Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō

Sannō Shintō(山王神道) was a syncretic shinto group with elements from Tendai buddhism of Enryaku-ji Temple. Sannō(山王) means“King of the Mountain,”, is a common name of the guardian deity of Tendai Buddhism.The roots of the Shintō-Buddhist amalgamation(Shinbutsu-shūgō) that developed the belief in Sannō can be traced back to the early Heian period, when Buddhist monks regard a number of Shinto deities (kami) as guardian of Buddhism. From the beginning of the Kamakura period (1192–1333), theories of that were formulated. The most important of the syncretic schools to emerge were Sannō and Ryōbu Shintō(両部神道).

Its early modern doctrines that concern Tōshō-gū(東照宮) are specially distinguished as Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō(山王一実神道) or Ichijitsu Shintō(一実神道).

Sannō Shintō no longer exists

Hie Taisha, a Sannō Shintō shrine on Mount Hiei

Tendai doctrine allowed Japanese Buddhists to reconcile Buddhist teachings with the native religious beliefs and practices of Japan (now labeled "Shinto"). In the case of Shinto, the difficulty is the reconciliation of the pantheon of Japanese gods (kami), as well as with the myriad spirits associated with places, shrines or objects, with Buddhist teachings. These gods and spirits were initially seen as local protectors of Buddhism.

Sannō Shintō 山王神道 was a specifically Tendai branch of syncretic Buddhist-Shinto religious practice, which revered kamis called the Mountain Kings (Sannō) or Sanno Sansei 山王ニ聖 (The Three Sacred [Deities] of Sanno) and was based on Hie Taisha 日吉大社 a shrine on Mount Hiei. The Togakushi Shrine (戸隠神社, Togakushi Jinja) was also associated with the Tendai school before it was separated from Buddhist institutions by the Japanese state during the separation of Shinto from Buddhism in the 19th century.

These religious ideas eventually led to the development of a Japanese current of thought called honji suijaku (本地垂迹), which argued that kami are simply local manifestations (the suijaku or "traces") of the Buddhas (honji, "true nature"). This manifestation of the Buddhas was explained through the classic Mahayana doctrines of skillful means and the Trikaya.

In 1571, Oda Nobunaga attacked Enryaku-ji Temple, and Hie Taisha was burned down along with the Temple.

Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō

Tenkai(天海, 1536–1643) influential Tendai Buddhist monk took over the medieval tradition of Sanno Shinto and advocated a new form of Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō(山王一実神道) in opposition to Yoshida Shintō(吉田神道). Sanno Ichijitsu Shinto, based on the same Tendai thought as Sanno Shinto, was formulated in the early Edo Period and was centered at Tōshō-gū(東照宮), especially Nikkō Tōshō-gū(日光東照宮) to enshrine the spirit of is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu(1542-1616). That formed the doctrine of Ieyasu as Great Radiant Deity of the East (Tōshō Daigongen(東照大権現)). Sugawara says, Sanno Ichijitsu Shinto was a highly political religious system whose purpose was to legitimize and stabilize the rule of the Tokugawa house.

See also

• Hiyoshi Taisha
• Sanno Gongen