Certificate of Gratitude

On Wednesday, I attended the 30^th Kanagawa Prefectural Meeting of Jinja-Related People to receive a Certificate of Gratitude from Kanagawa Prefectural Jinjachō.

That sounds impressive, but it’s not really. Kanagawa Prefectural Jinjachō gives these certificates to anyone who has been a “kyōsan’in” of Jinja Honchō for at least a certain number of years. Given that I got it this year, I am guessing that the “certain number” is ten, although the certificate just says “many years”. To be a kyōsan’in, you have to apply through your local jinja, and then donate ¥30,000 (or more) to Jinja Honchō every year.

Jinja Honchō does not advertise the existence of the kyōsan’in system. I found out about it by reading through Jinja Honchō’s regulations, and there are not many people who do that. I think jinja are encouraged to have the priests and sōdai participate, and I also have the vague and unsupported impression that the offerings Jinja Honchō sends to the annual reisai (main matsuri) of a jinja increase if that jinja has more kyōsan’in associated with it. Once you sign up, they send you the papers to continue every autumn, again through your local jinja (although I haven’t received them yet this year — the priests are looking into where they have got to). You send the money directly to Jinja Honchō through bank transfer, and all the paperwork goes to your local jinja, then to the prefectural Jinjachō, and then finally to Jinja Honchō.

There are a number of benefits to being a kyōsan’in, beyond the warm glow of contributing to Jinja Honchō. First, you get sent Jinja Shinpō and a range of Jinja Honchō’s publications. This only applies if you are not a priest, because priests get them through a separate system. The publications are almost always ones that are designed to be given away free, but it is useful for me to get them in a bundle. I have written about some of them on this blog, in fact. An annual subscription to Jinja Shinpō is about ¥8,000 (as far as I recall — I haven’t paid for one separately for, oh, about ten years…), so this is a long way from making it financially worthwhile. That, of course, is the idea.

You also get invited to a special annual matsuri, even if you are a priest, at which prayers are offered for your health and prosperity. I’ve only been to that twice, as you have to get yourself to the appropriate jinja, and I have to book time off. Local tours are also arranged, and while they often include significant jinja in the area, the one that I went on also took in a miso factory and a clockwork doll museum.

Finally, you receive a card that is supposed to give you permission to do a special sanpai at beppyō jinja. A beppyō jinja is a big, important jinja that is directly overseen by Jinja Honchō, rather than by the prefectural Jinjachō. If you have heard of a jinja through anything other than this blog, it is almost certainly either a beppyō jinja or not affiliated with Jinja Honchō. (Isë Jingū is an exception, because it is Special. It is affiliated with Jinja Honchō, but in a way that takes it completely outside the normal systems of oversight, so it is not a beppyō jinja.) However, the only time I tried to use that card, the priest on duty had no idea what it was, so I didn’t push it.

This system neatly captures a number of features that are quite common in contemporary Shinto. First, it isn’t advertised. You have to know that something exists before you can do it, and jinja often take no steps to help you find out. Second, anyone can participate. The only resistance from my local jinja (and remember, this is a decade ago) was, “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? You’re basically just giving them money”. Third, you have to keep your connection up for a long time (years) before it really makes a difference — but if you do, then it does.

Another bit of this symbolised my position in the Shinto community. All the people receiving certificates (for other things as well) were listed in the program book. Every other individual was listed with a title and affiliation. I was not, because I do not have an appropriate title or affiliation. I’m definitely part of the Shinto community, but I do not fit into any of the existing categories.