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Izumihama Matsuri Site

The January 12th (yes, this article has been sitting in the “to-post” queue for a while) issue of Jinja Shinpō included another article in the series of Shinto records and historical relics. It was about the items excavated from Izumihama (Izumi Beach) on Izu Ōshima island, which is east of the Izu Peninsula and used to be part of Izu Province, but is now part of Tokyo Metropolitan Prefecture. “Izumi” is written with the characters “和泉”, which are used for Izumi Province, near Osaka. However, “mi” also means “see”, so… Read More »Izumihama Matsuri Site

Okihiki Zomëshiki

The 63rd Shikinen Sengū (式年遷宮) at Isë Jingū (伊勢神宮) continues, with another important event in mid April. This was reported on the front and back pages of the April 27th issue of Jinja Shinpō and addressed in the editorial. As you might guess from the title of this post, this event is called the “Okihiki Zomëshiki” (御木曳初式). Literally translated, this means something like “ceremony for the beginning of pulling the exalted trees”. You may remember that there have already been two ceremonies involving the pulling of trees, for the Mihishiro… Read More »Okihiki Zomëshiki

New Priests 2026

The April 27th issue of Jinja Shinpō carried the annual article about newly graduated priests on its front page. This article is about priests who have completed full-time courses, mostly at Kōgakkan and Kokugakuin Universities. (There are half-a-dozen much smaller institutions around the country, but they had a total of only thirteen graduates this year.) It does not include people who train part-time, or through the short (eight weeks or so) courses held by prefectural Jinjachō. I do not know exact numbers for priests trained through these two routes, but… Read More »New Priests 2026

Visiting Jinja

Last week I went on a research trip to Hamamatsu (浜松) in Shizuoka Prefecture, to do research for the next Shinto in Person essay. My main purpose was to visit Akihasan Hongū Akiha Jinja (秋葉山本宮秋葉神社). I did, but I am having second thoughts about whether I can include it in the book. “Akihasan” is Mt Akiha, which is 866 metres high, and the Upper Sanctuary is on top of it. To get there, if you don’t have a car, you have to get a train from Hamamatsu (30 minutes), then… Read More »Visiting Jinja

Virtual Jinja

Another research report in Issue 277 of Shintō Shūkyō was about jinja and kami in the digital world: “The Metaverse and Shrines: The Case of Torikai Hachiman Shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture”, by Takeda Atsushi. In 2023, Torikai Hachimangū (鳥飼八幡宮) created a digital version of the jinja in Zepeto, a virtual world. In-world avatars can (or could — I am not sure whether it is still active and do not have time right now to find out) enter the jinja, purify themselves at the purification font, and pay their respects in… Read More »Virtual Jinja

Bring in the New

The front page of the April 13th issue of Jinja Shinpō had a report of the annual study meeting of the national association of young Shinto priests. The theme was, roughly, looking at tradition to prepare for the future. That is a very Shinto idea. The editorial in the same issue picked up on this point, and was rather more radical about it. The opening is conventional enough for the Shinto community. There are certain things that should not change about Shinto practice, and others that can, and indeed should,… Read More »Bring in the New