Priest - Kannushi

Originally, it meant a person in charge of religious ceremonies or a holy person who worships gods. Currently, it is used synonymously with Shinto priest. In the Kojiki, the section on Emperor Sujin, it is written that "He appointed Ohotataneko no Mikoto as the chief priest and worshiped before Oho-miwanookami on Mt. Mimoro." Also, in the Nihon Shoki, it is written that Empress Jingu herself entered the Saigū shrine as the chief priest and gave oracles. In ancient times, religion and politics were one and the same, so the Uji no Kami led the clan members in worship, and local governors such as Kuni no Miyatsuko and Agatanoushi performed rituals as priests. Among the shrines in various regions, there were those called O-shinnushi, So-shinnushi, Gon-shinnushi, and other titles, and the priests included Guji, Shinnushi, Negi, Hafuri, and Kannagi. The Guji was primarily responsible for the overall administrative affairs of the shrine, while the Shinnushi was the highest-ranking position, solely responsible for serving in rituals. Since the early modern period, these priests have come to be collectively referred to as Shinnushi. Furthermore, among the general public, the system of Toya-shinnushi, Ichinose-shinnushi, and Nenban-shinnushi, in which members of the Miyaza took turns serving as Shinnushi for one year, was widely used until modern times. The chosen person would abide by abstinence and purification for one year and serve the gods as a representative of the entire village, while also appearing before the villagers as a symbol of the gods and performing rituals for the tutelary deity.

[Moriyasu Jin]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

もとは神事をつかさどる者、あるいは神を祀(まつ)る聖なる者の意である。現在は神職と同義に用いられる。『古事記』崇神(すじん)天皇の条に「意富多多泥古命(おほたたねこのみこと)を以(も)ちて神主と為(し)て、御諸(みもろ)山に意富美和之大神(おほみわのおほかみ)の前(みまえ)を拝(いつ)き祭りたまひき」とあり、また『日本書紀』には神功(じんぐう)皇后自らが斎宮に入って神主となり、託宣を行ったことがみえる。上古には祭政一致であったため氏上(うじのかみ)が氏人を率いて奉祀(ほうし)したり、また国造(くにのみやつこ)、県主(あがたぬし)などの地方長官が司祭者として祭祀を行った。各地の神社のなかには、大(おお)神主、総神主、権(ごん)神主などとよばれるものもあり、また神職としては宮司(ぐうじ)、神主、禰宜(ねぎ)、祝(はふり)、巫(かんなぎ)などがあった。宮司は主として神社全般の事務管掌責任者であるが、神主はもっぱら祭祀のことに奉仕する最上位の職であった。近世以後はこれらの神職を総称して俗に神主とよぶようになった。また民間では、宮座を構成する人々のなかから1年交代で神主を務める当屋(とうや)神主、一年神主、年番(ねんばん)神主の制が近代まで広く行われた。選ばれた者は1年間は精進潔斎し、村人全体の代表者として神に奉仕する一方、村人に対しては神の象徴として臨み、氏神の祭祀にあたった。

［森安　仁］

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