UJIKO

Literally 'child of the clan'. It traditionally denoted only elite or long-standing members of a village or community with responsibility for shrine affairs but in theMeijiperiod following the disestablishment of the Buddhist temple registration system (tera-uke) ujiko status was extended to every local resident for shrine-registration (ujiko-shirabe) purposes. It remained equivalent to 'parishioner' for administrative purposes until the disestablishment of Shinto in 1945. It is also used by national or regional shrines to refer to pilgrims and other devotees. See Ujigami, Ubusuna.