ABSTRACT
The process whereby sect Shinto came into being overlaps to a very considerable extent with the establishment of the modern shrine system, but its foundations are to be located at the end of the Edo period.6 The historical conditions for the emergence of sect Shinto are to be found in numerous Edo phenomena: National Learning (kokugaku), the confraternities (ko¯) attached to mountain cults and, finally, the Shinto teachings of families like the Yoshida and Shirakawa. When we speak today of sect Shinto, we normally refer to the thirteen sects founded in pre-war Japan. These are, to give them the names they are known by today, and in the order of their being awarded independent status by the Meiji government: Kurozumikyo¯, Shinto¯ shu¯seiha, Izumo o¯yashirokyo¯, Fuso¯kyo¯, Jikko¯kyo¯, Shinshu¯kyo¯, Shinto¯ taiseikyo¯, Ontakekyo¯, Shinto¯ taikyo¯,
The afore-mentioned Jinja honcho¯ determines individual shrine priests’ titles, rank and status. Among the common titles are gu¯ji, gongu¯ji, negi and gonnegi. Additionally, the Izumo shrine uses the title of kyo¯to¯, Sumiyoshi taisha uses sho¯negi, Ise and Atsuta use kujo¯. Regardless of the size of the shrine, there is only one gu¯ji or Chief Priest per shrine, so they correspond perhaps to the company president of the business world. Rank in the shrine world is of four degrees, known as ‘purity’, ‘brightness’, ‘correctness’ and ‘straightness’. The rank of purity is only for those priests who have a long and proven record. A student who has graduated with distinction from Kokugakuin or Kogakkan university is automatically accorded the rank of brightness. The other ranks, correctness and straightness, are awarded to those who have attended short courses at either university. There are, additionally, six degrees of status: special status, 1st degree status, upper 2nd and 2nd degree status, 3rd and 4th degree.
