Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines explained

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

1. Imperial shrines (kampeisha), which are parsed into minor, medium, or major sub-categories; and
2. National shrines (kokuheisha), which are similarly categorized as minor, medium, or major.^[1]

Some shrines are the "first shrines" called ichinomiya that have the highest rank in their respective provinces of Japan.

The Ise Grand Shrine stood at the top of all shrines and thus was outside the classification.^{[2] [3]}

All listed shrines on this page with the exception of Ise Grand Shrine are Beppyo shrines.

History

On the fourteenth day of the fifth month of 1871, by decree of the Dajō-kan, the fundamental elements of the modern shrine system were established: a hierarchic ranking of Shinto shrines, with specification of the grades of priest who could officiate at the various levels of shrine.^[4] These rankings were set aside in 1946, when such rankings were deemed "State Shinto" by the Occupation Shinto Directive. The Jinja Honcho currently has a slightly different List of Special Shrines (別表神社, beppyo jinja).

Ise Grand Shrine

Kashima Jingu and Katori Jingu were considered the two shrines directly below Ise Jingu.

Kan-sha

The or "official government shrines" had two subdivisions, Kanpei-sha or "government shrines" and Kokuhei-sha or "national shrines".^[4]

For future tables, red cells denote shrines in the Japanese colonial empire.

Kanpei-sha

In 1871, the Japanese government established the Kanpei-sha (官幣社) system to classify Shinto shrines based on their level of association with the imperial family. The highest category included shrines that venerated the imperial family members, emperors, or meritorious retainers of the Imperial family. These shrines were considered to be the most closely associated with the imperial family and received government support.^[1]

Imperial shrines, 1st rank

The Kanpei-taisha were the most highly ranked shrines in Japan that were officially designated by the government. There were 67 shrines that held this status, which were closely associated with the imperial family. These shrines were considered to be of great historical and cultural significance, and were often visited by members of the imperial family as well as the general public.^[5]

name	location	Category	notes
Katori jingu^[6]	Katori, Chiba	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha
Kashima Jingū	Kashima, Ibaraki	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha
Iwashimizu Hachimangū	Yawata	Kokushi genzaisha, Chokusaisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Upper Seven; Homuda-wakeno-mikoto (Emperor Ōjin); Okinaga-tarashi-hime-no-mikoto (Empress Jingū),
Kamigamo Shrine	Kita-ku, Kyoto	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Upper Seven, combined with Shimogamo Shrine; Wake-ikazuchi-no-kami; ichinomiya of Yamashiro Province^[7]
Shimogamo Shrine	Sakyō-ku, Kyoto	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Upper Seven, combined with Kamigamo Shrine; Tamayori-hime-no-mikoto; Kamo Taeketsunumi-no-mikoto; ichinomiya of Yamashiro Province
Kasuga-taisha^[8]	Nara	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Upper Seven, Takemikazuchi, Futsunushi, Ame no Koyane, Himegami
Matsunoo Taisha	Ukyō-ku, Kyoto	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Upper Seven; Oyamakui-no-mikoto; Nakatsushima-hime-no-mikoto, Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto
Hirano Shrine	Kita-ku, Kyoto	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Upper Seven; Imaki-no-kami, Kudo-no-kami; Furuaki-no-kami, Himegami
Fushimi Inari-taisha	Fushimi-ku, Kyoto	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Upper Seven; Inari Ōkami, Ukanomitama
Tatsuta Taisha	Sangō, Nara	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Middle Seven, Shinatsuhiko
Ōmiwa Shrine	Sakurai, Nara	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Middle Seven; ichinomiya of Yamato Province ŌmononushiŌnamuchiSukunahikona-no-kamiMount Miwa
Isonokami Shrine^[9]	Tenri, Nara	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Middle Seven,
Ōyamato Shrine	Tenri, Nara	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Middle Seven, Yamato Okunitama
Hirose Taisha	Kawai, Nara	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Middle Seven
Sumiyoshi-taisha	Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Middle Seven; ichinomiya of Settsu Province, Sumiyoshi sanjin, Empress Jingū
Hiyoshi Taisha	Ōtsu	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Lower Eight, Ninomiya, Ōkuninushi, Oyamakui no Kami
Hirota Shrine	Nishinomiya	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Lower Eight, Amaterasu
Yasaka Shrine^[10]	Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto	Kokushi genzaisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Lower Eight, Susanoo-no-Mikoto (Gion cult, Yashimajinumi
Niukawakami Shrine	Higashiyoshino, Nara	Myojin Taisha	one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Lower Eight
Itsukushima Shrine	Hatsukaichi	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Aki Province proposed addition to the Twenty-Two Shrines,,,
Izumo-taisha	Izumo, Shimane	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha	ichinomiya of Izumo Province^[11] head shrine of Izumo-taishakyo, sometimes seen as a rival to Ise Grand Shrine, Susanoo-no-Mikoto
Hikawa Shrine^[12]	Saitama	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha	ichinomiya of Musashi ProvinceSusanooKushinadahimeŌkuninushiAshinazuchiTenazuchi
Usa Jingū	Usa, Ōita	Myojin Taisha, Chokusaisha	ichinomiya of Buzen ProvinceHachiman
Kashii-gū	Higashi-ku, Fukuoka	Kokushi genzaisha, Chokusaisha	Emperor Chuai, Empress Jingu
Kashihara Jingu	Kashihara, Nara	Chokusaisha	Emperor Jimmu, Himetataraisuzu-hime
Heian Jingu	Sakyō-ku, Kyoto	Chokusaisha	Emperor Kanmu Emperor Kōmei
Meiji Jingu^[13]	Shibuya	Chokusaisha	Emperor MeijiEmpress Shoken
Omi Jingū	Ōtsu	Chokusaisha	Emperor Tenji
Awa Shrine	Tateyama, Chiba	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Awa Province Ame-no-Futodama
Aso Shrine	Aso, Kumamoto	Myojin Taisha
Atsuta Jingu^[14]	Atsuta-ku, Nagoya	Myojin Taisha	Atsuta no Ōkami Amaterasu Susanoo Yamatotakeru Miyazu-hime
Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha^[15]	Fujinomiya, Shizuoka^[16]	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Suruga Province, Konohanasakuya-hime
Gassan Shrine	Tsuruoka	Myojin Taisha	one of the Three Mountains of Dewa; Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto
Hakozaki Shrine	Higashi-ku, Fukuoka	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Chikuzen ProvinceEmperor ŌjinEmpress JingūTamayori-hime
Hinokuma Jingu	Wakayama	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Kii Province,^[17] shared with Kunikakasu Shrine;
Hie Shrine	Chiyoda, Tokyo		Oyamakui no Kami
Hiraoka Shrine	Higashiōsaka	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Kawachi Province Ame-no-Koyane, Hime-gami, Futsunushi, Takemikazuchi
Hokkaidō Jingū^[18]	Sapporo		ichinomiya of Ezo Province^[19] Ōkunitama, Ōkuninushi, and Sukunahikona,
Ikukunitama Shrine	Tennōji-ku, Osaka	Myojin Taisha
Izanagi Jingu		Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Awaji Province Izanagi, Izanami
Kehi Jingu	Tsuruga, Fukui	Myojin Taisha
Kagoshima Jingū	Kirishima, Kagoshima	Shikinai Taisha	ichinomiya of Ōsumi ProvinceHooriToyotama-himeEmperor ChūaiEmperor ŌjinEmpress Jingū
Kamayama Shrine	Wakayama
Kirishima Jingū	Kirishima, Kagoshima		Konohanasakuya-himeHooriToyotama-himeUgayafukiaezuTamayori-bimeNinigi-no-Mikoto
Kumano Hongū Taisha	Tanabe, Wakayama	Myojin Taisha
Kumano Hayatama Taisha	Shingū, Wakayama	Shikinai Taisha
Kunikakasu Shrine	Wakayama	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Kii Province; shared with Hinokuma Shrine;
Mishima Taisha	Mishima, Shizuoka	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Izu Province, Ōyamatsumi
Miyazaki Jingū	Miyazaki		Emperor JimmuUgayafukiaezuTamayori-bime
Munakata Taisha	Munakata, Fukuoka	Myojin Taisha	,,
Niutsuhime Shrine	Katsuragi, Wakayama	Myojin Taisha	Niutsuhime-no-ŌkamiKōyamiko-no-ŌkamiŌgetsuhime-no-kamiIchikishimahime-no-Ōkami
Ōtori taisha	Sakai	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Izumi Province Ōtori-no-muraji and Yamato Takeru
Suwa-taisha	Suwa, Nagano	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Shinano ProvinceTakeminakataYasakatomeKotoshironushi
Takebe taisha	Ōtsu^[20]	Myojin Taisha	Yamato-takeru-no-mitoko
Taga-taisha	Taga, Shiga		Sannomiya Izanagi, Izanami
Udo Jingū	Nichinan, Miyazaki		UgayafukiaezuAmaterasuAme-no-oshihomimiNinigi-no-MikotoHooriEmperor Jimmu
Yoshino Jingu^[21]	Yoshino, Nara		Emperor Go-Daigo
Taiwan Grand Shrine	Taipei, Taiwan		now extinct
Karafuto Shrine	Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Karafuto Prefecture, Russia		removed from Sakhalin
Chōsen Jingu	Seoul, Korea under Japanese rule		now extinctKunitama OkamiAmaterasu Okami
Fuyo Jingū	Buyeo County, Korea		never completed^[22] Emperor Ōjin (Hachiman),Empress Kōgyoku,Emperor Tenji,Empress Jingū
Kantō Jingu	Lüshunkou District, Kwantung Leased Territory, China		now extinctEmperor MeijiAmaterasu Omikami
Nan'yō Shrine^[23]	Koror, Palau		Amaterasu Ōmikami. holy relics and kami were evacuated by submarine in 1944^[24]

Imperial shrines, 2nd rank

The mid-range of ranked Imperial shrines or Kanpei Chūsha (官幣中社) included 23 sanctuaries. These shrines were considered to be of intermediate rank among the government-supported shrines and were given lesser financial support compared to the Kanpei-taisha.^[25]

name	location	category	notes
Ōharano Shrine.	Nishikyō-ku, Kyoto.	Kokushi genzaisha	Take-mikazuchi-no-mitoko, Futsunushi Ame-no-Koyane, Himegami, one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Middle Seven;
Kifune Shrine.	Sakyō-ku, Kyoto	Myojin Taisha	Kuraokami-no-kami, one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Lower Eight
Kitano Tenmangū.	Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto	Kokushi genzaisha	Sugawara no Michizane , one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Lower Eight
Umenomiya Taisha.	Ukyō-ku, Kyoto^[26]	Myojin Taisha	Sakatoke-no-kami, Ōwakako-no-kami, Satatokeko-no-kami, one of the Twenty-Two Shrines, Lower Eight;
Yoshida Shrine.	Sakyō-ku, Kyoto		Twenty-Two Shrines, Lower Eight, Take-mikazuchi-no-mitoko, Futsunushi Ame-no-Koyane, Himegami,^[27]
Akama Jingu	Shimonoseki		Emperor Antoku n.b., raised to kanpei-taisha in 1940
Dazaifu Tenmangū.	Dazaifu, Fukuoka		Sugawara no Michizane
Hikosan Jingū.	Soeda, Fukuoka Prefecture		AmenooshihomimiIzanagiIzanami-no-Mikoto
Iinoya-gū	Hamana-ku, Hamamatsu^[28]		Munenaga-shinnō
Ikasuri Shrine	Chūō-ku, Osaka	Shikinai Taisha	ichinomiya of Settsu Province Zamagami
Ikuta Shrine	Chūō-ku, Kobe	Myojin Taisha	Wakahiru-me
Itakiso Shrine	Wakayama (city)^[29]	Myojin Taisha
Kamakura-gū	Kamakura^[30]		Morinaga-shinnō
Kanasana Shrine	Kodama District, Saitama	Myojin Taisha	Amaterasu, Susanoo-no-Mikoto
Kanegasaki-gū^[31]	Tsuruga, Fukui^[32]		Takanaga Shinnō, Tsunenaga shinnō
Kibitsu Shrine	Okayama	Myojin Taisha
Kumano Nachi Taisha	Nachikatsuura^[33]	Kokushi genzaisha	Ketsumiko, Kumano Hayatama-no-kami, Kumano Fusumi-no-kami
Minase Shrine	Shimamoto, Osaka		Emperor Go-Toba, Emperor Tsuchimikado and Emperor Juntoku; n.b., raised to kanpei-taisha in 1940
Mikami Shrine	Yasu, Shiga^[34]	Myojin Taisha
Nagata Shrine.	Nagata-ku, Kobe^[35]	Myojin Taisha	Kotohshironushi-no-mikoto
Shiramine Jingū^[36]	Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto		Emperor Junnin n.b., raised to kanpei-taisha in 1940
Sumiyoshi Shrine	Shimonoseki^[37]	Myojin Taisha
Yatsushiro-gū	Yatsushiro, Kumamoto^[38]		Prince Kaneyoshi
.	Tarumi-ku, Kobe, Harima Province	Myojin Taisha	Watatsumi
.	Tainan, Taiwan		now extinct; Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa-no-mikoto

Imperial shrines, 3rd rank

There were five shrines that were considered the lowest ranked among the Imperial shrines. They were called Kanpei-shōsha (官幣小社).^[31]

name	location	Category	notes
Kamado Shrine.	Dazaifu, Fukuoka^[39]	Myojin Taisha	Tamayori-bimeEmperor ŌjinEmpress Jingū
Naminoue Shrine.	Naha, Okinawa^[40]		Izanami, Hayatama, Kotosaka; ichinomiya of Ryukyu Islands^[41]
Ōkunitama Shrine.	Fuchū, Tokyo^[42]		Ōkuninushi Okunitama
Shikaumi Shrine.	Higashi-ku, Fukuoka^[43]	Myojin Taisha	Uwatsutsunoo-no-mikoto, Kakatsutsunoo-no-mitoko, Sokotsutsunoo-no-mikoto,
Sumiyoshi Shrine.	Hakata-ku, Fukuoka^[44]	Myojin Taisha

Other Imperial shrines

After the establishment of the officially ranked Imperial shrines, another group of special shrines known as Bekkaku kanpeisha (別格官幣社) was created. These shrines were not included in the ranking system of the Imperial shrines, but were still imperial.^[45]

name	location	Category	notes
Yasukuni Shrine	Chiyoda, Tokyo	Chokusaisha	Gokoku Shrines are categorized separately but considered branches of this shrine^[46]
Abeno Shrine
Fujishima Shrine	Fukui (city)
	Fukui (city)
Goō Shrine	Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto
Karasawayama Shrine	Tochigi
Kenkun Shrine	Kita-ku, Kyoto
Kikuchi Shrine
Kitabatake Shrine	Tsu, Mie
Komikado Shrine
Kunōzan Tōshō-gū
Minatogawa Shrine	,, Japan
	Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto
Nawa Shrine
Nikkō Tōshō-gū
Oyama Shrine
Ryōzen Shrine
Shijōnawate Shrine
Tanzan Shrine	Sakurai, Nara
Toyokuni Shrine (Kyoto)	,,
	Yamaguchi (city)
	Yamaguchi (city)
Terukuni shrine
Tokiwa shrine
Uesugi Shrine
Yūki Shrine	Tsu, Mie

Kokuhei-sha

The identified the hierarchy of government-supported shrines with national significance. The kokuheisha enshrined kami considered beneficial to more local areas.^[1]

National shrines, 1st rank

The most highly ranked, nationally significant shrines or were six sanctuaries.

name	location	Category	notes
Keta Taisha	Hakui, Ishikawa	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Noto Province Ōkuninushi
Kōra taisha	Kurume, Fukuoka	Myojin Taisha
Kumano Taisha	Matsue, Shimane	Myojin Taisha
Nangū Taisha	Tarui, Gifu	Myojin Taisha
Ōyamazumi Shrine	Imabari, Ehime	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Iyo Province Ōyamatsumi
Tado Taisha	Kuwana, Mie	Myojin Taisha	Ninomiya, Amatsuhikone

National shrines, 2nd rank

The mid-range of ranked, nationally significant shrines or encompassed 47 sanctuaries.

name	location	Category	notes
Aekuni Shrine	Ueno, Iga
Ani Shrine	Okayama, Okayama	Myojin Taisha
Chōkaisan Ōmonoimi Shrine	Yuza, Yamagata	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Dewa Province;
Chinzei Taisha Suwa Shrine	Nagasaki, Nagasaki
Hakodate Hachiman Shrine	Hakodate, Hokkaidō
Hayatani Shrine	Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima		Ninomiya
Ichinomiya Nukisaki Shrine	Tomioka, Gunma	Myojin Taisha
Isasumi Shrine	Aizumisato, Fukushima	Myojin Taisha
Ichinomiya Asama Shrine	Fuefuki, Yamanashi	Myojin Taisha
Ikushimatarushima Shrine	Ueda, Nagano	Myojin Taisha
Imizu Shrine	Takaoka, Toyama	Myojin Taisha
Izumo daijingu	Kameoka, Kyoto	Myojin Taisha
Izushi Shrine	Toyooka, Hyōgo	Myojin Taisha
Iwa Shrine	Shisō, Hyōgoe	Myojin Taisha
Isono Shrine	Saijō, Ehime	Myojin Taisha
Inbe Shrine	Tokushima, Tokushima	Myojin Taisha
Kaijin Shrine	Tsushima, Nagasaki	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Tsushima Province;
Kono Shrine	Miyazu, Kyoto	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Tango Province
Kotohira-gu	Kotohira, Kagawa
Masumida Shrine	Ichinomiya, Aichi	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Owari Province
Mizuwakasu Shrine	Okinoshima, Shimane	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Oki Province
Miho Shrine	Matsue, Shimane
Nakayama Shrine	Tsuyama, Okayama	Myojin Taisha
Nikkō Futarasan Shrine	Nikkō, Tochigi	Myojin Taisha
Nitta Shrine	Satsumasendai, Kagoshima		ichinomiya of Satsuma Province
Ōasahiko Shrine	Naruto, Tokushima	Myojin Taisha
Ōagata Shrine	Inuyama, Aichi	Myojin Taisha	Ninomiya,
Oarai Isosaki Shrine	Ōarai, Ibaraki	Myojin Taisha
Shiogama Shrine	Shiogama, Miyagi
Sakatsura Isosaki Shrine	Hitachinaka, Ibaraki	Myojin Taisha
Sumiyoshi Shrine (Iki City)	Iki, Nagasaki	Myojin Taisha
Samukawa Shrine	Samukawa, Kanagawa	Myojin Taisha
Shirayamahime Shrine	Hakusan, Ishikawa		ichinomiya of Kaga Province
Sasamuta Shrine	Ōita, Ōita	Shikinai Taisha
Tsutsukowake Shrine	Tanagura, Fukushima	Myojin Taisha
Tamanooya Shrine	Hōfu, Yamaguchi		ichinomiya of Suō Province
Tamasaki Shrine	Ichinomiya, Chiba	Myojin Taisha
Tamura Shrine	Takamatsu, Kagawa	Myojin Taisha
Tashima Shrine	Karatsu, Saga	Myojin Taisha
Tosa Shrine	Kōchi, Kōchi	Shikinai Taisha	ichinomiya of Tosa Province
Tsurugaoka Hachimangū	Kamakura, Kanagawa
Utsunomiya Futarayama Shrine	Utsunomiya, Tochigi	Myojin Taisha
Ube Shrine	Tottori, Tottori	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Inaba Province
Wakasahiko Shrine	Obama, Fukui	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Wakasa Province
Yahiko Shrine	Yahiko, Niigata	Myojin Taisha	ichinomiya of Echigo Province

National shrines, 3rd rank

The lowest ranked, nationally significant shrines or includes 50 sanctuaries.

Name	location	category	notes
	Chichibu, Saitama		Shinomiya
Chiriku Hachiman Shrine	Miyaki, Saga		ichinomiya of Buzen Province
Dewa Shrine	Tsuruoka, Yamagata		one of the Three Mountains of Dewa
Fujisaki-hachimangu	Kumamoto, Kumamoto
	Hakone, Kanagawa
Hinomisaki Shrine	Izumo, Shimane
	Ibusuki, Kagoshima		ichinomiya of Satsuma Province
Hotaka Shrine	Azumino, Nagano	Myojin Taisha
Iminomiya Shrine	Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
	Gifu, Gifu
	Hirosaki, Aomori		ichinomiya of Mutsu Province
	Atami, Shizuoka
Kibitsuhiko Shrine	Okayama, Okayama	Myojin Taisha
	Fukuyama, Hiroshima		ichinomiya of Bingo Province
	Akita, Akita	Kokushi genzaisha
Komagata Shrine	Ōshū, Iwate		ichinomiya of Rikuchū Province
	Takayama, Gifu		ichinomiya of Hida Province
Mononobe Shrine	Ōda, Shimane		ichinomiya of Iwami Province
Nunakuma Shrine	Fukuyama, Hiroshima
	Yonago, Tottori
	Mori, Shizuoka		ichinomiya of Tōtōmi Province
Owari Ōkunitama Shrine	Inazawa, Aichi
Oyama Shrine	Tateyama, Toyama		ichinomiya of Etchū Province
	Matsue, Shimane
	Yurihama, Tottori		ichinomiya of Hōki Province
	Aoi-ku, Shizuoka
Susa Shrine	Izumo, Shimane
	Kaga, Ishikawa		Ninomiya
	Tsushima, Aichi
	Echizen, Fukui		Ninomiya
	Nagano, Nagano
	Nanto, Toyama
	Toyokawa, Aichi		ichinomiya of Mikawa Province
Tsuno Shrine	Tsuno, Miyazaki		ichinomiya of Hyūga Province
Watatsu Shrine	Sado, Niigata		ichinomiya of Sado Province
Yudonosan Shrine	Tsuruoka, Yamagata		one of the Three Mountains of Dewa
Yusuhara Hachimangū	Oita, Oita		ichinomiya of Bungo Province
Heijō Shrine	Pyongyang, Korea		extinct
Kagi Shrine	Chiayi, Taiwan		extinct
	Hamhung, Korea		extinct
Keijō Shrine	Seoul, Korea		extinct
	Gwangju, Korea		extinct
	Chuncheon, Korea		extinct
Ryūtōsan Shrine	Busan, Korea		extinct
	Hsinchu, Taiwan		extinct
Taichu Shrine	Taichung, Taiwan		extinct
	Daegu, Korea		extinct
	Jeonju, Korea		extinct

Gokoku shrines

Gokoku shrines were ranked separately. They were considered branches of Yasukuni Shrine.^[46] This list only includes those which are currently ranked as Beppyo shrines.

name	location	Beppyo	notes
		formerly	Traditional head shrine. Also ranked as a Bekkaku Kanpeisha
		yes
		yes
	Yamagata	yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
	,	yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
	,,	yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
Hamada Gokoku Shrine		yes
		yes
Bingo Gokoku Shrine		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes
Nagasaki Gokoku Shrine		yes
		yes
		yes
		yes	Not a proper Gokoku Shrine but listed as equivalent due to having been finished after the war
		yes	Not a proper Gokoku Shrine but listed as equivalent due to having been finished after the war
		no
	,	no
		no
		no
		no
		no
		no
		no
		no
		no
		no
		no
	,	no
		no
		no
		no

"Min-sha"

The or various smaller shrines ranking below these two levels of Kan-sha ("official government shrines") are commonly, though unofficially, referred to as "people's shrines" or . These lower-ranking shrines were initially subdivided by the proclamation of the fourteenth day of the fifth month of 1871 into four main ranks, "Metropolitan", "Clan" or "Domain", "Prefectural", and "District" shrines.^[4] By far the largest number of shrines fell below the rank of District shrine. Their status was clarified by the of the fourth day of the seventh month of 1871, in accordance with which "Village shrines" ranked below their respective "District shrines", while the smaller local shrines or Hokora ranked beneath the "Village shrines".^[4]

Here is a non-exhaustive list of shrines under each categorization. This list only includes ones now listed as Beppyo shrines unless otherwise specified.

Metropolitan and Prefectural Shrines

"Metropolitan shrines" were known as . "Prefectural shrines" were known as . At a later date, the "Prefectural shrines" were classed together with the "Metropolitan shrines" as "Metropolitan and Prefectural Shrines" or .

Name	location	Category	notes
Metropolitan Shrine (府社)
Nogi Shrine (Tokyo)	Minato, Tokyo	－
Kanda Shrine	Chiyoda, Tokyo
Tōgō Shrine	Tokyo Shibuya	－
Ōmiya Hachiman Shrine (Tokyo)	Suginami	－
Yushima Tenmangū	Bunkyō
Atago Shrine (Kyoto)	Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture Ukyō-ku, Kyoto	Shikinai Shosha
Osaka Tenmangū	Kita-ku, Osaka
Kōzu-gū	Chuo Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Prefectural Shrine (県社)
Sumiyoshi Shrine	Otaru
Kamikawa Shrine	Asahikawa
Obihiro Shrine	Obihiro
Tarumaezan Shrine	Tomakomai
Saruka Shrine	Hirakawa, Aomori
	Shiwa District, Iwate Shiwa, Iwate	－
Morioka Hachimangū	Morioka	－
	Ishinomaki	Shōsha Ronsha (小社論社)
Takekoma Inari Shrine	Iwanuma
	Akita (city)
	Senboku District, Akita Misato, Akita
Kinpō Shrine	Tsuruoka
Kumano Shrine	Nan'yō, Yamagata
	Nishiokitama District, Yamagata Shirataka	－
	Nishimurayama District, Yamagata Kahoku, Yamagata	－
	Yamagata	－
	Sagae	－
Tsukubasan Shrine	Tsukuba	Myojin Taisha (名神)・Shikinai Shosha
Mito Tōshō-gū	Mito, Ibaraki	－
	Chichibu, Saitama
	Nagatoro, Saitama
	Higashimatsuyama, Saitama
Hikawa Shrine (Kawagoe)	Kawagoe, Saitama
Washinomiya Shrine	Kuki, Saitama
Koma Shrine	Hidaka, Saitama
Enoshima Shrine	Fujisawa, Kanagawa
	Yokohama	－
	Hiratsuka
Hōtoku Ninomiya Shrine	Odawara	－
	Isehara, Kanagawa	Shikinai Shosha
	Niigata (city) Chūō-ku, Niigata	Shōsha Ronsha (小社論社)
	Toyama city	－
	Kanazawa	Shikinai Shosha
	Fukui (city)
	Fujiyoshida
	Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Fujikawaguchiko
Takeda Shrine	Kōfu	－
	Matsumoto, Nagano
	Suwa, Nagano
	Chikuma, Nagano	Myojin Taisha (名神)
	Ōmachi, Nagano
	Takayama, Gifu
Akihasan Hongū Akiha Shrine	Tenryū Ward
	Shimoda, Shizuoka	Myojin Taisha (名神)
Yaizu Shrine	Yaizu
	Shimada, Shizuoka
	Chūō-ku, Hamamatsu
Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine	Naka Ward, Nagoya City
	Chiryū	Shikinai Shosha
Tsubaki Grand Shrine	Suzuka, Mie	Shōsha Ronsha (小社論社)
Himure Hachiman-gū	Ōmihachiman
	Nagahama, Shiga
Nishinomiya Shrine	Nishinomiya
Itatehyōzu Shrine	Himeji	Shikinai Shosha
Hiromine Shrine	Himeji	Kokushi genzaisha (国史)
Oishi Shrine	Akō, Hyōgo	－
Tada Shrine	Kawanishi, Hyōgo	－
	Yamatotakada, Nara	Taisha (大社)
	Tanabe, Wakayama
	Matsue
Yaegaki Shrine	Matsue	Shikinai Shosha
Fukuyama Hachimangū	Fukuyama, Hiroshima
	Kure, Hiroshima
Hōfu Tenmangū	Hōfu
	Ube, Yamaguchi
Kameyama Hachimangū	Shimonoseki
	Saijō, Ehime
	Uwajima, Ehime
	Matsuyama	Myojin Taisha (名神)
	Kōchi (city)
Miyajidake Shrine	Fukutsu, Fukuoka
Kurume Suitengū	Kurume City
Kushida Shrine	Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
Furogu Shrine	Ōkawa, Fukuoka
	Kitakyushu Tobata-ku, Kitakyūshū
	Moji-ku, Kitakyūshū
Umi Hachiman-gū	Kasuya District, Fukuoka Umi, Fukuoka
	Buzen, Fukuoka
Terumo Shrine	Chūō-ku, Fukuoka
	Iizuka, Fukuoka
Yūtoku Inari Shrine	Kashima, Saga	－
	Sasebo
Aoi Aso Shrine	Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
	Beppu
	Ōita (city)
	Miyakonojō
	Nishimorokata District, Miyazaki Takaharu, Miyazaki
Susaki Shrine			Awa Province Ichinomiya, Not a Beppyo shrine
			Soja Shrine, Not a Beppyo shrine
Take Shrine	Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima	Myojin Taisha (名神)	Not a Beppyo shrine
Unknown
Tsubaki-Nakato Shrine	Suzuka, Mie Prefecture		Ise Province Ichinomiya, Not a Beppyo shrine
Kotonomama Hachiman-gū	Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture		Tōtōmi Province Ichinomiya, Not a Beppyo shrine
Keta Jinja	Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture		ichinomiya of former Etchū Province, Not a Beppyo shrine
Kota Shrine	Jōetsu, Niigata Prefecture		ichinomiya of former Echigo Province, Not a Beppyo shrine
Amatsu Shrine	Itoigawa, Niigata		ichinomiya of former Echigo Province, Not a Beppyo shrine
Awaga-jinja	Asago in Hyōgo Prefecture		ichinomiya of former Tajima Province, Not a Beppyo shrine
Ichinomiya Shrine	Tokushima in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan		ichinomiya of former Awa Province, Not a Beppyo shrine
	Saga, Saga Prefecture		Hizen Province ichinomiya, Not a Beppyo shrine
	Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Kyoto, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Izumi Province, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Higo Province, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Osaka		Not a Beppyo shrine
Nitta Shrine (Ōta)			Not a Beppyo shrine
Suga Shrine	Unnan, Shimane Prefecture, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
Sakurai Shrine (Sakai)	Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Osaka Prefecture, Japan	Myojin Taisha	Not a Beppyo shrine
Suda Hachiman Shrine	Hashimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Nishiwaki, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Habikino		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Kainan City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan		Not a Beppyo shrine
Ikoma Shrine	Ikoma, Nara		Not a Beppyo shrine
	Minamiawaji, Hyōgo Prefecture		Not a Beppyo shrine, Yamato Okunitama, Awaji Province Ninomiya
Koxinga Shrine	Tainan, Taiwan		Was proposed to be the highest shrine in Taiwan^[47]

Clan or Domain shrines

"Clan shrines" or "Domain shrines" were known as .^[4] Due to the abolition of the han system, no shrines were ever placed in this category.^[45]

District shrine

"District shrines" were known as .^[4]

Name	location	Category	notes
	Shōnai, Yamagata	－
	Inashiki
	Suginami	－
	Kawasaki, Kanagawa Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki
	Fujiyoshida
	Fuji, Shizuoka	Shikinai Shosha
Imamiya Ebisu Shrine	Naniwa-ku, Osaka
	Kanoashi District, Shimane Tsuwano, Shimane
	Anan, Tokushima
	Nishi-ku, Fukuoka
Tagata Shrine			Not a Beppyo shrine
			Not a Beppyo shrine
Ono Shrine			Not a Beppyo shrineMusashi Province Ichinomiya
Ebetsu shrine			Not a Beppyo shrine
Hokumon Shrine			Not a Beppyo shrine
Kushihiki Hachimangū			Not a Beppyo shrine
Ōsasahara Shrine			Not a Beppyo shrine
Shirahigetawara Shrine			Not a Beppyo shrine
Torigoe Hachiman Shrine			Not a Beppyo shrine
Tosa Kokubun-ji			Not a Beppyo shrine
			Not a Beppyo shrine
			Not a Beppyo shrine
	Kishiwada, Osaka		Not a Beppyo shrine

Village shrines

"Village shrines" were known as and ranked below their respective "District shrines", in accordance with the District Shrine Law of 4 July 1871.^[4]

Name	location	Category	notes
Ōsaki Hachimangū	Sendai Aoba-ku, Sendai
Kasama Inari Shrine	Kasama, Ibaraki
	Matsumoto, Nagano	－
	Atami
Futami Okitama Shrine	Ise, Mie
	Higashiōmi
	Hiroshima Minami-ku, Hiroshima
	Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyūshū
Aoshima Shrine	Miyazaki (city)
Takachiho Shrine	Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Takachiho, Miyazaki	Kokushi genzaisha (国史)
Amanoiwato Shrine	Takachiho Town, Nishiusuki District
	Iki, Nagasaki	Myojin Taisha (名神)	Iki Province Ichinomiya, not a Beppyo shrine
Araki Shrine	Okinoshima, Shimane		Sōja shrine, not a Beppyo shrine
	Kyōtango, Kyoto Prefecture		not a Beppyo shrine
Ichinomiya Sengen Shrine	Ichikawamisato, Nishiyatsushiro District in Yamanashi Prefecture	Myojin Taisha (名神)	Kai Province Ichinomiya, not a Beppyo shrine
Kamochi Shrine	Hino, Tottori Prefecture		not a Beppyo shrine
Nagakusa Tenjin Shrine	Aichi Prefecture, Obu City		not a Beppyo shrine
Togakushi Shrine			not a Beppyo shrine
	Oki-gun, Shimane	Myojin Taisha (名神)	Oki Province Ichinomiya, not a Beppyo shrine
			Iki Province Sōja shrine

Hokora or Ungraded shrines

Small local shrines known as are ranked beneath the village shrines, in accordance with the District Shrine Law of 4 July 1871.^[4] At a later date, shrines beneath the rank of "Village shrines" were classed as "Ungraded shrines" or .^[4]

Name	location	Category	notes
Sarutahiko Shrine	Ise, Mie		Sarutahiko Ōkami
Takahashi Inari Shrine	Kumamoto		－
Itsukushima Shrine (Kyoto)			Not a Beppyo shrine
Shirakumo Shrine			Not a Beppyo shrine
Suitengū (Tokyo)			Not a Beppyo shrine

Statistics

New shrines were established and existing shrines promoted to higher ranks at various dates, but a 1903 snapshot of the 193,297 shrines in existence at that time saw the following:^[4]

• Kan-sha
  • Imperial shrines: 95
  • National shrines: 75
• "Min-sha"
  • Metropolitan and prefectural shrines: 571
  • District shrines: 3,476
  • Village shrines: 52,133
  • Ungraded shrines: 136,947

See also

• List of Shinto shrines
• Setsumatsusha

Sources

• Breen, John and Mark Teeuwen. (2000). Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
• Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 194887
• _______________. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 399449
• _______________. (1963). The Viciissitudes of Shinto. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society.

Notes and References

1. Institute for Japanese Culture and Classics, Kokugakuin University: Glossary of Shinto Names and Terms, Kampei Taisha.
2. Book: Holtom, D.C. . The National Faith Of Japan. A Study in Modern Shinto. First published 1965 . 2012-11-12. Routledge. 9781136165573. 12. en.
3. Book: Bocking, Brian. A Popular Dictionary of Shinto. 1997. Curzon Press. 9780700710515. 120. en.
4. The Establishment of Shrine Shinto in Meiji Japan . Fridell, Wilbur M . . 2 . 2–3 . 1975 . . 137–168 . 10.18874/jjrs.2.2-3.1975.137-168 . free .
5. [Richard Ponsonby-Fane|Ponsonby-Fane, Richard]
6. Chiba prefectural government: Chiba, Katori Shrine
7. http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/images/uploads/EOS070712Ab.pdf "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya,"
8. National Diet Library (NDL): Kanpei Taisha Kasuga Jinja
9. Nara National Museum: No. 31, Map of the Precincts of Kanpei Taisha Isonokami Shrine
10. Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 126.
11. http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/images/uploads/EOS070712Ab.pdf "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya,"
12. Sawada, Janine Anderson. (2004). Practical pursuits: religion, politics, and personal cultivation in nineteenth-century Japan, p. 312 n15.
13. Breen, John et al. (2000). Shinto in History: ways of the Kami, p. 276.
14. Encyclopedia of Shinto: Atsuta Shinkō
15. Bernstein, Andrew. "Whose Fuji?: Religion, Region, and State in the Fight for a National Symbol," Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 63, No. 1, Spring 2008, pp. 51-99; Ponsonby-Fane, (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 125.
16. Asama Shrine: Fujinomiya, Shizuoka = Ōmiya in Suruga province
17. http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/images/uploads/EOS070712Ab.pdf "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya,"
18. Ponsonby-Fane, (1963). The Vicissitudes of Shinto, p. 328.
19. http://nippon-kichi.jp/article_list.do;jsessionid=FC887DADAAEBA72810A17BDBE48CA719?kwd=2248&ml_lang=en 北海道神宮　...　Hokkaido Jingu Shrine at Nippon-Kichi.jp
20. Takebe Taisha: Ōtsu, Shiga = Seta in Ōmi province
21. NDL: Kanpei Taisha Yoshino Jingu
22. Michio . Nakajima . 2010 . Shinto Deities that Crossed the Sea: Japan's "Overseas Shrines," 1868 to 1945 . Japanese Journal of Religious Studies . 37 . 1 . 21–46 . 0304-1042.
23. [Mark Peattie|Peattie]
24. Peattie, p. 339 n61.
25. Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 125.
26. Umenomiya Shrine: Ukyō-ku, Kyoto = Umetsu in Yamashiro province
27. Web site: Japanese Shrines. 2023-04-10. www.taleofgenji.org.
28. Iinoya-gū:Hamana-ku, Hamamatsu = Iya in Tōtōmi province.
29. Itakeso Shrine: Wakayama, Wakayama = Nishiyama Higashimura in Kii province; n.b., = Kishū (紀州)
30. Kamakura-gū: Kamakura, Kanagawa = Kamakura in Sagami province
31. Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 127.
32. Kanegazaki Shrine: Tsuruga, Fukui = Tsuruga in Echizen province
33. Kumano Nachi Taisha: Nachikatsuura, Wakayama = Nachi in Kii province; n.b., = Kishū (紀州), was a province of Honshū in Wakayama Prefecture and Mie Prefecture.
34. Mikami Shrine: Yasu, Shiga = Mikamimura in Ōmi province
35. Nagata Shrine: Nagata-ku, Kobe = Kobe in Settsu province.
36. Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 126; n.b., raised to kanpei-taisha in 1940
37. Sumiyoshi Shrine: Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi = Katsuyama in Nagato province
38. Yatsushiro Shrine: Yatsushiro, Kumamoto = Yatsushiro in Higo province
39. Kamado Shrine: Dazaifu, Fukuoka = Fukuoka in Chikuzen province
40. Naminoe Shrine: Naha, Okinawa = Wakasa on Okinawa Island in the Ryukyu Kingdom
41. [George H. Kerr|Kerr, George H.]
42. Ōkunitama jinja at Fuchū, Tokyo = Fuchū in Musashi province
43. Shigaumi Shrine: Higashi-ku, Fukuoka = Fukuoka, Chikuzen province
44. Sumiyoshi Shrine: Hakata-ku, Fukuoka = Fukuoka in Chikuzen province
45. Web site: Modern Shrine Ranking System . Encyclopedia of Shinto . . 29 September 2019.
46. TAKAYAMA . K. PETER . 1990 . Enshrinement and Persistency of Japanese Religion . Journal of Church and State . 32 . 3 . 527–547 . 0021-969X.
47. Book: Shimizu, Karli . Overseas Shinto Shrines: Religion, Secularity and the Japanese Empire . Rambelli . Fabio . 2022-10-06 . Bloomsbury Academic . 978-1-350-23498-7 . London New York (N.Y.) Oxford . English.