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Shrine
A Shinto shrine is a structure whose main purpose is to house one or more Shinto kami (spirit).
A shrine's most important building is used for the safekeeping of sacred objects rather than for
worship.
Although "shrine" is the only word used in English, Shinto shrines have a variety of many
different names used in Japanese. In particular, gongen, -gū, jinja, jingū, mori, myōjin, -sha,
taisha, and ubusuna oryashiro are the nonequivalent names for Shinto shrine.
A Shinto shrine is usually characterized by the presence of a honden, the most sacred building
at a Shinto shrine, where the kami is enshrined. The honden may however be completely
absent. In this case, when a shrine stands on a sacred mountain to which it is dedicated and is
worshiped directly. The honden may also be oblivious when there are nearby altar-like
structures called himorogi. These are objects believed to be capable of attracting spirits called
yorishiro that can serve as a direct bond to a kami.
There may also be a haiden and other structures as well. Occasionally, miniature shrines
(hokora) can be found on roadsides. Large shrines sometimes have miniature shrines (sessha
or massha) on their precincts. The portable shrines (mikoshi), carried on poles during festivals
(matsuri), enshrine kami and are therefore true shrines.
There is an estimate of around 100,000 Shinto shrines in Japan.
Ise Shrine has been the most prominent shrine in Japan since 1871. The Ise Grand Shrine in Mie prefecture is, along with Izumo-taisha, the most
exemplar and historically significant shrine in Japan.
The two enshrine a kami who plays fundamental roles in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, two texts of great importance to Shinto. Ise Shrine is the
Imperial Household's family shrine because of its kami, the goddess Amaterasu, is an ancestor of the Emperor.
However, Ise Shrine is dedicated specifically to the emperor. Even in the past, his mother, wife, and grandmother needed his permission to worship
there. Its traditional foundation goes back to 4 BC, but historians believe it was founded around the 3rd to 5th century.
The Shinto shrine Izumo Taisha (Shimane prefecture) is so ancient that no record of the year of establishment is known. The shrine is central in a
series of popular sagas and myths.
It enshrines a kami called Ōkuninushi, translating to “Great Land Master”. It is believed that he shaped Japan before it was populated by Amaterasu's
offspring, the Emperor's ancestors.
Due to its physical remoteness, Izumo has been eclipsed in fame by other sites. Although, there is still a widespread belief that all Japanese gods
meet there in October. For this reason, it is also known as Month Without Gods (Kannazuki), while at Izumo Taisha alone it is referred as Month With
Gods (Kamiarizuki).
The head shrine of the largest shrine network in Japan is Fushimi Inari Taisha, which has more than 32,000 members (about a third of the total). Inari
Okami worship started in the 8th century and has continued ever since, expanding to the rest of the country. Located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, the shrine
sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari. It also includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines.
Together with Munakata Taisha, Itsukushima Shrine is at the head of the Munakata shrine network. Dedicated to the three daughters of Susano-o no
Mikoto, the shrine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara called Kasuga Taisha in Nara Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 768 A.D. and has been rebuilt several
times over the centuries. It is the shrine of the Fujiwara family. The interior is popular for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone
lanterns that lead up the shrine. The architectural style Kasuga-zukuri gets its name from Kasuga Taisha's honden.
Yasukuni shrine, in Tokyo, is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died fighting for the Emperor of Japan.
Difference between Temples & Shrines
Temple and shrine are both used interchangeably because many
visitors to Japan can’t tell the difference. To point out, using these terms
interchangeably is like saying a church and synagogue are equivalent. In
Japan, there are two major religions practiced by the Japanese people. A
shrine is where Shinto is practiced and Buddhism is practiced at a
temple.
Both Shinto and Buddhism date back to thousands of years. Shinto, a
spiritual principle, is an ancient religion of Japan based on the belief that
powerful deities called kami (gods) inhabit both heaven and earth.
According to mythology, various kanami were worshipped by their own
individual clans. They often built shrines dedicated to their chosen kami
and utilized a shaman or diviner to help them pray.
In Japanese, Shinto is referred as kami no michi (the way of the gods), but its Chinese ideogram and pronunciation for the
words are ”shin tao” or Shinto.
In the sixth century, China and Korea introduced Buddhism to Japan. It gained wide acceptance in the following century
when the nobility advocated it. Bukkyō, a combination of two words, is the Japanese word for Buddhism. Butsu translates to
Buddha and kyō means doctrine.
In Japan, most people practice both faiths ambiguously as they are nearly parallel to one another. Shinto primarily focuses
on earthly matters, and shrines are often used to host weddings or pray for good fortune. Whereas Buddhism is considered
the religion of spiritual beliefs and practices. Temples usually host funerals and are a place to pray for ancestors.
You are probably at a Shinto shrine if you cross the threshold of a torii gate, see a pair of guardians (usually dogs or lions)
sitting on each side of the entrance, and cleanse your mouth and hands at a purification fountain before prayer. Shinto
shrines have the suffix “jingu”, such as Ise Jingu.
The name of Buddhist temples use the suffix ”ji”, such as Todaiji. You may find yourself at a Japanese temple if you see an
image of the Buddha, as this is always housed at a Buddhist temple. A large incense burner is usually located at the front of
the temple; it is believed that the smoke has healing properties. On top of that, there is often a pagoda at a Buddhist
temple.
A visit to Japan is not complete without appreciating and taking in the experience of being in a temple and shrine. Large and
iconic, or small and local, they are all unique and it is worth taking the time to visit.
