ABSTRACT
THE Shintô temples, the jinja, are serviced by a numerous clergy, which in 1962 numbered about 21,000 priests(579) of which 16,674 in temples affiliated to the Jinja-honchô.(122)
The main function of priests of all ranks is to worship and serve the Kami, thus ensuring the maintenance of good relations between the world of Gods and the world of men, and obtaining divine protection and guidance for the people, the country and the Emperor, both materially and spiritually. According to a recent author, ‘in Shintô there is no clear demarcation between Kami and priest. When priests or priestesses impersonated Kami during a matsuri, they were really Kami.’(529)
Although they are greatly respected by all classes of society and are often consulted by laymen on all sorts of subjects, they are not expected to act as spiritual leaders or directors to the community or to individual members of it. Their only intervention consists in holding divine services at the request of parishioners and for their benefit.
