BEKKAKUKAMPEISHA

'Special-rank governmental shrine'. A category (see Shakaku seido) established in 1872 which eventually comprised twenty seven existing and newly-built shrines dedicated to famous loyalists and military heroes. Examples include theUesugi jinja, built in 1871 and made a bekkaku in 1902, dedicated to Terutora,Uesugi, theHokoku jinja(1873) enshrining Toyotomi, Hideyoshi, theNikko toshogu(classified as a bekkaku shrine in 1873) which enshrinesTokugawa, Hideyoshiand theMinatogawa-jinja(1872) in Kobe enshrining, at the spot where he died in battle in 1336, Kusunoki, Masashige, the faithful champion of emperor Daigo. TheYasukuni jinjacame in the same category but was dedicated to all fallenMeijiloyalists and the war-dead of subsequent national wars, rather than to one hero.

See Gokoku jinja, Shokonsha.