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A Gokoku Shrine (Japanese: 護国神社, romanized: Gokokujinja, lit. 'national defense shrines') is a shrine dedicated to the spirit of those who died for the nation. They were renamed from Shōkonsha (招魂社) in 1939 (Showa 14).[1] Before World War II, they were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior, but after World War II they are administered by an independent religious corporation.[2] Designated Gokoku Shrines were built in prefectures except Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture.[a] The main deities are war dead from the prefecture or those who are related to them, as well as self-defense officers, police officers, firefighters, and others killed in the line of duty.
Such shrines were made to serve to enshrine the war dead, and they were all considered "branches" of Yasukuni Shrine. They were originally called Shokonsha but renamed to Gokoku shrines in 1939.[1]
They are considered the Japanese equivalent of the Martyrs' shrines of other Asian cultures.
- ^ a b TAKAYAMA, K. PETER (1990). "Enshrinement and Persistency of Japanese Religion". Journal of Church and State. 32 (3): 527–547. doi:10.1093/jcs/32.3.527. ISSN 0021-969X. JSTOR 23917081.
- ^ 日本大百科全書. "護国神社". コトバンク. 株式会社DIGITALIO. 2021年11月22日閲覧。
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