Mimusubi

17/07/2025

Training of Shinto priests is moving with the times.

Curriculum Changesby David Chart2025/07/182025/07/06 The back page of the June 30th issue of Jinja Shinpō was taken up by an article about upcoming changes in the curriculum for the training course for new priests at Kokugakuin University (國學院大學). The Faculty of Shinto Studies has existed...

14/07/2025

Production of silk thread in Japan is in crisis, and the producers have appealed to the Shinto community to help.

Japanese Silkby David Chart2025/07/152025/07/06 Silk is a product strongly associated with Japan. However, the June 30th issue of Jinja Shinpō included an article by the head of the Dainippon Silk Foundation, bemoaning the collapse of domestic production of silk fibre. Last year, domestic silk farm...

11/07/2025

Once the trees have been felled, they need to be taken to Isë Jingū.

Delivering the Sacred Treesby David Chart2025/07/112025/07/06 After the trees that will be used to make the Mihishiro (御樋代) have been felled, they need to be transported to Isë, a couple of hundred kilometres from both the forests where the trees are harvested. Historically, they were floated...

07/07/2025

Summer purification has a broad scope.

Nagoshi no Ōharaëby David Chart2025/07/082025/07/05 Twice a year, most jinja carry out Ōharaë (大祓), a purification ceremony for all the impurity that has built up over the previous six months. “Ōharaë” means “great purification”, and the one in summer is held on June 30th, and call...

03/07/2025

The Shinto establishment is very interested in the Tennō.

The Tennō and the Shinto Establishmentby David Chart2025/07/042025/06/21 The Tennō (天皇) is the symbol of Japan and of the unity of the people, according to the current Japanese constitution. For all intents and purposes, he is also the head of state, although the constitution doesn’t actuall...

19/06/2025

Sometimes, jinja have to be moved.

17/06/2025

I visited a very popular jinja enshrining very obscure kami.

12/06/2025

And we finally get to the part where they actually elect a president.

Presidential Election Part 3by David Chart2025/06/132025/06/07 Carrying on from Tuesday, this is the end of the report of the May meeting of Jinja Honchō’s (神社本庁) Oversight Council (評議員会), based on the articles in the June 2nd issue of Jinja Shinpō. After the motion to withdraw t...

09/06/2025

Jinja Honchō had a big debate over whether to hear a report on what had happened over the presidential dispute.

Presidential Election Part 2by David Chart2025/06/102025/06/06 This post continues the account of this year’s May meeting of the Jinja Honchō (神社本庁) Oversight Council (評議員会), as reported in the June 2nd issue of Jinja Shinpō. The first part was posted on Friday, and covers the fi...

06/06/2025

Jinja Honchō have just elected a new president. It took a while, but not as long as last time.

Presidential Election Part 1by David Chart2025/06/062025/06/05 It’s time to write about the presidential election. Not the one in South Korea — if you are reading this blog, you want to know about the one at Jinja Honchō (神社本庁). I will actually be writing about the whole “Green Leaves...

02/06/2025

Shinto wedding ceremonies are relatively new and, possibly as a result, vary between jinja.

29/05/2025

The timber for the Grand Renewal at Isë Jingū comes from particular forests.

Forests for Jingūby David Chart2025/05/302025/05/28 The Spring 2025 issue of The Imperial Family (皇室) had a substantial article on the forests from which the wood for the Shikinen Sengū (式年遷宮) at Isë Jingū (伊勢神宮) will be harvested. There will be a lot of articles in this maga...