A Social History of the Ise Shrines: Divine Capital (Bloomsbury Shinto Studies)

The Ise shrine complex is among Japan's most enduring national symbols, and A Social History of the Ise Shrines: Divine Capital is the first book to trace the history of the shrines from their beginnings in the seventh century until the present day. Ise enshrines the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, the imperial ancestress and the most prominent among kami deities, and has played a vital role in Japan's social, political and religious history. The most popular pilgrims' attraction in the land from the sixteenth century onwards, in 2013 the Ise complex once again captured the nation's attention as it underwent its periodic rebuilding, performed once every twenty years. Mark Teeuwen and John Breen demonstrate that the Ise Shrines underwent drastic re-inventions as a result of on-going contestation between different groups of people in different historical periods. They focus on the agents responsible for these re-inventions, the nature of the economic, political and ideological measures they took, and the specific techniques they deployed to ensure that Ise survived one crisis after another in the course of its long history. This book questions major assumptions about Ise, notably the idea that Ise has always been defined by its imperial connections, and that it has always been a site of Shinto. Written by leading authorities in the field of Shinto studies, this is the essential history of Japan's most significant sacred site. Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Contents Figures Prologue Notes to the Reader Introduction Divine Capital: Ise and its Agents The 2013 Rebuilding Meanings and Agents The Purpose of This Book Chapter 1 Ancient Ise: Divine Wrath and Court Politics Emperor Tenmu and the ‘Shrine of Amaterasu’ Ise’s Origination Myth Amaterasu as the Leader of the Heavenly Deities Why Ise? Empress Jito and Amaterasu Summing Up Chapter 2 Classical Ise: Hosophobia Codified Buddhism and the Imperial Succession The Ise of the Protocols The Inner Shrine’s Auxiliary Shrines, Their Kami and Kami Seats The Ise Priesthood Ise Ritual Ise and Court Ritual Chapter 3 Amaterasu’s Escape From Ise The Ritsuryo Funding System Unravels New Strategies in the Struggle for Land Redefining Ise for a New Era Kamakura New Court Interpretations Esoteric Readings of Ise Ise’s New Agents and their New Clientele Chapter 4 Ise in the Kamakura Period: Lands and Secrets The Mongols Economic Woes Watarai Yukitada and the Origin Reinventing the Outer Shrine’s Kami Creating Secrets Shinto Ise’s Medieval Capital: Secrets and Land Rights Chapter 5 Ise in the Muromachi Period: War and Pilgrims A New Political Environment Kitabatake Chikafusa and Ise Thought Pilgrimage and the Rise of a New Group of Ise Actors The Development of Yamada Trade, War and the Yamada Council The Shrines Go to Ruin Ise Worship Dispersed Chapter 6 Ise Restored and Shintoized A New Order Imposed The Ise Shrines Restored A New Hierarchy of Power Shogunal Ise Ise’s Shintoization Chapter 7 Pilgrims’ Pleasures: Ise and its Patrons in the Edo Period The Ise Experience Ise Abroad: Oshi and Their Agents Popular Imaginings Bakumatsu Politics: Imperializing Ise Chapter 8 Meiji Ise: Amaterasu’s Mausoleum and the Modern Pilgrim The Meiji Emperor and the Ise Shrines Uji, Yamada and the Provinces of Modern Japan Shin’enkai and Its Legacy Chapter 9 Ise and Nation in Taisho And Early Showa Japan The Sun Goddess’s Progress, 1929 Popular Participation Ise Discourse in the 1920s and 1930s Promoting Ise: The Shrine and Its Publicity Ujiyamada and the Pilgrims’ Return Ujiyamada in the Early Twentieth Century Ise at War Chapter 10 Crisis and Recovery: Ise’s Post-War Transformations 1953: Ise and the Ruins of War The Shinto Establishment and the 1953 Sengu Print Media, Propaganda and Critical Comment 1973: Ise Restored Ise’s ‘True Guise’: Aspects of Production and Preparation Print Media Ise in 1993: Topography, Marketing and Media Marketing Ploys Media and Performance Conclusion: Phases of Redevelopment Notes Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Conclusion References Index The Ise shrine complex is among Japan's most enduring national symbols, and A Social History of the Ise Shrines: Divine Capital is the first book to trace the history of the shrine from its beginnings in the 7th century until the present day. Ise enshrines the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, an imperial ancestress and the most prominent among kami deities. It has played a central role in state building throughout Japanese history, and became the most popular pilgrims' attraction in the land from the 16th century onwards. In 2013, the Ise complex once again captured the nation's attention as it underwent its periodic rebuilding, performed once every twenty years. Mark Teeuwen and John Breen demonstrate that the Ise shrines underwent drastic re-inventions as a result of on-going contestation between different groups of people in different historical periods. They focus on the actors behind these re-inventions, the nature of the economic, political and ideological measures they took, and the specific techniques they deployed to ensure that Ise survived one crisis after another in the course of its long history Introduction divine capital : Ise and its agents Ancient Ise : divine wrath and court politics Classical Ise : hosophobia codified Amaterasu's escape from Ise Ise in the Kamakura period : lands and secrets Ise in the Muromachi period : war and pilgrims Ise restored and Shintoized Pilgrims' pleasures : Ise and its patrons in the Edo Period Meiji Ise : Amaterasu's mausoleum and the modern pilgrim Ise and nation in Taishō and early Shōwa Japan Crisis and recovery : Ise's post-war transformations Conclusion : phases of redevelopment. "Traces the history of the Ise shrines from the 7th century until today, focusing on the many episodes of crisis that transformed the social landscape around the shrines"-- Provided by publisher