Association of Shinto Shrines

The Association of Shinto Shrines (神社本庁, Jinja Honchō) is a religious administrative organisation that oversees about 80,000 Shinto shrines in Japan. These shrines take the Ise Shrine as the foundation of their belief.

The Association has five major activities:

It also performs other related activities.

The Association was established following the end of World War II. On December 15, 1945, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) issued the Shinto Directive ordering the separation of Shinto from the State. On February 2, 1946, to comply with the SCAP order, three organizations, the Kōten Kōkyūjo (皇典講究所), Dainippon Jingikai (大日本神祇会), and Jingū Hōsaikai (神宮奉斎会), established the nongovernmental Association, assuming the functions of the Jingi-in, a branch of the Home Ministry.