Bureau of Shrines and Temples
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| Predecessor | Ministry of Religion |
|---|---|
| Successor | Bureau of Shrines, Bureau of Religion |
| Formation | 1877 |
| Dissolved | April 1900 |
The Bureau of Shrines and Temples. (社寺局, Shaji kyoku)[1] was a bureau of the Meiji government.[1]
It was established in 1877 to administer matters related to religion, including shrines and temples, and Sect Shinto such as Tenrikyo and Kurozumikyō.[1] It was a bureau of the Home Ministry.[2][3][1]
In April 1900 (33rd year of Meiji), the bureau was divided into two bureaus, the Bureau of Shrines and the Bureau of Religion. Temples, Christianity and new religions were transferred to the Bureau of Religion.[2][3][4] This was an official acknowledgement of Secular Shrine Theory or the idea that Shrine Shinto was not a religion and as a result under state control, hence the separate Bureau of Shrines under the Home Ministry.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Glossary of Shinto Names and Terms: S". www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
- ^ a b 秦郁彦編『日本官僚制総合事典：1868 - 2000』東京大学出版会、2001年。
- ^ a b "社寺局｜アジ歴グロッサリー". www.jacar.go.jp. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
- ^ a b Mullins, Mark R.; Thomas, Jolyon Baraka; McMullen, Matthew D. (2022). "Religion, Politics, and the Law in Postwar Japan". Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. 49 (1): 118. ISSN 0304-1042.