History

• In 1868, Shinto style ceremony started at Jōchibyō which was the grave of Katō Kiyomasa
  Kato Kiyomasa
  was a Japanese daimyō of the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo period.-Origins and early career:Kiyomasa was born in Owari Province to Katō Kiyotada. Kiyotada's wife, Ito, was a cousin of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mother. Kiyotada died while his son was still young...
  
   in Honmyōji
  Honmyōji
  is a Buddhist temple of the Nichiren sect, Rokujōmonryū, in Kumamoto, Japan. It is the most high ranking temple of the sect in Kyushu. In Honmyōji is the grave of Katō Kiyomasa, , a Japanese daimyo, builder of Kumamoto Castle and a dedicated buddhist of Nichiren Buddhism.-The temple:Honmyōji...
  
  , proposed by Nagaoka Moriyoshi.
• In 1871, Nishikiyama Shrine was built within Kumamoto Castle
  Kumamoto Castle
  is a hilltop Japanese castle located in Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture. It was a large and extremely well fortified castle. The is a concrete reconstruction built in 1960, but several ancillary wooden buildings remain of the original castle. Kumamoto Castle is considered one of the three premier...
  
   at the separation of Buddhism
  Buddhism
  Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
  
   and Shintoism. Enshrined are Katō Kiyomasa, Ōki Kaneyoshi and Kin.
• In 1874, the Nishikiyama Shrine was moved to Kyōmachi because the Kumamoto Castle
  Kumamoto Castle
  is a hilltop Japanese castle located in Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture. It was a large and extremely well fortified castle. The is a concrete reconstruction built in 1960, but several ancillary wooden buildings remain of the original castle. Kumamoto Castle is considered one of the three premier...
  
   belonged to the Japanese Army in 1873.
• In 1875, the rank of the shrine was made the prefectural shrine. This system discontinued in 1946.
• In 1877, the Nishikiyama Shrine was burned in the battle of Satsuma Rebellion
  Satsuma Rebellion
  The was a revolt of Satsuma ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 to September 24, 1877, 9 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government.-Background:...
  
  . Shintai
  Shintai
  In Shinto, , or when the honorific prefix go- is used, are physical objects worshiped at or near Shinto shrines as repositories in which spirits or kami reside...
  
   was moved to Kengun Shrine.
• In 1884, reconstruction was started.
• In 1886, the shrine was reconstructed.
• In 1909, the name of Nishikiyama Shrine was changed to Katō Shrine.
• In 1911, a Katō Shrine was built in Hawaii
  Hawaii
  Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
  
  .
  • Closed later.
• In 1914, a Katō Shrine was built in Seoul
  Seoul
  Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
  
  .
  • Closed after the war.
    • Katō Kiyomasa
      Kato Kiyomasa
      was a Japanese daimyō of the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo period.-Origins and early career:Kiyomasa was born in Owari Province to Katō Kiyotada. Kiyotada's wife, Ito, was a cousin of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mother. Kiyotada died while his son was still young...
      
       is enshrined in about 90 shrines; about a half in Kumamoto Prefecture
      Kumamoto Prefecture
      is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
      
      .
• In 1952, Katō Shrine was designated as Religious corporation
  Religious corporation
  A religious corporation is a type of religious non-profit organization, which has been incorporated under the law. Often these types of corporations are recognized under the law on a subnational level, for instance by a state or province government...
  
  .
• In 1962, Katō Shrine was moved to the present site in Kumamoto Castle
  Kumamoto Castle
  is a hilltop Japanese castle located in Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture. It was a large and extremely well fortified castle. The is a concrete reconstruction built in 1960, but several ancillary wooden buildings remain of the original castle. Kumamoto Castle is considered one of the three premier...
  
  .
• In 1981, the Sūkeikai, an association of Katō Shrine goers, was started.

Festivals

• Spring festival: April 24
• Summer festival: July 24
• Katō Kiyomasa festival: the 4th Sunday of July
• Monthly ceremonies: 1st, 15th and 24th of every month

Ōki and Kin

• Ōki Kaneyoshi (1552–1611) was a karō
  KARO
  KARO is a radio station licensed to serve Nyssa, Oregon, USA. The station is owned by the Educational Media Foundation.It broadcasts a Contemporary Christian music format as part of the Air 1 network.-History:...
  
   of Sassa Narimasa. After the fall of Sassa, he became a karō of Katō Kiyomasa. During the Japanese invasion of Korea, his services, or merits were great. At the Sekigahara battle
  Battle of Sekigahara
  The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
  
  , he made the wife of Katō Kiyomasa escape from the Osaka house. 　
• Kin Kan was a Korean who was captured in the Japanese invasion of Korea. His real name was 良甫鑑, and Kin Kan was the name of his position. He became a fan of Katō Kiyomasa and followed his master and became a page.

Features and Memorials

Memorials

• Taiko bridge, placed within the campus of the shrine, was brought from Korea as a memorial, and served as the model of stone bridges.
• A large washbasin belonged to Ooki Kaneyoshi who is enshrined.
• A flag-holding stone was brought from Nagoya, Saga Prefecture
  Saga Prefecture
  is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
  
  , in connection with the invasion of Korea.

Small shrines

• Enshrined are Sarutahiko-kami, Sugawara Michizane, Ookuninushi-kami and Ebisu-kami.

Footnotes