Shrine architecture

Japanese: 神社建築 - じんじゃけんちく

The main shrine building of a shrine and its auxiliary buildings. In ancient times, people revered sacred places where divine spirits resided as sacred trees (himorogi), and also worshiped inherited treasures as mitamashiro (sacred spirits) to worship the spirits of their ancestors. Therefore, the place where the sacred tree is located or where the mitamashiro is enshrined becomes established as the shrine grounds of that god, but in the former case, since the sacred tree itself is the yorishiro (substitute) of the god, no main shrine is built (Isonokami Shrine and Omiwa Shrine in Nara, Suwa Taisha Shrine in Nagano, Kanasana Shrine in Saitama, etc.). On the other hand, when enshrining a sacred tree, a building to dedicate it to is needed, and it is thought that a raised storehouse developed into the main shrine of a shrine. The Mikeden (offering hall) of the Geku (Outer Shrine) of Ise Imperial Grand Shrine still retains the style of a wooden storehouse with horizontal boards arranged in a well-latched cage, conveying the ancient style.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

The style of the main hall

There are various styles, but they can be broadly categorized into Hirairi, with a door opening perpendicular to the ridge, and Tsumairi, with a door opening in the same direction as the ridge. Hirairi includes Shinmei-zukuri, Nagare-zukuri, Hachiman-zukuri, and Hie-zukuri styles, while Tsumairi includes Taisha-zukuri, Sumiyoshi-zukuri, Otori-zukuri, and Kasuga-zukuri styles. All main hall roofs are gabled, but Nagare-zukuri and Kasuga-zukuri have eaves on the front.

Of these, Shinmei-zukuri, Taisha-zukuri, and Sumiyoshi-zukuri are thought to represent the oldest styles, and the basic characteristics of these styles are thought to have been created before Buddhist architecture was imported during the Asuka period.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Shinmei-style

The main hall of Ise Grand Shrine has three bays (in the direction of the ridge) and two bays (perpendicular to the ridge), is raised, and has cylindrical pillars that are set into the ground. The roof has straight rafters that are not curved and is thatched with kaya. The gables on the gable cross each other to form chigi (roof rafters) at the top of the ridge, with katsuogi (wooden slats) decorated between them and four whip hooks attached to the top of each gable. A heart pillar is placed under the central floor, and the central pillars on both ends stand independently as munamuchi pillars. Buildings with this type of appearance are called Shinmei-zukuri, and the Nishina Shinmei-gu Shrine in Nagano is the oldest surviving Shinmei-zukuri main hall, but the roof is thatched with cypress bark. The main hall of Ise Grand Shrine is also called Yuitsu Shinmei-zukuri, to distinguish it from other shrines.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Ryuzo

This can be seen in the main hall and secondary hall of Kamo Wakeikazuchi Shrine (Kamigamo Shrine) and Kamo Mioya Shrine (Shimogamo Shrine) in Kyoto. The main hall of Kamo Shrine has three bays across and three beams, with one bay at the front of the bay serving as a eaves. The eaves are open, and the main building pillars of the two rear bays are cylindrical, but the eaves pillars are square. Some shrines do not have open eaves, and are built in the style of an antechamber. Nagare-zukuri shrines are classified as one-bay, two-bay, three-bay, or five-bay shrines depending on the number of bays across the bay, and in the case of Kamo Shrine, it is called Sangensha Nagare-zukuri. Shrines with eaves on both the front and back, such as the main hall of Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, are called Ryo-Nagare-zukuri.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Yawata-zukuri

This style is made up of gabled buildings lined up front and back, and representative remains include the main hall of Usa Jingu Shrine in Oita and the main hall and outer hall of Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine in Kyoto. The outer hall in the front is three bays long and one beam long, while the inner hall in the back is three bays long and two beam long. The eaves of the two buildings touch, so they have gutters for drainage, and the space in between is a jointed room.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Hiyoshi-made

Also known as Shotei-zukuri, it can be seen in the main halls of the East and West Main Shrines of Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Shiga Prefecture, and the Usa Shrine. All of them are 5 bays wide and 3 bays deep, with hip-and-gable roofs and eaves on the front and both sides. Therefore, it is similar to the Sangensha Nagare-zukuri style, where the eaves form the antechamber, with eaves on the sides as well. However, the eaves pillars are not square like the Nagare-zukuri style, but are all round.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Taisha-zukuri

The main hall is in the style of a two-bay, two-bay, gabled main hall, with a thick central pillar in the center of the hall, a thick ridge pillar that is a vestige of the ridge pillar in the center of the front and back gables, and a fog-proof roof is placed over the wooden floor in front of the front door. The partitions in the hall are reversed between Izumo Taisha and Kamutsu Shrine, and the direction of the altar is also different. This style is found in many places in Shimane Prefecture, and there are also variations such as the main hall of Sada Shrine, which has a reversed door, and the main hall of Miho Shrine, which looks like two taisha-zukuri buildings connected side by side.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Sumiyoshi-style

This style is seen in the main hall of Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Osaka, which has a gabled facade with four bays across, one bay at the front and two at the back, and is divided into two rooms, the inner sanctuary and the outer sanctuary. The plan of a main hall with two rooms like this is very similar to the main hall (Shoden) for the Daijosai ceremony held when the emperor ascends to the throne. At the main hall of Sumiyoshi Shrine in Fukuoka, the inner sanctuary is further divided into two rooms.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Otorizo

The exterior is similar to Taisha-zukuri, but the front is one bay with a doorway in the middle, and the interior does not have a central pillar, and is divided into two rooms, an inner sanctuary and an outer sanctuary, like Sumiyoshi-zukuri. The main hall of Otori Shrine in Osaka is a representative example.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Kasugazo

This style of main hall is typified by the main hall of Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara and the main hall of Wakamiya Shrine. It has a gabled front and a single beam, and has a eaves on the front, with full-scale buildings only having a veranda on the front. Because it has a eaves on the front, the front looks like a hipped roof, but there are also corner pieces on both ends of the front that are hipped roof styles, called Sumigiiri Kasuga-zukuri. This type of front corner piece style, with a main building that is more than two bays deep and the hall divided into an inner sanctuary and an outer sanctuary, like the main hall of Kumano Hongu Taisha, is also called Kumano-zukuri or Oji-zukuri.

In addition to the above, there are many main halls with irimoya-style roofs. These main halls also have both flat and gabled entrances, and there are also examples such as the main hall of Kibitsu Shrine in Okayama, which has irimoya-style roofs on both the front and back.

Among these shrines, there is a system in place to rebuild them after a certain period of time, known as shikinen zotai (sengu). Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine had a shikinen zotai (rebuilding every 20 years), Kitano Shrine every 50 years, and Izumo Taisha every 60 years, but this gradually fell out of use after the Middle Ages, and today only Ise Grand Shrine rebuilds them every 20 years.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Accessory building

Among shrine architecture, after the main hall, the worship hall and offering hall are the most numerous. Among worship halls, those with an aisle in the center are called wari worship halls, and the one at Sakurai Shrine in Osaka is famous. Additionally, in relation to Kumano Shrine, there are long-floor (nagatoko) buildings, and an ancient example is that of Kumano Shrine in Fukushima. In the early modern period, many compound shrine buildings were built, connecting the main hall and worship hall, or the main hall, offering hall and worship hall, and of these, the gongen-zukuri style, which is often seen at Toshogu shrines around the country, is well-known. One example that conveys the ancient style is Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto, where the main hall and worship hall are separated by a low stone-floored floor.

In ancient times, the auxiliary buildings of shrines, as seen at Ise Grand Shrine, mainly consisted of the tamagaki fence surrounding the main hall, the torii gate that symbolized the entrance, and the storehouse for storing sacred treasures. However, gradually, in addition to the worship hall and offering hall, things to improve the scenery in front of the shrine were added. These included corridors, a place for offerings, a place for offerings to the gods, a hall for prayers, a hall for dancing, a hall for kagura (sacred dance), a hall for naorai (a traditional meal for a deceased person), and a chozuya (a place for washing hands with water).

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

"Inagaki Eizo, 'Primary Color Japanese Art 16: Shrines and Mausoleums' (1968, Shogakukan)" ▽ Watanabe Yasutada, 'Japanese Art 3: Ise and Izumo' (1964, Heibonsha)

[Reference] | Sengu | Tamagaki | Torii

Shinmei-style
©Shogakukan ">

Shinmei-style

Ryuzo
©Shogakukan ">

Ryuzo

Yawata-zukuri
©Shogakukan ">

Yawata-zukuri

Taisha-zukuri
©Shogakukan ">

Taisha-zukuri

Sumiyoshi-style
©Shogakukan ">

Sumiyoshi-style

Kasugazo
©Shogakukan ">

Kasugazo

Gongen-zo
©Shogakukan ">

Gongen-zo

Kibitsu Shrine
Main hall (national treasure). Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture © Okayama Tourism and Convention Association

Kibitsu Shrine

Kumano Shrine President's Bed
Nationally designated important cultural property Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture ©Kitakata Tourism Association ">

Kumano Shrine President's Bed

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

神社の社殿およびその付属建築。古代人は、神霊のよる神聖な場所を神籬(ひもろぎ)として崇(あが)め、また祖先の霊を祀(まつ)るために、伝来の宝物を御霊代(みたましろ)として崇めた。したがって、神籬のある場所、御霊代を祀る場所が、その神の社地として定着してゆくが、前者の場合は神籬そのものが神の依代(よりしろ)であるから、本殿はつくられない（奈良・石上(いそのかみ)神宮や同大神(おおみわ)神社、長野・諏訪(すわ)大社、埼玉・金鑽(かなさな)神社など）。一方、御霊代を祀る際には、それを奉納する建物が必要であり、高床の倉が神社の本殿へと発展したものと思われる。伊勢(いせ)皇大神宮外宮(げくう)の御饌殿(みけでん)は、横板を井籠(せいろう)組みにした板倉の形式をいまもとどめ、古式を伝えている。

［工藤圭章］

本殿の形式

これには種々の形式があるが、大別して、棟と直角方向に扉口のある平入(ひらいり)と、棟と同方向に扉口のある妻入(つまいり)に分けることができ、平入には神明造(しんめいづくり)、流(ながれ)造、八幡(はちまん)造、日吉(ひえ)造、妻入には大社(たいしゃ)造、住吉(すみよし)造、大鳥(おおとり)造、春日(かすが)造がある。本殿の屋根はすべて切妻造であるが、流造や春日造では正面に庇(ひさし)がつく。

　これらのうち、もっとも古い形式を伝えると考えられるのは、神明造、大社造、住吉造で、飛鳥(あすか)時代に仏教建築が輸入される以前にその形式の基本的特徴がつくりだされたと思われる。

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神明造

伊勢皇大神宮正殿は桁行(けたゆき)（棟の方向）3間、梁間(はりま)（棟に直交する方向）2間、高床で、柱を円柱の掘立て柱とする。屋根は直線的な垂木(たるき)で、反りがなく、茅(かや)で葺(ふ)く。妻の破風(はふ)は交差して棟上では千木(ちぎ)となり、その間に堅魚木(かつおぎ)が飾られ、破風上部には鞭掛(むちかけ)が4本ずつつく。中央床下には心御柱(しんのみはしら)、両妻中央の柱は棟持(むなもち)柱として独立して立つ。このような外観をもつものを神明造といい、長野・仁科(にしな)神明宮は現存神明造本殿の最古の遺構だが、屋根は檜皮葺(ひわだぶ)きである。なお、伊勢皇大神宮の正殿は、とくに他と区別して唯一(ゆいつ)神明造ともよばれる。

［工藤圭章］

流造

京都・賀茂別雷(かもわけいかずち)神社（上賀茂(かみかも)社）、賀茂御祖(みおや)神社（下鴨(しもかも)社）本殿・権殿(ごんでん)にみられる。賀茂社の本殿は桁行3間、梁間3間で、桁行前寄り1間分が庇になる。庇は吹放しで後寄り2間の母屋(おもや)柱は円柱になるが、庇柱は角柱。庇が吹放しにならず、前室風につくられるものもある。流造は桁行柱間数により一間社、二間社、三間社、五間社に分類され、賀茂社の場合は三間社流造という。広島・厳島(いつくしま)神社本殿のように前後に庇があるものを両流造という。

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八幡造

前後に切妻造の建物が並ぶ形式で、代表的遺構に大分・宇佐神宮本殿、京都・石清水八幡宮(いわしみずはちまんぐう)本殿・外殿がある。前方の外院は桁行3間、梁間1間で、後方の内院は桁行3間、梁間2間となり、両院の軒先は接するので排水用の雨樋(あまどい)がつき、中間は造合の間(ま)になっている。

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日吉造

聖帝(しょうてい)造ともいわれ、滋賀・日吉大社東本宮・西本宮・宇佐宮の各本殿にみられる。いずれも桁行5間、梁間3間、入母屋(いりもや)造で、正面および両側面に庇がつく。したがって、庇が前室になる三間社流造の、側面にも庇が設けられたような形になる。だが、庇柱は流造のように角柱とならず、すべて円柱である。

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大社造

島根県の出雲(いずも)大社本殿や神魂(かもす)神社本殿にみられるような、桁行2間、梁間2間、切妻造妻入の本殿の形式で、殿内中央には太い心御柱が立ち、正背面妻中央の棟持柱の名残(なごり)をとどめる宇頭(うず)柱も太くつくられ、正面扉口前の木階上には霧除(よ)けの屋根がかけられる。出雲大社と神魂神社とでは殿内の仕切りが左右逆になり、神座の向きも異なっている。この形式は島根県下に数多く、扉口が逆になる佐太神社本殿や、2棟の大社造を横に並べて接続したような美保神社本殿など変型のものもある。

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住吉造

大阪・住吉大社本殿にみられる形式で、桁行4間、梁間正面1間、背面2間の切妻造妻入で、殿内は内陣・外陣の2室に分かれる。このような2室をもつ本殿の平面形式は、天皇の践祚(せんそ)の際に設けられる大嘗祭(だいじょうさい)の正殿(しょうでん)とよく似ている。福岡・住吉神社本殿では内陣がさらに2室に分かれている。

［工藤圭章］

大鳥造

外観は大社造に似ているが、正面を1間とし中央に扉口を開き、内部も心御柱がなく、住吉造のように内陣・外陣の2室に分かれる。大阪・大鳥神社本殿が代表例である。

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春日造

奈良の春日大社本社本殿や若宮神社本殿に代表される本殿形式。桁行1間、梁間1間、切妻造妻入の建物の前面に庇がつき、本格的なものは縁が正面にだけつく。前面に庇があるため、正面は入母屋造風にみえるが、実際に前面両端に隅木(すみぎ)を入れて入母屋造とする隅木入春日造もある。この種の前面隅木入で、母屋の奥行が2間以上あり、殿内が内陣・外陣に分かれる熊野本宮大社本殿のような形式を、熊野造または王子造ともいう。

　以上のほか、入母屋造の屋根の本殿も多い。これらの本殿にも平入、妻入の両者があり、なかには前後に入母屋造の屋根を並べた、岡山・吉備津(きびつ)神社本殿のような例もある。

　これらの社殿のなかには、一定期間たつと造り替える制度があり、これを式年造替(ぞうたい)（遷宮）という。住吉大社は20年、北野神社は50年、出雲大社は60年の式年造替であったが、中世以降しだいに廃れ、現在は伊勢皇大神宮のみ20年ごとに行われている。

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付属建築

神社建築のなかでは、本殿に次いで拝殿、幣殿(へいでん)の数が多い。拝殿のなかで、中央部が通路となるものを割(わり)拝殿といい、大阪・桜井神社のものが有名である。また熊野神社関係では長床(ながとこ)があり、福島・熊野神社のものが古例としてあげられる。近世に入ると、本殿・拝殿、あるいは本殿・幣殿・拝殿を接続した複合社殿が多くつくられているが、このうちでは各地の東照宮に多くみられる権現(ごんげん)造が著名である。古式を伝えるものに京都・北野天満宮があり、本殿と拝殿の間は床が低い石の間になる。

　古い時期の神社の付属建築は、伊勢神宮にみるように、本殿の周囲を囲む玉垣、入口のシンボルである鳥居と、神宝を納める倉がおもなものであった。しかし、しだいに拝殿・幣殿のほか、社頭の景観を整えるためのものが加わるようになる。これには回廊、御供所(ごくしょ)、神饌(しんせん)所、祝詞(のりと)舎、舞殿、神楽(かぐら)殿、直会(なおらい)殿、手水屋(ちょうずや)などがある。

［工藤圭章］

『稲垣栄三著『原色日本の美術16　神社と霊廟』（1968・小学館）』▽『渡辺保忠著『日本の美術3　伊勢と出雲』（1964・平凡社）』

[参照項目] | 遷宮 | 玉垣 | 鳥居

神明造

流造

八幡造

大社造

住吉造

春日造

権現造

吉備津神社

熊野神社長床