Gokoku Jinja

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Gokoku Jinja 護国神社 Gokoku Shrine
shookonsha 招魂社 "spirit-inviting shrine" - Shokon Shrine



Gokoku Shrine of Hyogo prefecture in Himeji - 兵庫縣姫路護國神社


quote
Gokoku jinja
"Shrines for the protection of the nation,"
shrines dedicated to the spirits of individuals who died in Japanese wars from the end of the early modern period through World War II. Throughout most of the prewar period these shrines were known as shōkonsha or " spirit-inviting shrines," but all shōkonsha (over one hundred) built since the Meiji period were renamed gokoku jinja in 1939 following a Home Ministry ordinance issued that year.

The ordinance divided the shrines into two categories:
"specially selected gokoku jinja" designated by the Home Minister, and other gokoku jinja not so designated.

The "designated" shrines were in principle limited to one per prefecture, and the enshrined spirits (saijin) were likewise limited to those of people who had resided inside the respective prefecture. Each shrine was staffed by one chief priest and several associate priests.

None of the shrines were assigned honorific ranks (shakaku) within the modern shrine ranking system (see kindai shakaku seido), yet the ministerially designated shrines received treatment as de facto "prefectural shrines," while the other, non-designated shrines were considered equivalent to "village shrines."

Following Japan's defeat in World War II, the shrines were placed under strict observation by the occupation armies, and many of the shrines changed their titles, though most have today reverted to their original names. Since the war's end, the shrines have been divorced from national administration and have followed the pattern of other shrines, registering themselves as religious juridical persons and becoming independent religious corporations under the umbrella of the Association of Shinto Shrines (Jinja Honchō). In most cases, they have added to their lists of enshrined kami individuals who have died in service to local public organizations.
Tokyo's Yasukuni Jinja acted as the central or home shrine for gokoku jinja nationwide.
source : Inoue Nobutaka, Kokugakuin 2005



. Yasukuni Shrine 靖国神社 Yasukuni Jinja . Tokyo
Yasukuni matsuri 靖国祭 Yasukuni shrine festival
Shookonsai 招魂祭（しょうこんさい） Shokonsai, "soul summoning rite", "spirit inviting rite"

April 21 till 23 Shunki Reitaisai (Annual Spring Festival)
Purification ritual in the afternoon of 21. - Official prayers for the Dead on 22.



. Shrine, Shinto Shrine (jinja　神社) - Introduction .

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source :　isaniha.exblog.jp
sunset behind Gokoku shrine, Matsuyama


夕焼けて護国神社の裏しづか
yuuyakete Gokoku jinja no ura shizuka

at sunset
the back of the Gokoku shrine
is so quiet

. 飯田龍太 Iida Ryuta .


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source :　www.mapple.net/spots
Hida Takayama Gokoku Jinja, Gifu
岐阜県高山市堀端町90


高山の護国神社の栗小粒
Takayama no Gokoku jinja no kuri kotsubu

at the shrine
Gokoku jinja in Takayama
the chestnuts are small




source :　www.city.saga.lg.jp
Gokoku jinja in Saga town 佐賀県護国神社 with old camphor trees


楠かほる護国神社に詣づらく
kuzu kahoru Gokoku jinja no moodezuraku

fragrance of camphor -
the Gokoku shrine is difficult
to visit

. WKD : kusunoki 楠木 camphor tree .


Takazawa Ryooichi 高澤良一 Takazawa Ryoichi


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shookonsha 招魂社 "spirit-inviting shrine" - Shokon shrine


source :　川端たぬき
勝平得之「招魂社」（千秋公園八景）昭和八年
Painting from Showa 8. Chiaki Park, Akita - by Katsuhira Tokushi (1904 - 1970)

You can also see the cannon at the left side.


午砲まで蝉の鳴き降る招魂社
gohoo made semi no nakifuru shookonsha

till the midday cannon
there are only the cicadas shrilling
at the Shokon shrine . . .

. Tsukushi Bansei 筑紫磐井 .

Since 1871 it was customary to have a canon fired at 12:00 midday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to tell the time to the citizens.
In 1929 this custom was stopped and a siren sounded instead.


In the Edo period, when people did not own clocks, it was customary to ring the temple bell.
. toki no kane 時の鐘 the bell for telling time .


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寒紅梅馥郁として招魂社
kankoobai fujuiku to shite shookonsha

red plum blossoms in the cold
are just so fragrant -
Shokon Shrine

. Takahama Kyoshi 高浜虚子 .



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