SHRINE SHINTO

Japanese Jinja Shinto, form of the Shinto religion of Japan that focusses on worship in public shrines, in contrast to folk and sectarian practices (see Kyoha Shinto); the successor to State Shinto, the nationalistic cult disbanded by decree of the Allied occupation forces at the end of World War II and subsequently in the Japanese constitution. More than 80,000 shrines, nearly all of those formerly administered by the government, have formed themselves into an Association of Shinto Shrines (Jinja Honcho). They no longer receive financial support from the government but are dependent on private contributions for their maintenance and for the support of their priests.