Kashima Shrine
During the [[Nara period]], the Nakatomi clan rose to prominence and changed their name to [[Fujiwara clan|Fujiwara]] and played a central role in reorganizing the Shinto ritual system. By the [[Heian period]], Kashima Jingū was given the highest rank and the Shinto hierarchy, along with [[Ise Grand Shrine]] and [[Kashima Shrine]]. The "[[Engishiki]]" records list the shrine as the "[[ichinomiya]]" of Hitachi Province. Although the Fujiwara clan lost much of its power into the [[Kamakura period]], the shrine continued to enjoy high status and prestige with the warrior class and was strongly supported by successive "[[samurai]]" governments and local "[[daimyō]]". [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]] granted the shrine numerous estates, and many members of the "samurai" class entered the [[kannushi|priesthood]], sometimes advancing to very senior positions. The shrine buildings were extensively reconstructed during the early [[Edo period]], with [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] sponsoring the reconstruction of the main shrine in 1605 (currently the main building of the Oku-no-miya Shrine), [[Tokugawa Hidetada]] rebuilding the current main shrines in 1619 and with [[Tokugawa Yorifusa]] contributing the tower gate in 1634.