Kampei-taisha (Imperial Grand Shrine)
The highest rank in the Meiji-era shrine classification system (now abolished)
Kampei-taisha (Imperial Grand Shrine) was the highest rank in the modern shrine classification system established by the Meiji government and used from 1871 to 1946. Shrines at this level received their offerings (heihaku) directly from the Imperial Household and were considered institutions of national importance.
Prominent examples of former Kampei-taisha include Ise Jingu (though it was technically considered above all ranking systems), Izumo Taisha, Kasuga Taisha, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Meiji Jingu, and Itsukushima Jinja. The designation was often bestowed on shrines that enshrined major mythological deities, imperial ancestors, or played significant roles in national history.
The entire state ranking system was dissolved after Japan's defeat in World War II as part of the Allied occupation's mandate to separate religion and state. The classification no longer has any legal standing, but the title continues to carry enormous prestige. Many former Kampei-taisha reference this historical rank in their literature, and knowledgeable visitors understand it as a marker of the shrine's significance in the Japanese religious and cultural landscape.