Synthetic Stadies for the Head Syrine System of Provinces in the Middle Ages in Japan.

1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 08301033
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: Osaka Institute of Technology (1997-1998); Shimane University (1996)
• Principal Investigator: INOUE Hisoshi Osaka Institute of Technology, Faculty of Information Science, Professor, 情報科学部, 教授 (40027967)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAIRA Masayuki OSAKA University, Faculty of Letters, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (10171399) ; HUDO Keiichi KUMAMOTO University, Faculty of Letters, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (50040473) ; OKADA Syoji KOKUGAKUIN University, Faculty of Letters, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (60146735) ; EBARA Masaharu Historiographical Institute University of Tokyo, Assistant Professor, 史料編纂所, 助教授 (40160379) ; UEMURA Kikuko Nagoya College, Professor, 教授 (10160219)
• Project Period (FY): 1996 – 1998
• Keywords: Guardian God of Provinces / Head Shrine / Second Shrine / Serd Shrine / Goverment Office of Province / Summary Shrine of Province / State-Established Provinciat Temple

Research Abstract

In the Middle Ages in Japan, twenty-two Guardian Gods were enshried within the Royal District, where the central government was located, At the same time, all the local provinces also had their guardian gods. The shrine for the provincial guardian gods was called the Jchinomiya, or the Head Shrine.
It is generally assumed that such provincial Ichinomiya, or Head Shrines, were established during the late 11th and the early 12th centuries. It is also generally berieved tyat each of the provinces enshrined and worshiped a guadian god of its own choice at the Head Shrine. However, despite much research done on the individuality, or hte multiplicity of the provincial gods, no generally acceptable conclusion has been made thus far.
This paper, therefore, focuses on the following three points concerning the problem : l)The presentation of the studies done thus far on this argument, and the indication of some problems of the previous studies. 2)The analyses of the internal structures of the provincial Head Shrine architecture as well as their historical /cultural heritages taking into account such shrines as the Ninomiya, Sannnomiya, and Soja shrines in the local provinces. 3)The presentation of the studies done on the twenty-two shrines of the Royal Province, and the Kokuga, or the branch office of the central government, located in the local provinces.