Sōjagū [
ja] in Sōja, Okayama, where 304 kami of Bitchu Province are collectively worshipped
Sōja (総社) is a type of
Shinto shrine where the kami of a region are grouped together into a single sanctuary. This "region" may refer to a shōen, village or geographic area, but is more generally referred to a whole
province. The term is also occasionally called "sōsha". The sōja are usually located near the
provincial capital established in the
Nara period under then ritsuryō system, and can either be a newly created shrine, or a designation for an existing shrine. The "sōja" can also be the "
ichinomiya" of the province, which themselves are of great ritual importance.[1]
Whenever a new
kokushi was appointed by the central government to govern a province, it was necessary for him to visit all of the sanctuaries of his province in order to complete the rites necessary for ceremonial inauguration. Grouping the kami into one location near the capital of the province greatly facilitated this duty,[2]
The first mention of "sōja" appeared in the
Heian period, in the diary of Taira no Tokinori, dated March 9, 1099 in reference to the province of
Inaba. [3]
The name "Sōja" is also found in place names such as the city of
Sōja in
Okayama Prefecture.
Rokusho shrine (six place) is a very common Soja shrine name[3].: 601
Sōjagū [
ja] in Sōja, Okayama, where 304 kami of Bitchu Province are collectively worshipped
Sōja (総社) is a type of
Shinto shrine where the kami of a region are grouped together into a single sanctuary. This "region" may refer to a shōen, village or geographic area, but is more generally referred to a whole
province. The term is also occasionally called "sōsha". The sōja are usually located near the
provincial capital established in the
Nara period under then ritsuryō system, and can either be a newly created shrine, or a designation for an existing shrine. The "sōja" can also be the "
ichinomiya" of the province, which themselves are of great ritual importance.[1]
Whenever a new
kokushi was appointed by the central government to govern a province, it was necessary for him to visit all of the sanctuaries of his province in order to complete the rites necessary for ceremonial inauguration. Grouping the kami into one location near the capital of the province greatly facilitated this duty,[2]
The first mention of "sōja" appeared in the
Heian period, in the diary of Taira no Tokinori, dated March 9, 1099 in reference to the province of
Inaba. [3]
The name "Sōja" is also found in place names such as the city of
Sōja in
Okayama Prefecture.
Rokusho shrine (six place) is a very common Soja shrine name[3].: 601