Chief priest - Saishu

One of the titles of the priests who serve at Ise Grand Shrine. Also called the Grand Shrine Priest, this title exists only at the Grand Shrine, and is chosen from among the imperial family or former imperial family members as the Omiteshiro, who serves the rituals on behalf of the emperor. The current Grand Shrine Priest is Ikeda Atsuko. It is said that this originated when Okashima-no-mikoto was appointed as the Grand Shrine Priest when the Grand Shrine was established (Yamatohime-no-mikoto Seiki and others). At first, he was a messenger to Ise (the "Daijingu-shiki"), but later the Nakatomi clan was chosen as the Grand Shrine Priest and had him act as a mediator between the Imperial Court and the Grand Shrine. After Emperor Gonara (reigned 1526-57), the Fujinami family, among the Nakatomi clan, inherited the position of chief priest of the shrine, and after the shrine reform in 1871 (Meiji 4), the system of a chief priest of the imperial family was established, and he was made Omitedai. The word chief priest appeared as early as the August entry for the 7th year of the Sujin Chronicles in the Nihon Shoki, where it is read as Kannushi (master of the festival) (or Tsukasa).

[Numabe Harutomo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

伊勢(いせ)の神宮に仕える祀職(ししょく)名の一つ。神宮祭主ともよばれ、神宮にだけある職名で、天皇にかわって祭祀に仕える大御手代(おおみてしろ)として、皇族または皇族であった者のなかから選ばれる。現在の神宮祭主は池田厚子である。この起源は、神宮鎮座のとき、大鹿島命(おおかしまのみこと)が祭主に任ぜられたのに始まるという（『倭姫(やまとひめ)命世記』ほか）。初めは伊勢への幣使をいった（「大神宮式」）が、のちに中臣(なかとみ)氏を選んで祭主とし、朝廷と神宮との仲執(なかと)り持ちの役をさせた。後奈良(ごなら)天皇（在位1526～57）以降は、中臣氏のなかでも藤波家が神宮祭主職を世襲し、1871年（明治4）の神宮改正後は、皇族祭主の制が定められ、大御手代とされた。なお、祭主の語は、早く『日本書紀』の「崇神(すじん)紀」7年8月の条にみえ、そこでは祭りの主(かんぬし)（または「つかさ」）と読む。

［沼部春友］

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