List of Shinto shrines in Taiwan

Taiwan Grand Shrine was the most notable Shinto shrine in Taiwan. Unfortunately it was destroyed by conflagration in 1944 when a cargo plane crashed in its vicinity. Today the Grand Hotel stands in its place.

Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa.

On June 17, 1895^[1] (Meiji 28), Taiwan came under the rule of the Empire of Japan. In the following year on December 3, 1896,^[2] the first Shinto shrine was created in Taiwan. This was actually an already existing Koxinga Shrine located in Tainan but renamed Kaizan Shrine (開山神社).

Since then, Shinto shrines were built in the major cities between the Meiji and Taishō period, while the majority of Shinto shrines in Taiwan were built from the late 1930s until Japan's defeat in World War II. In total, 204 shrines were built in Taiwan, 66 of which were officially sanctioned by the Japanese Empire.^[3]

Although many shrines in the exterior territories (外地, gaichi) such as Hokkaidō had enshrined deities (祭神, Saijin) such as the Three Kami Deities of Cultivation (開拓三神, Kaitaku Sanjin) which consisted of Ōkunitama no Mikoto (大国魂命), Ōnamuchi no Mikoto (大己貴命) and Sukunahikona no Mikoto (少彦名命); the Sun Goddess Amaterasu; Meiji Emperor etc., in Taiwan, most shrines had Prince Yoshihisa as a Saijin. Prince Yoshihisa was sent to Taiwan to subjugate the anti-Japanese rebellion but fell ill and died from malaria in Tainan in 1895. This fate was so similar to that of the legendary Prince Yamato Takeru that Prince Yoshihisa was made a tutelary deity (鎮護の神, chingo no kami) of Taiwan. In 1901 (Meiji 34), the Taiwan Shrine (later Taiwan Grand Shrine) was built and Prince Yoshihisa along with the Three Kami Deities of Cultivation were enshrined. Amaterasu was later included in the shrine. The shrines in Taiwan followed in its lead and Prince Yoshihisa became a Saijin in most shrines throughout Taiwan. Furthermore, in Tainan, the place of Prince Yoshihisa's demise, the Tainan Shrine was built.

After Japan's defeat in World War II, the shrines were either abandoned, destroyed or converted into Chinese Martyr Shrines.

List of shrines

Below is a list of Shinto shrines which were built during Japanese colonial rule. The shrines were ranked according to their importance such as Grand Shrine (官幣大社 kokuhei taisha), Small Shrine (国幣小社 kokuhei shōsha) and Martyr Shrine (護国神社 gokoku jinja), the last of which was designated by the Governor-General of Taiwan.

Taihoku Prefecture

Shinchiku Prefecture

Taichū Prefecture

Tainan Prefecture

Takao Prefecture

Hōko Prefecture

Taitō Prefecture

Karenkō Prefecture

Enshrined deities

• 大国主神/大国主命/大己貴命 Ōkuninushi no Kami/Mikoto, Ōnamuchi no Mikoto
• 大物主命 Ōmononushi no Mikoto
• 倉稲魂神/倉稲魂命 Ukanomitama no Kami/Mikoto
• 弥都波能売神 Mizuhanome no Kami
• 金山彦命 Kanayamahiko no Mikoto
• 猿田彦命 Sarutahiko no Mikoto
• 大国魂命 Ōkunimitama no Mikoto
• 大綿津見神 Ōwatatsumi no Kami
• 事代主命 Kotoshironushi no Mikoto
• 大山祇神/大山祇命 Ōyamazumi no Kami/Mikoto
• 火具津智命 Kagutsuchi no Mikoto
• 科津彦命 Shinatsuhiko no Mikoto

See also

• Shinto
• Shinto shrine
• Shinto in Taiwan
• Taiwan under Japanese rule
• Political divisions of Taiwan (1895-1945)
• Governor-General of Taiwan
• Formosan Army

References