Ministry of Shinto

The Ministry of Shinto was established on August 8, Meiji4 (1871September 22) - March 14, 1872 (1872April 21), replacing the Department of Divinities, which had been in charge of rituals and administration of the Shinto gods since the Ritsuryo system.

Although at first glance it may appear that the Ministry of Divinities, which was downgraded to an agency of the Grand Council of State, had its status diminished, it was actually intended to strengthen government involvement in the policy of Unity of ritual and government by the emperor based on the principles of the Proclamation of the Great Religion,[1] and in the policy of making Shinto the state religion. In reality, it was intended to strengthen the government's involvement in the policy of ritual unification by the emperor based on the principles of Proclamation of the Great Religion, and by extension, the policy of making Shinto the state religion. The position of "Lord of the Divine Gions" was not created, and Fukuhami-shizu was appointed as "Daisuke of the Divine Gions".

The name was changed to Ministry of Religious Education after only six months in order to strengthen the Proclamation of the Great Religion by the Missionary Messenger, which was established at the end of the period of the Ministry of Shinto (Proclamation No. 82, issued on March 14, 1872 (April 21, 1872)). The administrative part of the court rituals was separated and transferred to the Shikibu-ryo (March 15 notice, March 23 (April 30, 1872), No. 92).[2] (At this time, the ceremonial dormitories were still directly under the Dajokan, and it was not until 1877 that they were transferred to the Ministry of the Imperial Household. See Shikibu-kan#Meiji Government).