Association of Shinto Shrines

Association of Shinto Shrines
Wiiii · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Association of Shinto Shrines
Native name	神社本庁
Formation	1946
Type	Religious organization
Headquarters	Tokyo
Region served	Japan
Leader title	Chief Priest (Kanshu)

Contents

Association of Shinto Shrines is the national organization that represents a network of Shinto Shinto shrines in Japan established after World War II to coordinate ritual practice, training, and administration. It succeeded prewar bodies and interacts with institutions such as the Imperial Household Agency, National Diet, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan), and local prefectural governments. The organization connects shrine priests from locations like Ise Grand Shrine, Izumo Taisha, and Meiji Shrine with cultural agencies including the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan), and religious organizations such as Risshō Kōsei Kai and Sōka Gakkai in a postwar environment shaped by the Allied occupation of Japan and the Japanese constitution of 1947.

History

The association was founded in the aftermath of decisions taken during the Allied occupation of Japan and legal changes including the Shinto Directive issued by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and the promulgation of the Constitution of Japan (1947). It emerged from prewar institutions like the Jinja Honcho prewar offices and the Meiji-era State Shinto apparatus that linked shrines such as Yasukuni Shrine and Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine with the Meiji government and ministries including the Home Ministry (Japan). Key historical episodes include debates surrounding the Shōwa period, the role of shrine ritual during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and postwar prosecutions and reforms that affected figures connected to Hayashi Razan-era Shinto scholarship and modern intellectuals like Motoori Norinaga. The association’s formation involved negotiation among shrine administrators in regions such as Kantō, Kansai, and Kyushu, with participation by priestly lineages tied to shrines including Kashima Shrine, Katori Shrine, Kumano Sanzan, and Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine.

The association’s governance reflects hierarchical priestly networks analogous to traditional offices found at shrines like Kasuga Taisha and Hie Shrine. Leadership positions have relations with figures affiliated with Ise Grand Shrine and administrative interfaces with municipal bodies in cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagoya. Its internal bureaus coordinate training programs at seminaries influenced by scholars from institutions like University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Kobe University. Regional branches align with prefectural shrine associations in Hokkaido, Aomori Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Fukuoka Prefecture, and Okinawa Prefecture. The organization manages registries of priests and properties, echoing estate records tied to historic shrines such as Itsukushima Shrine and Kibitsu Shrine.

The association issues liturgical guidance for rituals observed at Ise Grand Shrine, Izumo Taisha, Meiji Shrine, and parish shrines from Sapporo to Naha. It administers training and certification for kannushi and miko with curricula that reference classical texts studied at Waseda University and Keio University and coordinates festivals that involve shrines like Kanda Shrine, Tenmangu Shrine, and Gokoku Shrine. Activities include cultural preservation projects linked to the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan), publication of ritual manuals, management of shrine property and treasures comparable to collections at Nara National Museum and Tokyo National Museum, and disaster relief coordination with entities such as Japan Self-Defense Forces and Japan Red Cross Society during events like the Great Hanshin earthquake and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Membership encompasses a large number of shrines across prefectures including Aichi Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Ehime Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture and others, covering famous sanctuaries such as Suwa Taisha, Hikawa Shrine, Hiraoka Shrine, Omiwa Shrine, Sumiyoshi Taisha, and Toshi Shrine. Affiliated parish and village shrines often trace lineages to major centers like Ise Grand Shrine and Izumo Taisha and maintain links with local cultural festivals at sites like Aoi Matsuri, Gion Matsuri, Kanda Matsuri, and Tenjin Matsuri. The association’s registry structure parallels those used in cultural networks involving institutions such as Prefectural Cultural Properties offices and municipal heritage lists for cities like Nara and Kamakura.

The association’s postwar status was shaped by policy instruments including the Shinto Directive and interactions with the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. It engages with legislative processes in the National Diet on matters affecting religious corporations and property law and maintains dialogue with ministries such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japan). Historically, tensions involved shrines associated with nationalist movements and wartime mobilization, implicating associations with groups in the Taishō period and Shōwa period politics. Relations with the Imperial Household Agency are particularly salient regarding rituals at Ise Grand Shrine and imperial rites, and the association’s public stance has intersected with political parties including the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) and public debates addressed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and other Diet factions.

The association plays a central role in preserving intangible cultural heritage exemplified by festivals like Aoi Matsuri and rites performed at Ise Grand Shrine and Izumo Taisha. It engages with cultural institutions such as the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan), museums like the Tokyo National Museum, and academic centers including Kyoto Institute of Technology and International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken). The association’s work affects pilgrimages to historic sites such as Mount Koya, Kumano Kodo, and Dewa Sanzan, and contributes to the conservation of architecture found at Hōryū-ji, Todai-ji, and regional shrine complexes. It interfaces with media outlets including NHK, Asahi Shimbun, and Yomiuri Shimbun when communicating about festivals, rituals, and heritage designation.

Critics have raised concerns about the association’s historical ties to State Shinto and connections with wartime mobilization during the Second World War and the Sino-Japanese War. Debates over state visits to shrines like Yasukuni Shrine and political endorsements have involved interactions with political entities such as the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) and public figures covered in outlets like Mainichi Shimbun and Japan Times. Issues include disputes over property and taxation addressed in the National Diet and legal cases heard in courts including the Supreme Court of Japan. Scholars from institutions like Keio University, University of Tokyo, and Hitotsubashi University have critiqued the association’s role in modern religious life, and civil society groups such as Japan Lawyers Association for Freedom of Religion and Belief have engaged in advocacy related to separation of religion and state.