Modern system of ranked Shinto Shrines

The modern system of ranked Shinto shrines (近代社格制度, Kindai Shakaku Seido^?) (sometimes called simply shakaku (社格^?), was an organizational aspect of the establishment of Japanese State Shinto. This system classified Shinto shrines as either official government shrines or "other" shrines. The official shrines were divided into

Some shrines are the "first shrines" called ichinomiya that have the highest rank in their respective provinces of Japan.

In 1871, an Imperial decree established a hierarchic ranking of Shinto shrines. These rankings were set aside in 1946, when such rankings were deemed "State Shinto" by the Occupation Shinto Directive. The Jinja Honcho currently has a slightly different List of Special Shrines (別表神社, beppyo jinja).

In 1871, the Kanpei-sha (官幣社^?) identified the hierarchy of government-supported shrines most closely associated with the Imperial family. The kampeisha were shrines venerated by the imperial family. This category encompasses those sanctuaries enshrining emperors, imperial family members, or meritorious retainers of the Imperial family.

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