Bureau of Shrines (Jinja kyoku) (神社局)

The Bureau of Shrines was one of the bureaus of the Meiji government.

The bureau was established in the prewar Ministry of Home Affairs (Japan). It took charge of administrative matters relating to Shinto shrines, Shinto priests and Shinto priesthood.

On April 26, 1900, after the Bureau of Shrines and Temples, the Ministry of Home Affairs was discontinued, the work was divided into the Bureau of Shrines and the Bureau of Religions. In other words, the Ministry of Home Affairs was reorganized to establish seven bureaus in the ministry, add Bureau of Shrines to Bureau of Areas, and rename Bureau of Shrines and Temples as Bureau of Religions.

The bureau's staff included one director, one secretary, one investigator, two engineers, one clerk and two assistant investigators.

On November 9, 1940, the bureau was discontinued upon the establishment of Jingiin (Institute of Divinities).

[Original Japanese]