Kotai Jingu is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and principal deity of the Shinto pantheon. The name Kotai Jingu literally means 'Imperial Grand Shrine' and indicates the shrine's connection to the imperial family and the worship of Japan's most important kami.
- Denomination
- Imperial
- Religion
- shinto
- Enshrined kami
- Amaterasu Omikami
- Kami enshrined
- Amaterasu Omikami
- Coordinates
- 33.3029057, 132.8474736
Visitor tip
Show proper respect when visiting by bowing before entering the shrine grounds and purifying your hands and mouth at the temizuya water basin.
Cultural notes
Amaterasu Omikami is considered the ancestral deity of the Japanese imperial family and the most important kami in Shinto. Her worship at regional Kotai Jingu shrines helped spread imperial ideology and Shinto practices throughout Japan's provinces.
Historical note
Shrines bearing the name Kotai Jingu were established throughout Japan as regional centers for the worship of Amaterasu Omikami, creating a network of imperial shrines that reinforced the connection between local communities and the imperial cult centered at Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture.