particular place in the Shinto religion of Japan. The ''ujigami'' was prayed to for a number of reasons, including protection from sickness, success in endeavors, and good harvests. History The ''ujigami' ...
, has a ''honden'' of this type. Its external dimensions are 5×3 ''ken'', but internally it is composed of three measuring 1 ''ken'' each.


''Kasuga-zukuri''

as a style takes its name from
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 lan ...
's ''honden''. It is characterized by the extreme smallness of the building, just 1×1 ''ken'' in size. In Kasuga Taisha's case, this translates in 1.9 m × 2.6 m.JAANUS
Kasuga-zukuri
accessed on December 1, 2009
The roof is gabled with a single entrance at the gabled end, decorated with ''
chigi Chigi may refer to: * Chigi (dog), a crossbreed between a Welsh Corgi and a chihuahua (dog) * House of Chigi The House of Chigi () is an Italian princely family of Sienese origin descended from the counts of Ardenghesca, which possessed castles ...
'' and ''
katsuogi or are short, decorative logs found on Japanese and Shinto architecture. They are placed at right angles to the ridgeline of roofs, and are usually featured in religious or imperial architecture. ''Katsuogi'' predate Buddhist influence and ...
'', covered with cypress bark and curved upwards at the eaves. Supporting structures are painted vermillion, while the plank walls are white. After the ''Nagare-zukuri'' (see above), this is the most common style, with most instances in the
Kansai region The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropolita ...
around Nara.


Styles predating the arrival of Buddhism

The following four styles predate the arrival in Japan of Buddhism:


Primitive shrine layout with no ''honden''

This style is rare, but historically important. It is unique in that the ''honden'', is missing. It is believed shrines of this type are reminiscent of what shrines were like in prehistorical times. The first shrines had no ''honden'' because the ''shintai'', or object of worship, was the mountain on which they stood. An extant example is
Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
's
Ōmiwa Shrine , also known as , is a Shinto shrine located in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is noted because it contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve Mount Miwa, the mountain on which it stands. For the same reas ...
, which still has no ''honden''. An area near the ''
haiden Haiden may refer to: *A Gewürztraminer wine * Haiden (Shinto), the hall of worship of a Shinto shrine See also * Heiden (disambiguation) {{disambig ...
'' (hall of worship), sacred and
taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
, replaces it for worship. Another prominent example of this style is
Futarasan Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is also known as Nikkō Futarasan Shrine, to distinguish it from the Utsunomiya Futarayama Jinja, which shares the same ''kanji'' in its name. both shrines also claim the ...
near Nikkō, whose ''shintai'' is
Mount Nantai is a stratovolcano in the Nikkō National Park in Tochigi Prefecture, in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. The mountain is high. A prominent landmark, it can be seen on clear days from as far as Saitama, a city away. Alongside M ...
. For details, see Birth and evolution of Shinto shrines above.


''Shinmei-zukuri''

is an ancient style typical of, and most common at,
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 Inn ...
, the holiest of Shinto shrines. It is most common in Mie prefecture.JAANUS
Shinmei-zukuri
accessed on December 1, 2009
Characterized by an extreme simplicity, its basic features can be seen in Japanese architecture from the
Kofun period The is an era in the history of Japan from about 300 to 538 AD (the date of the introduction of Buddhism), following the Yayoi period. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes collectively called the Yamato period. This period is ...
(250–538 CE) onwards and it is considered the pinnacle of Japanese traditional architecture. Built in planed, unfinished wood, the ''honden'' is either 3×2 ''ken'' or 1×1 ''ken'' in size, has a raised floor, a gabled roof with an entry on one of the non-gabled sides, no upward curve at the eaves, and decorative logs called ''
chigi Chigi may refer to: * Chigi (dog), a crossbreed between a Welsh Corgi and a chihuahua (dog) * House of Chigi The House of Chigi () is an Italian princely family of Sienese origin descended from the counts of Ardenghesca, which possessed castles ...
'' and ''
katsuogi or are short, decorative logs found on Japanese and Shinto architecture. They are placed at right angles to the ridgeline of roofs, and are usually featured in religious or imperial architecture. ''Katsuogi'' predate Buddhist influence and ...
'' protruding from the roof's ridge. The oldest extant example is
Nishina Shinmei Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Ōmachi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is the oldest extant example of ''shinmei-zukuri'', one of three architectural styles which were conceived before the arrival of Buddhism in Japan. It predates in fact the more f ...
.


''Sumiyoshi-zukuri''

takes its name from
Sumiyoshi Taisha , also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is the main shrine of all the Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan. However, the oldest shrine that enshrines the Sumiyoshi sanjin, the thr ...
's ''honden'' in
Ōsaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2.7 ...
. The building is 4 ''ken'' wide and 2 ''ken'' deep, and has an entrance under the gable.Jinja Kenchiku
Shogakukan is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, comics (manga), non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan. Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hit ...
Nihon Daihyakka Zensho, accessed on November 29, 2009
Its interior is divided in two sections, one at the and one at the with a single entrance at the front.JAANUS
Sumiyoshi-zukuri
accessed on December 1, 2009
Construction is simple, but the pillars are painted in vermilion and the walls in white. The style is supposed to have its origin in old palace architecture. Another example of this style is Sumiyoshi Jinja, part of the
Sumiyoshi Sanjin is the generic name for the three Shinto gods ''Sokotsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (底筒男命), ''Nakatsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (中筒男命), and ''Uwatsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (表筒男命). The Sumiyoshi sanjin are regarded as the gods of the sea and ...
complex in
Fukuoka Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders S ...
. In both cases, as in many others, there is no veranda.


''Taisha-zukuri''

is the oldest shrine style, takes its name from
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 , ...
and, like Ise Grand Shrine's, has ''chigi'' and ''katsuogi'', plus archaic features like gable-end pillars and a single central pillar (''shin no mihashira''). Because its floor is raised on stilts, it is believed to have its origin in raised-floor granaries similar to those found in Toro, Shizuoka prefecture.JAANUS
Taisha-zukuri
accessed on December 1, 2009
The ''honden'' normally has a 2×2 ''ken'' footprint (12.46 × 12.46 m in Izumo Taisha's case), with an entrance on the gabled end. The stairs to the honden are covered by a cypress bark roof. The oldest extant example of the style is Kamosu Jinja's ''honden'' in
Shimane Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Shimane Prefecture is the second-least populous prefecture of Japan at 665,205 (February 1, 2021) and has a geographic area of 6,708.26 km2. Shimane Prefecture borders Yamaguc ...
, built in the 16th century.


Other styles

Many other architectural styles exist, most of them rare. (For details, see .)


Interpreting shrine names

Shrine nomenclature has changed considerably since the Meiji period. Until then, the vast majority of shrines were small and had no permanent priest.Hardacre (1986:31) With very few exceptions, they were just a part of a temple-shrine complex controlled by Buddhist clergy. They usually enshrined a local tutelary ''kami'', so they were called with the name of the ''kami'' followed by terms like ''
gongen A , literally "incarnation", was believed to be the manifestation of a buddha in the form of an indigenous kami, an entity who had come to guide the people to salvation, during the era of shinbutsu-shūgō in premodern Japan.Encyclopedia of Shint ...
''; , short for "ubusuna no kami", or guardian deity of one's birthplace; or . The term , now the most common, was rare. Examples of this kind of pre-Meiji use are Tokusō Daigongen and Kanda Myōjin. Today, the term "Shinto shrine" in English is used in opposition to "
Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...
" to mirror in English the distinction made in Japanese between Shinto and Buddhist religious structures. This single English word however translates several non equivalent Japanese words, including as in
Yasukuni Jinja is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, 1894–1895 and 1937–1945 resp ...
; as in Tsubaki Ōkami Yashiro; as in Watarai no Miya; as in Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū; as in
Meiji Jingū , is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The shrine does not contain the emperor's grave, which is located at Fushimi-ku, Kyoto#Sights, Fushimi-momoyama, sout ...
; as in
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 , ...
;The History of Shrines ; and . Shrine names are descriptive, and a difficult problem in dealing with them is understanding exactly what they mean. Although there is a lot of variation in their composition, it is usually possible to identify in them two parts. The first is the shrine's name proper, or , the second is the so-called , or "title".Shinto Online Network Associatio
Jinja no Shōgō ni Tsuite Oshiete Kudasai


''Meishō''

The most common ''meishō'' is the location where the shrine stands, as for example in the case of
Ise Jingū 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 ...
, the most sacred of shrines, which is located in the city of
Ise, Mie , formerly called Ujiyamada (宇治山田), is a city in central Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan. Ise is home to Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shintō shrine in Japan. The city has a long-standing title – Shinto (神都) ...
prefecture. Very often the ''meishō'' will be the name of the ''kami'' enshrined. An Inari Shrine for example is a shrine dedicated to ''kami''
Inari Inari may refer to: Shinto * Inari Ōkami, a Shinto spirit ** Mount Inari in Japan, site of Fushimi Inari-taisha, the main Shinto shrine to Inari ** Inari Shrine, shrines to the Shinto god Inari * Inari-zushi, a type of sushi Places * Inari, ...
. Analogously, a
Kumano Shrine A is a type of Shinto shrine which enshrines the three Kumano mountains: Hongū, Shingū, and Nachi [].Encyclopedia of ShintoKumano Shinkō accessed on October 6, 2008 There are more than 3,000 Kumano shrines in Japan, and each has received its k ...
is a shrine that enshrines the three Kumano mountains. A
Hachiman Shrine A is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the ''kami'' Hachiman. It is the second most numerous type of Shinto shrine after those dedicated to Inari Ōkami (see Inari shrine). There are about 44,000 Hachiman shrines. Originally the name 八幡 was ...
enshrines ''kami''
Hachiman In Japanese religion, ''Yahata'' (八幡神, ancient Shinto pronunciation) formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman (八幡神, Japanese Buddhist pronunciation) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements f ...
. Tokyo's
Meiji Shrine , is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The shrine does not contain the emperor's grave, which is located at Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto. History Af ...
enshrines the
Meiji Emperor , also called or , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. Reigning from 13 February 1867 to his death, he was the first monarch of the Empire of Japan and presided over the Meiji era. He was the figure ...
. The name can also have other origins, often unknown or unclear.


''Shōgō''

The second part of the name defines the status of the shrine. * is the most general name for shrine. Any place that owns a is a ''jinja''. These two characters used to be read either "kamu-tsu-yashiro" or "mori", both meaning "kami grove". Both readings can be found for example in the
Man'yōshū The is the oldest extant collection of Japanese (poetry in Classical Japanese), compiled sometime after AD 759 during the Nara period. The anthology is one of the most revered of Japan's poetic compilations. The compiler, or the last in ...
. * is a generic term for shinto shrine like ''jinja''. * A is a place where a ''kami'' is present. It can therefore be a shrine and, in fact, the characters 神社, 社 and 杜 can all be read "mori" ("grove").Sonoda Minoru in ''Breen, Teeuwen'' (2000:43) This reading reflects the fact the first shrines were simply
sacred grove Sacred groves or sacred woods are groves of trees and have special religious importance within a particular culture. Sacred groves feature in various cultures throughout the world. They were important features of the mythological landscape and ...
s or forests where ''kami'' were present. * The suffix , as in ''Shinmei-sha'' or ''Tenjin-ja'', indicates a minor shrine that has received through the ''
kanjō in Shinto terminology indicates a propagation process through which a ''kami'', previously divided through a process called ''bunrei'', is invited to another location and there re-enshrined. Evolution of the ''kanjō'' process ''Kanjō'' was ...
'' process a ''kami'' from a more important one. * is an extremely small shrine of the kind one finds for example along country roads. * is a shrine of particularly high status that has a deep relationship with the Imperial household or enshrines an Emperor, as for example in the case of the Ise Jingū and the Meiji Jingū. The name ''Jingū'' alone, however, can refer only to the Ise Jingū, whose official name is just "Jingū". * indicates a shrine enshrining a special ''kami'' or a member of the Imperial household like the Empress, but there are many examples in which it is used simply as a tradition. During the period of state regulation, many ''-miya'' names were changed to ''jinja''. * indicates a shrine enshrining an imperial prince, but there are many examples in which it is used simply as a tradition. * A (the characters are also read ''ōyashiro'') is literally a "great shrine" that was classified as such under the old system of shrine ranking, the , abolished in 1946. Many shrines carrying that ''shōgō'' adopted it only after the war. * During the
Japanese Middle Ages The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to Japanese Paleolithic, prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millenni ...
, shrines started being called with the name ''
gongen A , literally "incarnation", was believed to be the manifestation of a buddha in the form of an indigenous kami, an entity who had come to guide the people to salvation, during the era of shinbutsu-shūgō in premodern Japan.Encyclopedia of Shint ...
'', a term of Buddhist origin.Encyclopedia of Shinto
Gongen shinkō
accessed on October 5, 2008
For example, in Eastern Japan there are still many Hakusan shrines where the shrine itself is called ''gongen''. Because it represents the application of Buddhist terminology to Shinto ''kami'', its use was legally abolished by the Meiji government with the , and shrines began to be called ''jinja''. These names are not equivalent in terms of prestige: a ''taisha'' is more prestigious than a ''-gū'', which in turn is more important than a ''jinja''.


Shrines with structures designated as National Treasures

Shrines that are part of a
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
are marked with a dagger (). *
Tōhoku region The , Northeast region, or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (''ken''): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata. Tōhoku retains a ...
** Ōsaki Hachiman Shrine (
Sendai, Miyagi is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,091,407 in 525,828 households, and is one of Japan's 20 designated cities. The city was founded in 1600 by the ''daimyō'' Date ...
) *
Kantō region The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Slight ...
**
Nikkō Tōshō-gū is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 42 structures of the shrine included in the n ...
( Nikkō, Tochigi) **
Rinnō-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. History The site was established in 766 by the Buddhist monk Shōdō Shōnin (735–817). Due to its geographic isolation, deep in the mountains of Japan, the ...
( Nikkō, Tochigi) *
Chūbu region The , Central region, or is a region in the middle of Honshu, Honshū, Japan, Japan's main island. In a wide, classical definition, it encompasses nine prefectures (''ken''): Aichi Prefecture, Aichi, Fukui Prefecture, Fukui, Gifu Prefecture ...
**
Nishina Shinmei Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Ōmachi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is the oldest extant example of ''shinmei-zukuri'', one of three architectural styles which were conceived before the arrival of Buddhism in Japan. It predates in fact the more f ...
(
Ōmachi, Nagano is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 27,559 in 11861 households, and a population density of 49 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Ōmachi is located west of Nagano, ...
) *
Kansai region The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropolita ...
** Onjō-ji ( Ōtsu, Shiga) **
Hiyoshi Taisha is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture Japan. This shrine is one of the Twenty-Two Shrines. Known before World War II as or Hie jinja, "Hiyoshi" is now the preferred spelling. It was also known as the . The head shri ...
( Ōtsu, Shiga) **
Mikami Shrine ) is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Yasu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The ''kami'' worshipped at this shrine is Ame-no-mikage-no-mikoto, Amaterasu's grandson, who in legend, descended onto 432-meter Mount Mikami during the reign of Emperor ...
(
Yasu, Shiga is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 50,695 in 20695 households and a population density of 630 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Yasu is located in south-central Shiga ...
) ** Ōsasahara Shrine (
Yasu, Shiga is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 50,695 in 20695 households and a population density of 630 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Yasu is located in south-central Shiga ...
) **
Tsukubusuma Shrine Tsukubusuma Shrine (都久夫須麻神社, ''Tsukubusuma Jinja'') is a Shinto shrine on Chikubu Island in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Its is a National Treasure of Japan. The shrine's main festival is held annually on June 15. It is also called Chi ...
(
Nagahama, Shiga is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 116,043 in 46858 households and a population density of 120 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Nagahama is located on the northern ...
) **
Namura Shrine 280px, Higashi-Honden (ICP) is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Ryūō, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The shrine has many structures from the Muromachi period or older which are designated either National Treasures (NT) or Important Cultur ...
(
Ryūō, Shiga 260px, Namura Jinja Haiden is a town located in Gamō District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 11,786 in 4499 households and a population density of 260 persons per km2. The total area of the town is . Geog ...
) ** Kamo Shrine (
Kyoto, Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
) **
Daigo-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Its main devotion (''honzon'') is Yakushi. ''Daigo'', literally "ghee", is used figuratively to mean "crème de la crème" and is a metaphor of the most profound part of Buddhist though ...
(
Kyoto, Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
) **
Toyokuni Shrine , alternately read Hōkoku Shrine (''Hōkoku-jinja''), refers to a number of Shinto shrines in Japan dedicated to kampaku and ruler of Japan Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The two names are different readings of the same ''kanji'' and are used interchangeabl ...
(
Kyoto, Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
) **
Kitano Tenman-gū is a Japanese comedian, television presenter, actor, filmmaker, and author. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. With th ...
(
Kyoto, Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
) **
Ujigami Shrine An is a guardian god or spirit of a particular place in the Shinto religion of Japan. The ''ujigami'' was prayed to for a number of reasons, including protection from sickness, success in endeavors, and good harvests. History The ''ujigami' ...
(
Uji, Kyoto is a city on the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Founded on March 1, 1951, Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto. The city sits on the Uji River, which has its source in Lake Biwa. ...
) **
Sumiyoshi Taisha , also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is the main shrine of all the Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan. However, the oldest shrine that enshrines the Sumiyoshi sanjin, the thr ...
(
Osaka, Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third most populous city in Ja ...
) ** Sakurai Shrine (
Sakai, Osaka is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...
) **
Kasuga Shrine 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 lan ...
(
Nara, Nara is the capital city of Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of 2022, Nara has an estimated population of 367,353 according to World Population Review, making it the largest city in Nara Prefecture and sixth-largest in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara is ...
) **
Enjō-ji is a Shingon temple in the northeast of Nara, Japan. A number of its buildings and images have been designated National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, and its late-Heian period gardens are a Place of Scenic Beauty. History ...
(
Nara, Nara is the capital city of Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of 2022, Nara has an estimated population of 367,353 according to World Population Review, making it the largest city in Nara Prefecture and sixth-largest in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara is ...
) **
Isonokami Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the hills of Furu in Tenri, Nara prefecture, Japan. It is one of the oldest extant Shinto shrines in Japan and has housed several significant artifacts. Isonokami shrine was highly regarded in the ancient era, and ...
(
Tenri, Nara is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. The modern city was founded on April 1, 1954, and is named after the Japanese new religion Tenrikyo, which has its headquarters in the city. As of April 1, 2015, the city has an estimated population ...
) ** Udamikumari Shrine (
Uda, Nara is a city located in northeastern Nara Prefecture, Japan. The modern city of Uda was established on January 1, 2006, the towns of Haibara, Ōuda and Utano, and the village of Murō (all from Uda District). As of December 29, 2005, the city ...
) *
Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In 2010, it had a population of 7,563,428. History '' ...
**
Sanbutsu-ji is a Buddhist temple in the town of Misasa, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. The of Sanbutsu-ji, built in the Heian period is designated a National Treasure of Japan. By tradition Sanbutsu-ji was founded by the Buddhist ascetic and mystic of t ...
(
Misasa, Tottori is a town located in Tōhaku District, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. It is also home to the official treasure of Sanbutsu-ji, the Misasa Onsen, and Okayama Hospital. The name "Misasa" (literally "three mornings") originates from the belief that on ...
) **
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 , ...
(
Taisha, Shimane is a town located in Hikawa District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 15,733 and a density of 376.39 persons per km2. The total area was 41.80 km2. On March 22, 2005, Taisha, along with th ...
) ** Kamosu Shrine (
Matsue, Shimane is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture, Japan, located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 202,008 (February 1, 2021) following the merger with Higashiizumo from Yatsuka District. Matsue is located at t ...
) **
Kibitsu Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the Kibitsu neighborhood of Kita-ku, Okayama in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. It is the ''ichinomiya'' of former Bitchū Province. The main festivals of the shrine is held annually on the second Sunday of May and on October 1 ...
(
Okayama, Okayama is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. , the city has an estimated population of 720,841 and a population density of 910 persons per km2. The total area is . The city is ...
) **
Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto jinja (shrine), shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima, Hiroshima, Miyajima), best known for its "floating" ''torii'' gate.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005)"''Itsukushima-jinja''"in ''Japa ...
(
Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The name derives from a market traditionally held on the 20th of each month with ''hatsuka'' (廿日) meaning "20th day" and ''ichi'' (市) translating to "market". The market continues to this day ...
) ** Sumiyoshi Shrine (
Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. With a population of 265,684, it is the largest city in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the fifth-largest city in the Chūgoku region. It is located at the southwestern tip of Honshu facing the Tsushim ...
) *
Shikoku region is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
** Kandani Shrine (
Sakaide, Kagawa 270px, Sakaide City Hall 270px, Aerial view of Sakaide city center is a city located in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 49,439 in 21347 households and a population density of and a population density of 530 p ...
) *
Kyūshū region is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name ...
**
Usa Shrine The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...
(
Usa, Ōita is a city located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan at the tip of Kunisaki Peninsula in northern Kyushu. Notable for the Usa Jingū, the head shrine of all 40,000 Hachiman shrines across Japan, the city annually attracts as many as 1.8 million worshi ...
) **
Aoi Aso Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It is colloquially known as . It was originally established as a Prefectures of Japan, prefectural shrine, but is currently designated as a . Five of the structur ...
(
Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto is a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on February 11, 1942. the city has an estimated population of 30,752 and a population density of 144 per km2. The total area is 210.55 km2. It is famous for boat trips on the ri ...
)


Officiants


''Kannushi''

A or is a priest responsible for the maintenance of a shrine, as well as for leading worship of a given ''kami''. These two terms were not always
synonyms A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
. Originally, a ''kannushi'' was a holy man who could work miracles and who, thanks to purification rites, could work as an intermediary between ''kami'' and man, but later the term evolved to being synonymous with ''shinshoku'', a man who works at a shrine and holds religious ceremonies there.
Women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...
can also become ''kannushi'', and it is common for widows to succeed their husbands.


''Miko''

A is a shrine maiden who has trained for and taken up several duties at a shrine including assistance of shrine functions such as the sale of sacred goods (including amulets known as ''
omamori are Japanese amulets commonly sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, dedicated to particular Shinto as well as Buddhist figures, and are said to provide various forms of luck and protection. Origin and usage The word means 'protect ...
'', paper talisman known as ''
ofuda In Shinto and Buddhism in Japan, an is a talisman made out of various materials such as paper, wood, cloth or metal. are commonly found in both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples and are considered to be imbued with the power of the deities ...
'', wood tablets known as '' ema'' and among other items), daily tidying of the premises, and performing the sacred
kagura is a type of Shinto ritual ceremonial dance. The term is a contraction of the phrase , indicating the presence of gods () in the practice. One major function of is , involving a procession-trance process. Usually a female shaman will perfor ...
dances on certain occasions.


Gallery

File:Shinra Zenjin Hall.jpg, ''Hirairi'' style: entrance on the non-gabled side File:Outside of Itsukushima main shrine.jpg, ''Tsumairi'' style: entrance on the gabled side File:Katsuragi-jinja (Gose, Nara) massha.jpg, Some ''setsumassha'' File:Hokora-DSC2202.jpg, A ''hokora'' File:Ise Shrine Meizukuri.jpg, ''Shinmei-zukuri'' File:Sumiyoshi shrine Honden.jpg, ''Sumiyoshi-zukuri'' File:Izumo Shrine Honden.jpg, ''Taisha-zukuri'',
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 , ...
File:Kayashima shrine - panoramio (1).jpg,
Kayashima Station is a passenger railway station in located in the city of Neyagawa, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, operated by the private railway company Keihan Electric Railway. One notable feature of this station is that it has a large camphor sacred tree growing i ...
with the
camphor Camphor () is a waxy, colorless solid with a strong aroma. It is classified as a terpenoid and a cyclic ketone. It is found in the wood of the camphor laurel ('' Cinnamomum camphora''), a large evergreen tree found in East Asia; and in the k ...
sacred tree A sacred tree is a tree which is considered to be sacred, or worthy of spiritual respect or reverence. Such trees appear throughout world history in various cultures including the ancient Greek, Hindu mythology, Celtic and Germanic mythologies. T ...
growing through it with a shrine at the base File:Jinja no Mori Yuni Hokkaido.jpg, The Jinja no Mori near
Yuni, Hokkaido is a town located in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. In September 2016, the town had an estimated population of 5,426 and a density Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the substance's mass per unit of volume. Th ...


See also

*
Dambana Indigenous Philippine shrines and sacred grounds are places regarded as holy within the indigenous Philippine folk religions. These places usually serve as grounds for communication with the spirit world, especially to the deities and ancestra ...
*
Giboshi is a type of ornamental finial used on Japanese railings. ''Giboshi'' bridge ornaments resemble an onion; the ends are bulbous and typically come to a point. It is believed that the shape of Giboshi was from Hoju which is used to decorate roofs ...
*
Glossary of Shinto This is the glossary of Shinto, including major terms on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk (*) are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries. __NOTOC__ A * – A red papier-mâché cow bobblehead toy; a kind of ''engimo ...
*
List of National Treasures of Japan (shrines) The number of Shinto shrines in Japan today has been estimated at more than 150,000. Single structure shrines are the most common. Shrine buildings might also include oratories (in front of main sanctuary), purification halls, offering halls called ...
*
List of Shinto shrines For lists of Shinto shrines, see: *List of Shinto shrines in Japan **List of Shinto shrines in Kyoto *List of Shinto shrines outside Japan **List of Shinto shrines in Taiwan **List of Shinto shrines in the United States See also *List of Jingū ...
*
Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines 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 ...
* Senjafuda *
Shrine Shinto Shrine Shinto is a form of the Shinto religion. It has two main varieties: State Shinto, a pre-World War II variant, and another centered on Shinto shrines after World War II, in which ritual rites are the center of belief, conducted by an organiza ...
*
Twenty-Two Shrines The of Japan is one ranking system for Shinto shrines. The system was established during the Heian period and formed part of the government's systematization of Shinto during the emergence of a general anti-Chinese sentiment and the suppression o ...
(''Nijūnisha'')


Notes


Footnotes


Citations


References

* * * * * * * * *
The History of Shrines
''Encyclopedia of Shinto'', retrieved on June 10, 2008
Shinto Shrines or Temples?
retrieved on June 10, 2008
Shrine Architecture
''Encyclopedia of Shinto'', retrieved on June 10, 2008
Overview of a Shinto Shrine
a detailed visual introduction to the structure of a Shinto shrine, ''Encyclopedia of Shinto'' retrieved on June 8, 2008
Jinja no Shōgō ni Tsuite Oshiete Kudasai
, Shinto Online Network Association, retrieved on July 2, 2008 (in Japanese) * * Stuart D. B. Picken. ''Essentials of Shinto: An Analytical Guide to Principal Teachings''. Greenwood, 1994.


Further reading

* *
OCLC 63679956The Herbert Offen Research Collection of the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum


External links


Encyclopedia of Shinto
Kokugakuin University
Jinja and Shinto
site of the Shinto Online Network Association
Jinja Honchō
the Association of Shinto Shrines *
Kokugakuin University Shinto Jinja Database

Shinto Shrine types
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shinto Shrine Architecture in Japan