# Taisha (shrine)

Taisha is a term used to refer to a rank of Shinto shrines.
A taisha (大社)(the characters are also read ōyashiro) is literally a "great shrine" that was classified as such under the old system of shrine ranking, the shakaku (社格), abolished in 1946.

## History

Originally Taisha referred to the 203 Myojin Taisha or the 492 Shikinai Taisha listed in the Engishiki Jinmyocho
The term became more strict in the Empire of Japan. In that time it almost always referred to Izumo-taisha. After the war, many shrines with the rank of taisha, such as the former Kanpei Taisha and the former Kokuhei Taisha Shrine, started calling themselves taisha.
Izumo Taisha wants to be the only shrine to use the name.

## List of Taisha

| Shrine name | Former shrine name | Imperial rank | Engishiki | Location |
| Prewar |||||
| Izumo-taisha | Izumo-taisha | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Kumano Taisha | Kumano Jinja | Kokuhei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Postwar |||||
| Mishima Taisha | Mishima Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture |
| Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha | Sengen Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture |
| Suwa-taisha | Suwa Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture |
| Keta Taisha | Keta Jinja | Kokuhei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture |
| Nangū Taisha | Nangu Jinja | Kokuhei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Tarui Town, Fuwa District, Gifu Prefecture |
| Tado Taisha | Tado Jinja | Kokuhei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture |
| Taga-taisha | Taga Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Shikinai Shosha | Taga Town, Inukami District, Shiga Prefecture |
| Takebe taisha | Takebe Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Hiyoshi Taisha | Hiyoshi Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Kasuga-taisha | Kasuga Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Nara City, Nara Prefecture |
| Tatsuta Taisha | Tatsuta Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Misato Town, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture |
| Hirose Taisha | Hirose Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Kawai Town, Kitakatsuragi District, Nara Prefecture |
| Fushimi Inari-taisha | Inari Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Fushimi Ward , Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Matsunoo Taisha | Matsuo Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Umenomiya Taisha | Umenomiya Jinja | Kanpei Chusha | Myojin Taisha | Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Sumiyoshi-taisha | Sumiyoshi Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Ōtori taisha | Otori Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Nishi Ward, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Kumano Hongū Taisha | Kumanoimasu Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture |
| Kumano Hayatama Taisha | Kumano Hayatama Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Shikinai Taisha | Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture |
| Kumano Nachi Taisha | Kumano Nachi Jinja | Kanpei Chusha | Kokushi genzaisha | Nachikatsuura Town, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture |
| Munakata Taisha | Munakata Jinja | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Kōra taisha | Kora Jinja | Kokuhei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture |

## Former Taisha

There are some shrines which used to call themselves Taisha but later changed their names
| Shrine name | Imperial rank | Engishiki | Notes |
| Hikawa Shrine | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | The word "Hikawa Taisha" appears on the bag of votive offerings |
| Hirano Shrine | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | There used to be a sign that said "Hirano Taisha" on the gate |
| Hiraoka Shrine | Kanpei Taisha | Myojin Taisha | A sign that reads "Hiraoka Taisha" is still present in front of the old station of Hiraoka |
| Ikoma Shrine | Fuken-sha | Shikinai Taisha | |