SHINTO

 

EXECERPT FROM THIS BOOK: A HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN JAPAN (INCLUDING FORMOSA), BY BASIL CHAMBERLAIN,F.R.G.S. AND W.B. MASON, CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SCOTTISH GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY AND LATE OF THE IMPERIAL  JAPANESE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS. WITH THIRTY MAPS AND PLANS AND NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. NINTH EDITION, REVISED THROUGHOUT. LONDON. JOHN MURRAY, ALLEMARLE STREET. YOKOHAMA, SHANGHAI,- KELLY&WALSH, LIMITED-HONKONG, SINGAPORE.1913

ARCHITECTURE OF SHINTO TEMPLE

DESCRIPTION OF LONDON PUBLISHING HOUSE-1913.

MURRAYS HANDBOOK OF JAPAN.

The architecture of Shintoō temples is extremely simple and the mate rial used is plain white wood with a thatch of chamæcyparis bark The annexed plan of the Great Temple of Izumo Izumo no Oyashiro taken from a drawing sold to pilgrims and printed on Japanese paper will serve to exemplify this style of architecture Few Shinto temples however are quite so elaborate as this the second holiest in the Empire 

We find then 

1 The Main Shrine honsha or honden which is divided into two chambers The rear chamber contains the emblem of the god mi tama shiro a mirror a sword a curious stone or some other object and is always kept closed while in the ante chamber stands a wand from which depend strips of white paper gohei intended as substitutes for the cloth offerings of ancient times The mirror which is seen in front of not a few temples was borrowed from the Shingon sect of Buddhists and has nothing to do with the Shintoō Sun Goddess as is often supposed

 2 An Oratory haiden in front of the main building with which it is sometimes but not in the case of the Izumo temple connected by

 3 A Corridor or Gallery ai no ma A gong often hangs over the entrance of the Oratory for the worshipper to attract the attention of the god and beneath stands a large box to receive contributions

 4 A Cistern mi tarashi at which to wash the hands before prayer 

5 A low Wall or rather Fence tama gaki lit jewel hedge enclosing the chief temple buildings

 6 A second Enclosing Fence often made of boards and therefore termed ita gaki 

7 A peculiar Gateway torii at the entrance to the grounds Some times there are several of these gateways Their origin and signification are alike unknown The presence of the torii is the easiest sign whereby to distinguish a Shinto from a Buddhist temple

 8 A Temple Office shamusho where the business of the temple is transacted and where some of the priests often reside 

9 Secondary Shrines sessha or massha scattered about the grounds and dedicated not to the deity worshipped at the main shrine but to other members of the crowded pantheon 

10 A Library bunko This item is generally absent 

11 A Treasure house hōzō 

12 One or more Places for Offerings shinsenjō 

13 A Gallery kwairō 

14 A Dancing stage bungaku dai A more usual form of this is the kagura dō or stage for the performance of the kagura dance 

15 A Stable in which is kept the Sacred Horse jimme usually an albino 

16 An Assembly Hall This is generally missing 

17 Gates Frequently there is some object of minor sanctity such as a holy well or stone a tree of odd shape or unusual size the image of the bull on which the god Tenjin rode etc 

The curiously projecting ends of the rafters on the roof of the honsha are termed chigi The cigar shaped logs are termed katsuogi Both these ornaments are derived from the architecture of the primitive Japanese hut the katsuogi having anciently served to keep in place the two trunks forming the ridge of the roof The temple grounds are usually surrounded by a grove of trees the most common among which is the cryptomeria a useful timber tree

 These plantations were originally intended to supply materials for the repair or re erection of the buildings but in many cases their great antiquity causes a sacred character to be attributed to the oldest trees which are surrounded by a fillet of straw rope as if to show that they are tenanted by a divine spirit The two figures with bows and arrows seated in niches right and left of the gate to keep guard over the approach to the temple are called Zuijin or Attendants more popularly Ya daijin or Ministers with Arrows The stone figures of dogs or lions as some suppose them to be which are often found in temple grounds are called Ama inu and Koma inu lit the Heavenly Dog and the Korean Dog They are credited with the power of driving off demons Often a large straw rope peculiarly twisted shime nawa is to be seen before the entrance to a Shinto shrine and sometimes in other places This too is credited with power to avert evil more especially small pox cholera and other infectious diseases Since the China war of 1894 5 and especially since the Russian war of 1904 5 big guns and other trophies of war have been distributed to all the important Shinto shrines with the object of identifying religion with patriotism