Shinto shrine
A jinja (Japanese: 神社) is a Shinto shrine and its surrounding natural area. In common usage, jinja often refers to the buildings of a shrine. Unlike a church or a mosque, a jinja traditionally has neither characteristics of a chapel nor a place for propagation; its sole purpose is for the enshrinement and worship of a kami. In recent centuries, especially significant kami have come to be enshrined throughout Japan. Some kami and jinja that have widespread geographic distribution include:
- Asama Shrine (also called Sengen Shrine)
- Aso (Aso Shrine)
- Ebisu
- Hachiman (Hachiman Shrine)
- Hikawa Shrine
- Inari (Inari Shrine)
- Kumano (Kumano Shrine)
- Munakata Shrine
- Shinmei Shrine
- Suwa Shrine
- Tenjin (Tenman-gū)
- Toshogu
The most famous Shinto shrine in the world is Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Miyajima. Its "floating" torii is one of the most popular visitor attractions in Japan, for both domestic and foreign tourists.
Origin
It is believed that a jinja had originally been only a temporary shrine constructed for a periodical festivals at a sacred place such as a mountain or cave. This was because it had been believed that kami would move around as much as any animal, and could not be confined. Okinawa's Utaki retains some of these beliefs.
However, after a permanent shrine called a shaden (社殿) was built, it was reasoned that a kami would take residence inside a jinja. Some believe that the practice of constructing shaden is from Buddhism; even today, many jinja from ancient times do not have shaden, but only a place to pray while looking out to a sacred place or a specific area which must not be entered.
Facilities
A jinja has several facilities within its boundaries, including a honden (本殿) and haiden (拝殿). The honden is the building that contains the goshintai (御神体); literally, "the sacred body of the kami". Of these, only the haiden is open to the laity. The honden is located behind the haiden and is much smaller and undecorated. Other notable jinja facilities are torii that serve as sacred gates for entering a jinja, chōzuya (手水舎) where one is supposed to cleanse one's hands and mouth, and shamusho (社務所) administrate a jinja.
During the Nara period and into the early Meiji period, it was not uncommon for a Buddhist temple to be built inside or next to a jinja. When a jinja houses a Buddhist temple, it is called a jinguji (神宮寺). After separation of the Buddhist temples and jinja was ordered in the Meiji period, the connection between two was officially severed, but many continued to cooperate on matsuri and other occasions into the present.
The buildings and grounds of a jinja often include many of the following:
- chōzuya (手水舎; ablution pavillion for ceremonial purification)
- kaguraden (神楽殿; a stage for Noh or kagura ritual dance)
- kenzoku (眷属).
- koma-inu (狛犬; lion-dog statues)
- maiden (舞殿)
- romon (楼門)
- sessha (摂社)
- suesha (末社)
- tamagaki (玉垣)
- toro (燈籠; lanterns)
Sites of Jinja architectures designated National Treasures of Japan
- Tōhoku region
- Osaki Hachiman Shrine (Sendai, Miyagi)
- Kantō region
- Nikkō Tōshō-gū (Nikkō, Tochigi)
- Rinnō-ji (Nikkō, Tochigi)
- Chūbu region
- Nishina Myōjin-gū (Ōmachi, Nagano)
- Kansai region
- Onjō-ji (Ōtsu, Shiga)
- Hiyoshi Shrine (Ōtsu, Shiga)
- Mikami Shrine (Yasu, Shiga)
- Oharasasa Shrine (Yasu, Shiga)
- Tsukubusuma Shrine (Nagahama, Shiga)
- Namura Shrine (Ryūō, Shiga)
- Kamo Shrine (Kyoto, Kyoto)
- Daigo-ji (Kyoto, Kyoto)
- Toyokuni Shrine (Kyoto, Kyoto)
- Kitano Tenman-gū (Kyoto, Kyoto)
- Ujigami Shrine (Uji, Kyoto)
- Sumiyoshi Taisha (Osaka, Osaka)
- Sakurai Shrine (Sakai, Osaka)
- Kasuga Shrine (Nara, Nara)
- Enjō-ji (Nara, Nara)
- Isonokami Shrine (Tenri, Nara)
- Udamikumari Shrine (Uda, Nara)
- Chūgoku region
- Sanbutsu-ji (Misasa, Tottori)
- Izumo Taisha (Taisha, Shimane)
- Kamosu Shrine (Matsue, Shimane)
- Kibitsu Shrine (Okayama, Okayama)
- Itsukushima Shrine (Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima)
- Shikoku region
- Kandani Shrine (Sakaide, Kagawa)
- Kyūshū region
- Usa Shrine (Usa, Ōita)
Kannushi
A Kannushi (神主) is responsible for maintenance of a jinja as well as leading worship. He generally does not propagate. Traditionally, most jinja did not have a Kannushi and was maintained by a committee of local populace who are called Ujiko (氏子). In a jinguji, a Buddhist monk maintained the jinja in addition to his temple.
Kami
A kami worshipped at a jinja is generally a Shinto kami but sometimes Buddhist or Taoist deities are worshiped, as well as other kami not generally considered to belong to Shinto. Some shrines are established to worship living people or figures from myths and legends.
Customs
A jinja is a place for peace and, except for occasional festival, one should not run around or engage in activities that make great noise. Most jinja welcome children playing, with some discretions.
See also
- Buddhist temples in Japan
- Nijunisha (Twenty-two shrines), A group of the most important shrines.
- List of Shinto shrines
- Senjafuda
- Himorogi
External Links
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