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Title |
Text |
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| 1 |
Myōjin taisha |
A shrine dedicated to a "eminent kami " ( myōjin ) noted for its remarkable powers. All such shrines were considered "great shrines" ( taisha ) under the ancient system of shrine rankings ( shakaku ). In the Kyoto-Osaka region, such shrines are particularly num... |
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| 2 |
Naijin, Gejin |
The term naijin refers to the innermost sanctum of a shrine's main sanctuary ( honden ), the place where the divine symbol ( shintai or mitamashiro ) that represents the presence of the kami is enshrined. In turn, the gejin or "nave" comprises its outer part. The two areas ar... |
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| 3 |
Otabisho |
Also called okariya or angū , a facility serving as the temporary destination or midway resting point during a kami 's ritual procession ( miyuki ). On the occasion of such processions, the kami 's symbol is taken from its usual "seat" ( shinza ) in the shrine and is t... |
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| 4 |
Saiden |
[Sai den] Literally, a "dedicated" or "tabooed" paddy field, namely, one specially reserved and dedicated to the production of sacred rice for use in offerings of grain and ritual sake ( miki ) to the kami of a shrine. While saiden are sometimes found at ordinar... |
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| 5 |
Saijō |
[Sai jō] A general term for a ritual site, or any place where the enshrinement of a kami or the performance of ritual worship takes place. At Shinto shrines, the facility may be called either a saijōin or saijōsho , and may be represented by either a permanent or temporary structure. In t... |
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| 6 |
Saikan |
[Sai kan] A structure used by shrine officials ( shinshoku ) to retreat for secluded purification ( kessai ) prior to serving in divine ceremonies. At the Grand Shrines of Ise, separate halls exist for the purificatory retreats of priests known as negi (suppliants or senior priests)... |
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| 7 |
Sessha, Massha |
Categories of shrine ranking. At present, sessha and massha are not explicitly defined by official regulations, but the terms are widely used as general referents for shrines of smaller scale that exist as auxiliaries under the management of a larger main shrine. In most cases, the ... |
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| 8 |
Shagō |
The name of a shrine. At present, seven types of shagō are used. The term Jingū is used alone as a proper name to refer solely to the Grand Shrines of Ise, while other shrines may use jingū merely as one part of their names. Other shrine titles used include -gū , -taisha , -jinja , -sha , and -d... |
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| 9 |
Shamusho |
"Shrine offices," the facilities where day-to-day shrine management is conducted. Such offices normally also include facilities for dispensing shinsatsu ("good-luck talismans"), and offices where worshipers may apply for the performance of special r... |
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| 10 |
Shinden |
"Divine rice field." A rice paddy where the offerings used in shrine ceremonies are grown, or for otherwise augmenting the various profits of a shrine. Such shrine fields were already provided for as grants from the state under the centralized ritsuryō (administrative ... |
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| 11 |
Shinmon |
A decorative crest serving as the distinctive symbol or "logo" for each shrine, often found emblazoned or displayed at the entryway to the shrine. The crest may be selected on the basis of legendary connections to the enshrined kami ( saijin ), the geographical name of the ... |
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| 12 |
Shinsenden |
The general term for a hall where food offerings are prepared. The actual name used to designate the building may differ depending on the shrine involved; some names include gokusho , shinkusho , kashiwadono , moridono , mikeden , and imibiya , and the composition and construction of ... |
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| 13 |
Shintaizan |
[Shintai zan] A mountain dedicated as an object of worship by virtue of its being possessed by a kami . While the term is not of ancient provenance, the practice of such dedication is itself very old. The worship of mountains can be found throughout the world, and certain mountains have ... |
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| 14 |
Shōkonsha |
[Shōkon sha] "Spirit-inviting-shrine." Prior to World War II, this term referred to shrines established for the purpose of appeasing the spirits of loyalist soldiers who died in the battles of the Meiji Restoration, and thus served as the earlier incarnation of shrine... |
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| 15 |
Soreisha |
[Sorei sha] "Ancestral shrine," a smaller shrine established within the precincts of a local "clan deity" ( ujigami ) or "parish tutelary" ( ubusuna ), and dedicated to the worship of the ancestral spirits of shrine parishioners ( ujiko ). The term ... |
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| 16 |
Tamagaki |
A fence enclosing a shrine, sacred area, or the imperial palace. It is believed that the ancient form of such a fence was a brushwood barrier using trees, but historically such fences have also utilized stone, wood, and in recent years, even concrete. Fences may be given a variety of de... |
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| 17 |
Teinaisha |
[Teinai sha] A small shrine located within a private residential compound. Also sometimes called a teinai shinshi. Some such shrines originated from the belief that a local kami already dwelled in the area before the building of the home, while others were especially dedicated to t... |
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| 18 |
Temizuya |
[Temizu ya] A purification font where shrine visitors rinse their hands and mouth in symbolic purification. Sometimes read chōzuya . Usually located near the entrance of shrines, most of these facilities are take the form of a simple roof supported by pillars over a font of running w... |
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| 19 |
Tongū |
Also called karimiya . Literally, a "temporary palace." Originally built as a temporary rest stop for an emperor, empress or crown prince during an outing, the term was later also applied to the temporary structures built to enshrine the spirit of a kami during a sacred pr... |
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| 20 |
Torii |
A formalized gateway arch signifying entrance to a sacred area. Shrines may have one or more torii . When multiple torii are present, the largest one is normally called the "first torii" ( ichi no torii ), and stands at the approachway to the grounds of the shrine. Torii may a... |
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