Sect Shinto: The Thirteen Meiji Sects and the Twelve Groups of Today

IOverview

The name comes from an administrative classification. In the Meiji era the state treated shrines as national ritual, while groups that preached about the kami to the public were recognised one by one as sects. By 1908 there were thirteen, hence the older label of the thirteen sects. Today the Association of Sect Shinto 教派神道連合会 has twelve members. The Association of Shinto Shrines lists this as one of the four forms of Shinto under the name Shūha Shintō.

IIHistorical Development

• 1876First two sects
  Kurozumikyō and Shintō Shūseiha are recognised as independent.
• 1882Priests separated from preaching
  The same year six sects are recognised, including Izumo Ōyashirokyō, Fusōkyō, Jikkōkyō, Shintō Taiseikyō, Shinshūkyō and Ontakekyō.
• 1886Shintō Taikyō becomes independent
  At the time it was called Shintō Honkyoku.
• 1894Shinrikyō and Misogikyō
  Two more sects are recognised.
• 1895First federation
  Eight sects form the Shintō Dōshikai, forerunner of today's association.
• 1900 and 1908Konkōkyō, then Tenrikyō
  The last two sects bring the total to thirteen.
• 1934Name Kyōha Shintō Rengōkai
  The federation adopts its present name.
• After 1945Membership changes
  Tenrikyō and Shintō Taiseikyō withdraw and Ōmoto joins, leaving twelve groups.

IIITypes of Sect

The thirteen sects never shared one doctrine. Scholars usually sort them into a few groups by origin, and those groups show how much the label Sect Shinto gathers together.

IVPractice and Community Life

Each group has its own places of worship, usually called churches 教会 or branch shrines, preachers ordained by the group, and scriptures or sayings of its founder. Members register, attend monthly services and study doctrine. On the surface the rites look like shrine rites: offerings, spoken prayers, clapping. What differs is the sermon, pastoral counselling and distinctive disciplines such as climbing sacred mountains, cold-water purification, greeting the sunrise, or the mediation practice of Konkōkyō.

VOrganisation and Distribution

The Association of Sect Shinto is a liaison body, not a governing one. Each group is a separate, self-governing religious corporation with its own headquarters. According to the 2020 Religious Yearbook as tabulated on English Wikipedia, Izumo Ōyashirokyō is the largest with 1,266,058 adherents, followed by Konkōkyō with 397,461 and Kurozumikyō with 297,351. Ōmoto is listed at 166,367. The twelve members together come to about 2.5 million. All figures are self-reported by the groups to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Almost all activity is in Japan. A few groups have overseas branches, mainly in Hawaii, North America and Brazil, where Japanese emigrants settled.

VIIn Vietnam

The library has found no source recording activity by any Sect Shinto group in Vietnam. None appears among the religious organisations registered in Vietnam according to figures released by the Government Committee for Religious Affairs on 1 August 2025. Vietnamese readers of Japanese may meet these names in books on Japan's new religions.

VIISymbol of the Branch

No symbol of its own is recorded with a source for this branch, so the library uses the common symbol of the path.

VIIISub-branches

• Izumo Ōyashirokyō 出雲大社教
• Ōmoto 大本
• Ontakekyō 御嶽教
• Kurozumikyō 黒住教
• Konkōkyō 金光教
• Jikkōkyō 実行教
• Shinshūkyō 神習教
• Shintō Shūseiha 神道修成派
• Shintō Taikyō 神道大教
• Shinrikyō 神理教
• Fusōkyō 扶桑教
• Misogikyō 禊教

IXOther Branches of Shinto

Shrine Shinto神社神道 Jinja ShintōThe largest form, centred on the nationwide network of shrines.Folk Shinto民俗神道 Minzoku ShintōCustomary Shinto practised by ordinary people without systematisation: household altars, kami of the kitchen and well, village customs, seasonal and life-cycle rites.Sect Shinto教派神道 Kyōha Shintō (called 宗派神道 Shūha Shintō by the Association of Shinto Shrines)Organised groups with founders, doctrines and members, mostly formed in the 19th century.Uses the common symbol of the pathIzumo Ōyashirokyō出雲大社教 Izumo ŌyashirokyōFounded in 1882 by Senge Takatomi, 80th chief priest of Izumo Taisha.Konkōkyō金光教 KonkōkyōFounded in 1859 by Konkō Daijin, headquartered in Asakuchi, Okayama.Uses the common symbol of the pathKurozumikyō黒住教 KurozumikyōFounded by Kurozumi Munetada, dated to 1814, headquartered at Shintōzan in Okayama.Uses the common symbol of the pathŌmoto大本 ŌmotoBegan with Deguchi Nao in 1892 in Ayabe, Kyoto.Imperial Household Shinto皇室神道 Kōshitsu ShintōRites performed by the Emperor within the palace for the nation, the people and world peace, centred on Amaterasu.Historical Shinto schools両部神道, 吉田神道, 伊勢神道, 垂加神道, 復古神道Interpretive schools from the medieval to early modern period, including Ryōbu, Ise, Yoshida, Suika and Fukko Shinto.Uses the common symbol of the path

XSources

The library cross-checks the sources below. Where they disagree, the page gives both.

1. Wikipedia tiếng Anh, Sect Shinto
2. Wikipedia tiếng Anh, Shinto sects and schools
3. Kyōha Shintō Rengōkai, trang thành viên
4. Jinja Honchō, Shūha Shintō
5. Nihon Shūkyō Renmei, Kyōha Shintō Rengōkai

?Quick Questions

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