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62-498: The first mention of the kami Oyamakui is recorded in Kojiki , written in the 8th century AD, which states that this god resides at Mount Hiei , which is located immediately to the east of Hiyoshi Taisha. This kami was relocated from the summit of the mountain to its present location in the seventh year of the reign of the semi-legendary Emperor Sujin , or 90 BC per the traditional calendar. In 668 AD, Emperor Tenji decided to relocate

124-413: A Shinto shrine follow a purification ritual before presenting themselves to the kami . This ritual begins with hand washing and swallowing and later spitting a small amount of water in front of the shrine to purify the body, heart, and mind. Once this is complete they turn their focus to gaining the kami's attention. The traditional method of doing this is to bow twice, clap twice and bow again, alerting

186-492: A distinctive quality or virtue. These kami are celebrated regionally, and several miniature shrines ( hokora ) have been built in their honor. In many cases, people who once lived are thus revered; an example of this is Tenjin , who was Sugawara no Michizane (845–903 CE) in life. Within Shinto it is believed that the nature of life is sacred because the kami began human life. Yet people cannot perceive this divine nature, which

248-542: A divine superior spirit within: the kami . Amatsukami and Kunitsukami are categories of kami in Japanese mythology . Amatsugami is a generic term for the gods in Takamagahara or those who descended from Tenson kōrin , while Kunitsugami is a generic term for the gods who appeared on the earth ( Ashihara no Nakatsukuni ). In Japanese mythology, the acceptance of the transfer of the land ( Ashihara no Nakatsukuni ) by

310-452: A system justifying Japanese Imperialism where Japanese people in the colonies were seen as Amatsukami and natives were seen as Kunitsukami , however he was later censored as his position was considered too supportive of the rights of colonized peoples. One of the first recorded rituals we know of is Niiname-sai ( 新嘗祭 ) , the ceremony in which the Emperor offers newly harvested rice to

372-474: Is a rite of passage for five-year-old boys and three- or seven-year-old girls. It is a time for these young children to personally offer thanks for the kami's protection and to pray for continued health. Many other rites of passage are practiced by Shinto believers, and there are also many other festivals. The main reason for these ceremonies is so that Shinto followers can appease the kami in order to reach magokoro . Magokoro can only be received through

434-426: Is potentially observed and passed onto future generations. The second affirmation is to have a love of nature. Nature objects are worshipped as sacred because the kami inhabit them. Therefore, to be in contact with nature means to be in contact with the gods. The third affirmation is to maintain physical cleanliness. Followers of Shinto take baths, wash their hands, and rinse out their mouths often. The last affirmation

496-553: Is sometimes unclear whether kami refers to a single or multiple entities. When a singular concept is needed, -kami ( 神 ) is used as a suffix . The reduplicated term generally used to refer to multiple kami is kamigami . While Shinto has no founder, no overarching doctrine, and no religious texts, the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), written in 712 CE, and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), written in 720 CE, contain

558-477: Is the mythological figure Amaterasu -ōmikami, the sun goddess of the Shinto pantheon. Although these kami can be considered deities, they are not necessarily considered omnipotent or omniscient , and like the Greek Gods , they had flawed personalities and were quite capable of ignoble acts. In the myths of Amaterasu, for example, she could see the events of the human world, but had to use divination rituals to see

620-497: Is to practice matsuri , which is the worship and honor given to the kami and ancestral spirits. Shinto followers also believe that the kami are the ones who can either grant blessings or curses to a person. Shinto believers desire to appease the evil kami to "stay on their good side", and also to please the good kami . In addition to practicing the four affirmations daily, Shinto believers also wear omamori to aid them in remaining pure and protected. Mamori are charms that keep

682-576: The Engi-shiki ( 延喜式 , literally, Procedures of the Engi Era ) was promulgated in fifty volumes. This, the first formal codification of Shinto rites and norito (liturgies and prayers) to survive, became the basis for all subsequent Shinto liturgical practice and efforts. It listed all of the 2,861 Shinto shrines existing at the time, and the 3,131 official-recognized and enshrined kami . The number of kami has grown and far exceeded this figure through

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744-560: The Japanese colonial empire . 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

806-675: The Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, beings and the qualities that these beings express, and/or the spirits of venerated dead people. Many kami are considered the ancient ancestors of entire clans (some ancestors became kami upon their death if they were able to embody the values and virtues of kami in life). Traditionally, great leaders like the Emperor could be or became kami . In Shinto, kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative, and good and evil characteristics. They are manifestations of musubi ( 結び ) ,

868-483: The kami themselves, is forever changing in definition and scope. As the needs of the people have shifted, so too have the domains and roles of the various kami . Some examples of this are related to health, such as the kami of smallpox whose role was expanded to include all contagious diseases, or the kami of boils and growths who has also come to preside over cancers and cancer treatments . In ancient animistic Japanese belief, kami were understood as simply

930-536: The kami to secure their blessing for a bountiful harvest. A yearly festival, Niiname-sai, is also performed when a new Emperor comes to power , in which case it is called Daijō-sai ( 大嘗祭 ) . In the ceremony, the Emperor offers crops from the new harvest to the kami , including rice, fish, fruits, soup, and stew. The Emperor first feasts with the deities, then the guests. The feast could go on for some time; for example, Emperor Shōwa 's feast spanned two days. Visitors to

992-456: The kami to their presence and desire to commune with them. During the last bow, the supplicant offers words of gratitude and praise to the kami ; if they are offering a prayer for aid they will also state their name and address. After the prayer and/or worship they repeat the two bows, two claps and a final bow in conclusion. Shinto practitioners also worship at home. This is done at a kamidana (household shrine), on which an ofuda with

1054-430: The kami . Ceremonies and festivals are long and complex because they need to be perfect to satisfy the kami . If the kami are not pleased with these ceremonies, they will not grant a Shinto believer magokoro . Modern system of ranked Shinto Shrines The modern system of ranked Shinto shrines ( 近代社格制度 , Kindai Shakaku Seido , sometimes called simply shakaku ( 社格 ) ) was an organizational aspect of

1116-508: The sun , mountains , rivers , trees , and rocks ; some animals ; and ancestral spirits . Included within the designation of ancestral spirits are spirits of the ancestors of the Imperial House of Japan , but also ancestors of noble families as well as the spirits of the ancestors of all people, which when they died were believed to be the guardians of their descendants. There are other spirits designated as kami as well. For example,

1178-471: The "Metropolitan shrines" as "Metropolitan and Prefectural Shrines" or Fuken-sha ( 府県社 ) . "Clan shrines" or "Domain shrines" were known as Han-sha ( 藩社 ) . Due to the abolition of the han system , no shrines were ever placed in this category. "District shrines" were known as Gō-sha ( 郷社 ) . Musashi Province Ichinomiya "Village shrines" were known as Son-sha ( 村社 ) and ranked below their respective "District shrines", in accordance with

1240-402: The "wilderness". Social and political strife have played a key role in the development of new sorts of kami , specifically the goryō-shin (the sacred spirit kami ). Goryō are the vengeful spirits of the dead whose lives were cut short, but they were calmed by the devotion of Shinto followers and are now believed to punish those who do not honor the kami . The pantheon of kami , like

1302-686: The Chronicles, and many of them have not survived. The Chronicles of Japan cites certain passages (e.g., "Ichi Sho Saying" and "Aru Hon Yun" in most volumes of the Nihon Shoki), but the original recorded documents have been lost in later generations. Tsu is a case particle in Old Japanese , meaning "god of heaven" or "god of the country" in modern Japanese. Sometimes written "Amatsugami" or "Kunitsugami. Amatsugami are also called Tenjin, and Kunitsukami are called Chigi ( 地祇 ) . Some people believe that

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1364-475: The District Shrine Law of 4 July 1871. Small local shrines known as Hokora ( 祠 ) are ranked beneath the village shrines, in accordance with the District Shrine Law of 4 July 1871. At a later date, shrines beneath the rank of "Village shrines" were classed as "Ungraded shrines" or Mukaku-sha ( 無格社 ) . New shrines were established and existing shrines promoted to higher ranks at various dates, but

1426-651: The Hie kami . The Nishi Hongū was reconstructed in 1586 and the Higashi Hongū in 1595. Tokugawa Ieyasu also had faith in the Sanno Gongen and the shrine was supported by the Tokugawa shogunate . In 1868 (the first year after the Meiji restoration ), the new Meiji government decreed the separation of Shinto and Buddhism . Hie Taisha was at the forefront of this effort, and was one of

1488-672: The Kunitsugami to the Amatsu deities led by Ninigi is described as Kuni Yuzuri . It is thought that the deity worshipped by the people of the region ( Emishi , Hayato , etc.) who were pacified by the Yamato Kingship became the Kunitsugami, and the deity worshipped by the imperial family and powerful clans of the Yamato Kingship became the Amatsukami. Many of the original traditions of the Kunitsugami were altered when they were incorporated into

1550-816: The Occupation Shinto Directive . The Jinja Honcho currently has a slightly different List of Special Shrines (別表神社, beppyo jinja ). Izawa-no-miya the Shima Province Ichinomiya was considered part of it, as was Izawa-jinja which was also seen as the Shima Province Ichinomiya Kashima Jingu and Katori Jingu were considered the two shrines directly below Ise Jingu. The Kan-sha ( 官社 ) or "official government shrines" had two subdivisions, Kanpei-sha or "government shrines" and Kokuhei-sha or "national shrines". For future tables, red cells denote shrines in

1612-553: The affairs of humans. The ancient animistic spirituality of Japan was the beginning of modern Shinto, which became a formal spiritual institution later, in an effort to preserve the traditional beliefs from the encroachment of imported religious ideas. As a result, the nature of what can be called kami is very general and encompasses many different concepts and phenomena. Some of the objects or phenomena designated as kami are qualities of growth, fertility, and production; natural phenomena like wind and thunder ; natural objects like

1674-558: The arts of maintaining the connection between the kami and the people. In addition to these festivals, ceremonies marking rites of passage are also performed within the shrines. Two such ceremonies are the birth of a child and the Shichi-Go-San. When a child is born they are brought to a shrine so that they can be initiated as a new believer and the kami can bless them and their future life. The Shichi-Go-San (the Seven-Five-Three)

1736-572: The capital to Ōmi Province and built the Ōtsu Palace . At this time, the kami of Ōmiwa Shrine in Yamato Province (who served as protector of the imperial dynasty) was relocated as well, and was installed in the Nishi Hongū, whereas the original sanctuary came to be called the Higashi Hongū. In 788 AD, Saichō erected the Tendai Buddhist temple complex of Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei. After

1798-408: The divine forces of nature. Worshippers in ancient Japan revered kami of nature which exhibited a particular beauty and power such as ghosts , the ocean, the sun, waterfalls , mountains, boulders, animals, trees, grasses, rice paddies, thunder , echoes , foxes and fox spirits , and Asian dragons . They strongly believed the spirits or resident kami deserved respect. In 927 CE,

1860-446: The earliest record of Japanese creation myths. The Kojiki also includes descriptions of various kami . In the ancient traditions there were five defining characteristics of kami : Kami are an ever-changing concept, but their presence in Japanese life has remained constant. The kami's earliest roles were as earth-based spirits, assisting the early hunter-gatherer groups in their daily lives. They were worshipped as gods of

1922-460: The earth (mountains) and sea. As the cultivation of rice became increasingly important and predominant in Japan, the kami's identity shifted to more sustaining roles that were directly involved in the growth of crops; roles such as rain, earth, and rice. This relationship between early Japanese people and the kami was manifested in rituals and ceremonies meant to entreat the kami to grow and protect

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1984-454: 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 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. All listed shrines on this page with

2046-420: The evil kami from striking a human with sickness or causing disaster to befall them. The kami are both worshipped and respected within the religion of Shinto. The goal of life to Shinto believers is to obtain magokoro , a pure sincere heart, which can only be granted by the kami . As a result, Shinto followers are taught that humankind should venerate both the living and the nonliving, because both possess

2108-486: The exception of Ise Grand Shrine are Beppyo shrines . 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. These rankings were set aside in 1946, when such rankings were deemed " State Shinto " by

2170-440: The faith in the " Sanno Gongen " and the Hie kami . The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period . In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan, and Hie Taisha was added to this listing by Emperor Go-Suzaku in 1039. This unique number of Imperial-designated shrines has not been altered since that time. During

2232-532: The first to burn or otherwise its Buddhist statuary, ritual implements and scriptures. This was the beginning of the nationwide Haibutsu kishaku movement. Under State Shinto , the shrive was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha ( 官幣大社 ) , or Imperial shrine of the first rank. Kami Kami ( Japanese : 神 , [kaꜜmi] ) are the deities , divinities , spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in

2294-476: The following generations as there are over 2,446,000 individual kami enshrined in Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine alone. Kami are the central objects of worship for the Shinto belief. The best English translation of kami is 'spirits', but this is an over-simplification of a complex concept - kami can be elements of the landscape or forces of nature. Kami are believed to have influence over the forces of nature and over

2356-406: The future. There are considered to be three main variations of kami : Amatsukami ( 天津神 , the heavenly deities) , Kunitsukami ( 国津神 , the gods of the earthly realm) , and ya-o-yorozu no kami ( 八百万の神 , countless kami) . (" 八百万 " literally means eight million, but idiomatically it expresses "uncountably many" and "all-around"—like many East Asian cultures, the Japanese often use

2418-1082: The general public. Ōnamuchi Sukunahikona-no-kami Mount Miwa Kushinadahime Ōkuninushi Ashinazuchi Tenazuchi Empress Shoken Amaterasu Susanoo Yamatotakeru Miyazu-hime Takeinadane  [ ja ] Empress Jingū Tamayori-hime Toyotama-hime Emperor Chūai Emperor Ōjin Empress Jingū Hoori Toyotama-hime Ugayafukiaezu Tamayori-bime Ninigi-no-Mikoto Ugayafukiaezu Tamayori-bime Kōyamiko-no-Ōkami Ōgetsuhime-no-kami Ichikishimahime-no-Ōkami Yasakatome Kotoshironushi Amaterasu Ame-no-oshihomimi Ninigi-no-Mikoto Hoori Emperor Jimmu Kunitama Okami Amaterasu Okami Empress Kōgyoku , Emperor Tenji , Empress Jingū Emperor Meiji Amaterasu Omikami 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

2480-418: The gods of heaven and earth" and conveys a sense of reverence and commitment. The origins of the term can be traced back to ancient Chinese classical texts, where the expression " 天地 " (Tenchi) and " 神明 " (Shinmei) were often used together to refer to the gods of heaven and earth, or to the gods and the universe as a whole. However, there are also instances where the expression was used to refer specifically to

2542-407: The gods of heaven and earth. In Japan, the term 天地神明 has been in use for centuries and is often associated with the image of the numerous gods and deities that have been worshipped in Japanese folklore and mythology. Susanoo-no-Mikoto , who was cast out of Takamagahara, and his descendants, such as Ōkuninushi , are considered to be Kunitsugami. Ogasawara Shozo  [ ja ] proposed

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2604-581: The government-supported shrines and were given lesser financial support compared to the Kanpei-taisha. Izanagi Izanami-no-Mikoto There were five shrines that were considered the lowest ranked among the Imperial shrines. They were called Kanpei-shōsha (官幣小社). Emperor Ōjin Empress Jingū Okunitama After the establishment of the officially ranked Imperial shrines, another group of special shrines known as Bekkaku kanpeisha (別格官幣社)

2666-418: The ground, and all of its monks to be massacred. This also included Hie Taisha. The shrine was rebuilt under Toyotomi Hideyoshi , with the oldest buildings currently at the shrine dating from the period of 1586 to 1597. Toyotomi Hideyoshi had a deep faith in the Sanno Gongen , as his childhood name was "Hiyoshi Maru" and his nickname was "monkey", an animal which was considered to be the spiritual messenger of

2728-520: The guardian spirits of the land, occupations, and skills; spirits of Japanese heroes, men of outstanding deeds or virtues, and those who have contributed to civilization, culture, and human welfare; those who have died for the state or the community; and the pitiable dead. Not only spirits superior to man can be considered kami ; spirits that are considered pitiable or weak have also been considered kami in Shinto. The concept of kami has been changed and refined since ancient times, although anything that

2790-534: The harvest. These rituals also became a symbol of power and strength for the early Emperors. There is a strong tradition of myth-histories in the Shinto faith; one such myth details the appearance of the first emperor, grandson of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu . In this myth, when Amaterasu sent her grandson to earth to rule, she gave him five rice grains, which had been grown in the fields of heaven ( Takamagahara ). This rice made it possible for him to transform

2852-421: The imperial family and received government support. 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

2914-408: The interconnecting energy of the universe, and are considered exemplary of what humanity should strive towards. Kami are believed to be "hidden" from this world, and inhabit a complementary existence that mirrors our own: shinkai ( 神界 , "the world of the kami") . To be in harmony with the awe-inspiring aspects of nature is to be conscious of kannagara no michi ( 随神の道 or 惟神の道 , "the way of

2976-497: The kami created, on their own; therefore, magokoro ( 真心 ) , or purification, is necessary in order to see the divine nature. This purification can only be granted by the kami . In order to please the kami and earn magokoro , Shinto followers are taught to uphold the four affirmations of Shinto. The first affirmation is to hold fast to tradition and the family. Family is seen as the main mechanism by which traditions are preserved. For instance, in marriage or birth, tradition

3038-548: The kami") . Kami is the Japanese word for a deity, divinity, or spirit. It has been used to describe mind , God, Supreme Being, one of the Shinto deities, an effigy , a principle , and anything that is worshipped. Although deity is the common interpretation of kami , some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term. Some etymological suggestions are: Because Japanese does not normally distinguish grammatical number in nouns (most do not have singular and plural forms), it

3100-482: The late Heian period , political troubles arose between Enryaku-ji and the secular government in Kyoto. It became the practice of the warrior-monks from the temple to carry a mikoshi portable shrine from Hie Taisha into the capital and to riot to enforce their political will. Soon after the kanpaku Fujiwara no Moromichi dared to oppose the riots by stopping the mikoshi , he died under mysterious circumstances, which

3162-408: The name of their protector or ancestral kami is positioned. Their protector kami is determined by their or their ancestors' relationship to the kami . Ascetic practices, shrine rituals and ceremonies, and Japanese festivals are the most public ways that Shinto devotees celebrate and offer adoration for the kami . Kami are celebrated during their distinct festivals that usually take place at

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3224-522: The names "Tenjin Chigi ( 天神地祇 ) " and "Jingi ( 神祇 ) " are derived from the Chinese classics. The different theory that the concept is completely different and different from the Japanese one has been presented. Another similar concept is Tenchi Shinmei ( 天地神明 ) . 天地神明 (Tenchi-Shinmei) is a Japanese four-character idiom that refers to the gods of heaven and earth. It is used in expressions such as "I swear by

3286-426: The number 8, representing the cardinal and ordinal directions, to symbolize ubiquity.) These classifications of kami are not considered strictly divided, due to the fluid and shifting nature of kami , but are instead held as guidelines for grouping them. The ancestors of a particular family can also be worshipped as kami . In this sense, these kami are worshipped not because of their godly powers, but because of

3348-525: The priests to learn them. The priesthood was traditionally hereditary. Some shrines have drawn their priests from the same families for over a hundred generations. It is not uncommon for the clergy to be female priestesses. The priests ( kannushi ) may be assisted by miko , young unmarried women acting as shrine maidens. Neither priests nor priestesses live as ascetics; in fact, it is common for them to be married, and they are not traditionally expected to meditate. Rather, they are considered specialists in

3410-472: The proclamation of the fourteenth day of the fifth month of 1871 into four main ranks, "Metropolitan", "Clan" or "Domain", "Prefectural", and "District" shrines. By far the largest number of shrines fell below the rank of District shrine. Their status was clarified by the District Shrine Law ( 郷社定則 , Gōsha Teisoku ) of the fourth day of the seventh month of 1871, in accordance with which "Village shrines" ranked below their respective "District shrines", while

3472-508: The shrines dedicated to their worship. Many festivals involve believers, who are usually intoxicated, parading, sometimes running, toward the shrine while carrying mikoshi (portable shrines) as the community gathers for the festival ceremony. Yamamoto Guji, the high priest at the Tsubaki Grand Shrine , explains that this practice honors the kami because "it is in the festival, the matsuri, the greatest celebration of life can be seen in

3534-420: The smaller local shrines or Hokora ranked beneath the "Village shrines". 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 shrines" were known as Fu-sha ( 府社 ) . "Prefectural shrines" were known as Ken-sha ( 県社 ) . At a later date, the "Prefectural shrines" were classed together with

3596-473: The temple was quick to attribute to a curse from the gods for having shown disrespect to the mikoshi . The mikoshi of Hei Taisha thus became an object of fear and awe, and the temple used the tactic of running riot with the mikoshi to obtain their will on more than 40 occasions over a 370+ year period into the Sengoku period . The practice was stopped in 1571 when Oda Nobunaga ordered Enryaku-ji to be razed to

3658-552: The transfer of the capital to Heian-kyō , Enryaku-ji and by extension, Hiyoshi Taisha came to be guardians of the spiritually vulnerable northeast quadrant from the capital. As Enryaku-ji became ever more powerful, and the Buddhist faith gradually amalgamated with Shinto under the Shinbutsu-shūgō policy, Hiyoshi Taisha was subsumed into Enryaku-ji. As missionaries from Enryaku-ji built Buddhist temples all across Japan, they also spread

3720-532: The world of Shinto and it is the people of the community who attend festivals as groups, as a whole village who are seeking to unlock the human potential as children of kami". During the New Year Festival, families purify and clean their houses in preparation for the upcoming year. Offerings are also made to the ancestors so that they will bless the family in the future year. Shinto ceremonies are so long and complex that in some shrines it can take ten years for

3782-564: Was considered to be kami by ancient people will still be considered kami in modern Shinto . Even within modern Shinto, there are no clearly defined criteria for what should or should not be worshipped as kami. The difference between modern Shinto and the ancient animistic religions is mainly a refinement of the kami -concept, rather than a difference in definitions. Although the ancient designations are still adhered to, in modern Shinto many priests also consider kami to be anthropomorphic spirits, with nobility and authority. One such example

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3844-1105: Was created. These shrines were not included in the ranking system of the Imperial shrines, but were still imperial. The Kokuhei-sha ( 国幣社 ) identified the hierarchy of government-supported shrines with national significance. The kokuheisha enshrined kami considered beneficial to more local areas. The most highly ranked, nationally significant shrines or Kokuhei Taisha ( 国幣大社 ) were six sanctuaries. The mid-range of ranked, nationally significant shrines or Kokuhei Chūsha ( 国幣中社 ) encompassed 47 sanctuaries. The lowest ranked, nationally significant shrines or Kokuhei Shōsha ( 国幣小社 ) includes 50 sanctuaries. Gokoku shrines were ranked separately. They were considered branches of Yasukuni Shrine . This list only includes those which are currently ranked as Beppyo shrines . The Sho-sha ( 諸社 ) 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 Min-sha ( 民社 ) . These lower-ranking shrines were initially subdivided by

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