Jinja Honcho (Association of Shinto Shrines)

Jinja Honcho (the Association of Shinto Shrines) is the largest and most influential Shinto administrative organization in Japan. Established in 1946 after the dissolution of the state Shinto system, it serves as the umbrella organization for approximately 80,000 shrines across the country — the vast majority of all Shinto shrines in Japan.

Jinja Honcho's responsibilities include training and certifying priests, maintaining standards of worship, distributing the Jingu Taima (Ise Jingu's ofuda) to shrines nationwide, and representing the Shinto community in public affairs. It operates under the spiritual authority of Ise Jingu, which holds a special status above all other shrines in the organization.

However, Jinja Honcho is not the sole Shinto organization. Several significant shrines operate independently, including Fushimi Inari Taisha (which oversees its own network of approximately 30,000 Inari shrines), Nikko Toshogu, and Yasukuni Jinja. Additionally, some shrines have left Jinja Honcho over the years due to various disputes. The organization's role is administrative and coordinative rather than doctrinal — Shinto has no centralized theology or scripture, and individual shrines retain considerable autonomy in their practices.