Honden
Encyclopedia
The is the most sacred building
at a Shinto
shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined kami
, usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a statue. The building is normally in the rear of the shrine and closed to the general public. In front of its usually stands the haiden
, or oratory
. The haiden is often connected to the honden by a heiden
, or hall of offerings.
Physically, the honden is the heart of the shrine complex, connected to the rest of the shrine but usually raised above it, and protected from public access by a fence called tamagaki
. It usually is relatively small and with a gabled roof. Its doors are usually kept closed, except at religious festivals. Shinto priest
s themselves enter only to perform rituals. The rite of opening those doors is itself an important part of the shrine's life. Inside the honden is kept the , literally, "the sacred body of the kami". The goshintai is actually not divine, but just a temporary repository of the enshrined kami.
Important as it is, the honden may sometimes be completely absent, as for example when the shrine stands on a sacred mountain to which it is dedicated, or when there are nearby himorogi
or other yorishiro
that serve as a more direct bond to a kami. Ōmiwa Shrine
in Nara
, for example, contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve the mountain on which it stands. For the same reason, it has a , but no honden.
Another important shrine without a honden is Suwa Taisha
, head of the Suwa shrine network.
The honden's structure determines the shrine's architectural style. Many exist, but three (taisha-zukuri
, shinmei-zukuri
and sumiyoshi-zukuri
) are of particular importance because they are the only ones believed to predate the arrival of Buddhism
, and have therefore a special architectural and historical significance. They are exemplified respectively by the honden at Izumo Taisha
, Nishina Shinmei Shrine
and Sumiyoshi Taisha
. German architect Bruno Taut
compared the importance of Ise Shrine
's honden to that of Greece's Parthenon
. For details, see the article Shinto architecture
.
Most Holy Place
This article provides a comprehensive list of significant religious sites and places of spiritual importance throughout the world.-Bahá'í faith:...
at a Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
, usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a statue. The building is normally in the rear of the shrine and closed to the general public. In front of its usually stands the haiden
Haiden (Shinto)
In Shinto shrine architecture, the is the hall of worship or oratory. It is generally placed in front of the shrine's main sanctuary and often built on a larger scale than the latter. The haiden is often connected to the honden by a heiden, or hall of offerings...
, or oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
. The haiden is often connected to the honden by a heiden
Heiden (Shinto)
A is the part within a Shinto shrine's compound used to house offerings. It normally consists of a connecting section linking the honden to the haiden . If the shrine is built in the so-called Ishi-no-ma-zukuri style, its stone pavement is lower than the floor of the other two rooms, and it is...
, or hall of offerings.
Physically, the honden is the heart of the shrine complex, connected to the rest of the shrine but usually raised above it, and protected from public access by a fence called tamagaki
Tamagaki
A is a fence surrounding a Japanese Shinto shrine, a sacred area or an imperial palace. Believed to have been initially just a brushwood barrier of trees, tamagaki have since been made of a variety of materials including wood, stone and — in recent years — concrete...
. It usually is relatively small and with a gabled roof. Its doors are usually kept closed, except at religious festivals. Shinto priest
Kannushi
A , also called , is the person responsible for the maintenance of a Shinto shrine as well as for leading worship of a given kami. The characters for kannushi are sometimes also read jinshu with the same meaning....
s themselves enter only to perform rituals. The rite of opening those doors is itself an important part of the shrine's life. Inside the honden is kept the , literally, "the sacred body of the kami". The goshintai is actually not divine, but just a temporary repository of the enshrined kami.
Important as it is, the honden may sometimes be completely absent, as for example when the shrine stands on a sacred mountain to which it is dedicated, or when there are nearby himorogi
Himorogi
in Shinto terminology are sacred spaces or altars used to worship. In their simplest form, they are square areas with green bamboo or sakaki at the corners. These in turn support sacred ropes decorated with streamers called shide...
or other yorishiro
Yorishiro
A in Shinto terminology is an object capable of attracting spirits called kami, thus giving them a physical space to occupy during religious ceremonies. Yorishiro are used during ceremonies to call the kami for worship. The word itself literally means approach substitute. Once a yorishiro...
that serve as a more direct bond to a kami. Ōmiwa Shrine
Ōmiwa Shrine
, also known as , is a Shinto shrine located in Sakurai, Nara, Japan. The shrine is noted because it contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve Mount Miwa, the mountain on which it stands. For the same reason, it has a , but no . In this sense, it is a model of what the...
in Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, for example, contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve the mountain on which it stands. For the same reason, it has a , but no honden.
Another important shrine without a honden is Suwa Taisha
Suwa Taisha
, or Suwa Grand Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Nagano prefecture, Japan. Over 1200 years old, it is one of the oldest shrines in existence, and is mentioned in the Kojiki, an 8th century text...
, head of the Suwa shrine network.
The honden's structure determines the shrine's architectural style. Many exist, but three (taisha-zukuri
Taisha-zukuri
is the oldest Shinto shrine style. Named after Izumo Taisha's honden , like Ise Grand Shrine's shinmei-zukuri style it features a bark roof decorated with poles called chigi and katsuogi, plus archaic features like gable-end pillars and a single central pillar...
, shinmei-zukuri
Shinmei-zukuri
is an ancient Japanese architectural style typical of Ise Grand Shrine's honden, the holiest of Shinto shrines. It is most common in Mie prefecture.-History:...
and sumiyoshi-zukuri
Sumiyoshi-zukuri
is an ancient Shinto shrine architectural style which takes its name from Sumiyoshi Taisha's honden in Ōsaka. As in the case of the taisha-zukuri and shinmei-zukuri styles, its birth predates the arrival in Japan of Buddhism.-History:...
) are of particular importance because they are the only ones believed to predate the arrival of Buddhism
Buddhism in Japan
The history of Buddhism in Japan can be roughly divided into three periods, namely the Nara period , the Heian period and the post-Heian period . Each period saw the introduction of new doctrines and upheavals in existing schools...
, and have therefore a special architectural and historical significance. They are exemplified respectively by the honden at Izumo Taisha
Izumo Taisha
is one of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan. No record gives the date of establishment. Located in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, it is home to two major festivals. It is dedicated to the god Ōkuninushi , famous as the Shinto deity of marriage.A style of architecture,...
, Nishina Shinmei Shrine
Nishina Shinmei Shrine
is a shrine in Ōmachi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is the oldest extant example of shinmei-zukuri, one of three architectural styles which were conceived before the arrival of Buddhism in Japan. It predates in fact the more famous Ise Shrine, which shares the style and has been since...
and Sumiyoshi Taisha
Sumiyoshi Taisha
, also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Sumiyoshi ward in the city of Osaka, Japan. It is the main shrine of all the Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan...
. German architect Bruno Taut
Bruno Taut
Bruno Julius Florian Taut , was a prolific German architect, urban planner and author active during the Weimar period....
compared the importance of Ise Shrine
Ise Shrine
is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
's honden to that of Greece's Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
. For details, see the article Shinto architecture
Shinto architecture
Shinto architecture is the architecture of Japanese Shinto shrines.With a few exceptions, the general blueprint of a Shinto shrine is Buddhist in origin. Before Buddhism, shrines were just temporary structures erected to a particular purpose. Buddhism brought to Japan the idea of permanent shrines...
.
See also
- The Glossary of ShintoGlossary of ShintoThis is the glossary of Shinto, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries...
for an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Shinto, Shinto art, and Shinto shrine architecture.