YOSHIDA JINJA

A Kyoto shrine dedicated to theujigamiof the powerfulFujiwarafamily. It was recognised as one of the elitenijuni-shain 1081. The Urabe family who started out as court diviners andonmyospecialists rose in importance by becoming priests of the shrine and subsequently took the nameYoshida. The decline of the court's ability to support the shrine led to efforts byYoshida, Kanetomoto raise the status of the Yoshida jinja and Mt. Yoshida as the centre ofYui-itsu shinto. By the end of the fifteenth century, thanks to the efforts of Kanetomo the Yoshida had acquired the right, which it retained until the time of theMeijirestoration, to award ranks to the deities of local shrines (see Shakaku seido).