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Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrines were shrines that received offerings of Shinsenheihakuryo from local public entities from the Meiji era until the end of World War II.
Shinsenheihakuryo refers to shinsen (sacred food offerings to the gods) and heihaku (monetary offerings to the gods). Shinsen typically included rice, sake, fish, vegetables, and fruits, while heihaku consisted of paper money and gold coins.
Under the Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines established in the early Meiji period, shrines were classified into Kanpei-sha/Kokuhei-sha, Kokuhei-sha, Fuken-sha, Go-sha, and Son-sha according to their prestige and scale. Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrines corresponded to Go-sha and Son-sha categories.
The Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines was a classification system based on shrine prestige and scale, established through shrine system reforms in the early Meiji period.
After the Meiji Restoration, the Shinbutsu Bunri Decree separated Shinto shrines from Buddhist temples. As a result, shrines were positioned as national ritual institutions, and the system was gradually developed.
Under the Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines, shrines across Japan were classified into five ranks.
| Rank | Description |
|---|---|
| Kanpei - sha / Kokuhei - sha | Highest - ranking shrines that conducted national rituals |
| Kokuhei - sha | Shrines ranked second after Kanpei - sha |
| Fuken - sha | Shrines that conducted rituals for prefectural governments |
| Go - sha | Shrines revered by local communities |
| Son - sha | Small - scale shrines |
Shrines received financial support from the state according to their rank.
The Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines was abolished after World War II. Post-war shrines became independent as religious corporations and no longer received state support, eliminating the need for the ranking system.
The Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines was established with the aim of controlling shrines and fostering a sense of belonging to the state. However, with the independence of Shinto after the war, it lost its role and was abolished.
Not all Go-sha and Son-sha were designated as Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrines. To be designated, shrines needed to meet the following requirements:
Additionally, an application from the shrine itself was necessary for designation.
Specifically, the following types of shrines were designated:
Therefore, even among Go-sha and Son-sha, only a limited number of shrines met these requirements.
Note that while the Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrine system was established in the early Meiji period, from 1906 (Meiji 39), an imperial decree (Imperial Decree No. 96 “Concerning the Offering of Shinsenheihakuryo to Shrines Below Fuken-sha Rank”) was issued allowing even shrines below Fuken-sha rank to receive Shinsenheihakuryo, gradually enabling them to receive public funds thereafter. From April 1914 (Taisho 3), it was also permitted to receive Shinsenheihakuryo for three festivals: Kinen-sai, Niiname-sai, and regular festivals.
There were two main reasons for the existence of the Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrine designation:
After the Meiji Restoration, the Shinbutsu Bunri Decree separated Shinto shrines from Buddhist temples. As a result, shrines were positioned as national ritual institutions, and the system was developed.
Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrines were established as part of this system. Shrines were classified into five ranks according to their prestige and scale. Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrines corresponded to Go-sha and Son-sha categories.
The Shinsenheihakuryo offerings were used for shrine rituals and priests’ salaries. Therefore, being designated as a Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrine was important for ensuring financial stability.
Furthermore, receiving financial support from the state meant being under state control. Therefore, the Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrine designation also served as a means of controlling shrines.
There were approximately 20,000 Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrines nationwide, but the designation was abolished due to the following factors:
Shrines were positioned as national ritual institutions in the early Meiji period, and the system was developed. However, after the war, Shinto became independent as a religion and no longer received state support, eliminating the need for the Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrine designation.
Additionally, the post-war GHQ implemented religious policies aimed at dismantling the State Shinto system and guaranteeing freedom of religion. As part of these religious policies, the Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrine designation was abolished as it represented state involvement in religion.
Specifically, on December 15, 1945, the GHQ issued the “Directive for the Disestablishment of State Shinto” (Shinto Directive). This memorandum established shrines as independent religious corporations that no longer received state support, thereby abolishing the Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrine designation.
After the abolition of the Shinsenheihakuryo Kyoshin Shrine designation, shrines took on new roles as centers of faith in their respective regions.
After the abolition of the Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines, all shrines were nominally placed on equal footing (except for Ise Grand Shrine).
However, the Association of Shinto Shrines established in its “Regulations Concerning the Appointment and Dismissal of Officers and Staff” that former Kanpei-sha/Kokuhei-sha and some larger shrines would receive special treatment. These shrines are called Beppyo Shrines.
There are currently about 350 Beppyo Shrines, including many nationally known large shrines such as Izumo Grand Shrine, Meiji Shrine, Dazaifu Tenmangu, Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, Atsuta Shrine, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
Beppyo Shrines receive different treatment from ordinary shrines in terms of personnel matters. While chief priests of ordinary shrines can be appointed if they hold qualifications of “Gon-Seikai” or higher, chief priests of Beppyo Shrines require the higher qualification of “Meikai” or above. Additionally, while chief priests of ordinary shrines are appointed and dismissed by prefectural shrine association directors, chief priests of Beppyo Shrines are directly appointed and dismissed by the President of the Association of Shinto Shrines.
For small neighborhood shrines, it is relatively easy to inherit the chief priest position through family succession by obtaining qualifications and gaining approval from the local shrine association director. However, at Beppyo Shrines, the central organization of the Association of Shinto Shrines holds personnel authority, making this much more difficult.
In other words, although the ranking system was abolished, differences in status among shrines effectively continue to exist.
Incidentally, the reason why Ise Grand Shrine alone is excluded from this “equal footing” is that Ise Grand Shrine is positioned as the “Honso” (head shrine) of the Association of Shinto Shrines, standing above all other shrines. If Beppyo Shrines are “shrines receiving special treatment,” then Ise Grand Shrine is “in a class of its own from the start.” The appointment and dismissal of the High Priest follows its own unique procedures, and it maintains its special status to this day as an entity distinct from the jurisdiction of the Association of Shinto Shrines.
