JINGIKAN

The 'Department of Divinity' responsible formatsuri, which together with theDajokan, according to theRitsuryosystem, constituted the government. The original jingikan which survived as part of the imperial court in Kyoto finally disappeared in 1590 when its central shrine, the Hasshin-den was moved to the palace of theYoshidafamily, to whom its shrine-governing powers were transferred. The new 1868Meijiversion of the Jingikan was intended to wrest power from the Yoshida and ShirakawaJingihakuand achieve comprehensive central control of shrines and the priesthood. A cherished ideal of later National Learning (kokugaku) activists such asOkuni, Takamasa, the Jingikan was for three years the highest organ of state but in 1871, with continuing dissension about its nature and purpose, it was reduced to a Ministry (Jingisho) and in 1872 its status reduced further and its functions placed under the control of theKyobusho.

See also Shajikyoku, Jinja-kyoku.