Taisha (大社)
Taisha are large jinja (Shinto shrines), or one of the 492 jinja categorized as Shikinai Taisha in the early Heian period text Jimmyocho (the list of deities) of Engishiki (codes and procedures on national rites and prayers), or those jinja that have adopted the suffix taisha. It was once the case that the characters of the word 'Taisha,' pronounced 'Oyashiro,' referred specifically to Izumo Taisha Shrine (Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture). After the second world war, a large number of old Kampei Taisha (Great Imperial Shrines) and Kokuhei Taisha (Great National Shrines) changed their titles to simply Taisha. Examples are given below.
List of Taisha
Pre-war/Premodern
Post-war/Following the Separation of Government and Religion
Note 1: 'Former Shrine Name' is the name by which the shrine was known under the integrated system of shrine ranks. Note 2: 'Location' gives the modern place name.
Modern denotation undetermined (both former Kampei Taisha)
Hikawa-jinja Shrine (Omiya Ward, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture): Bags containing things bought from the shrine give the name 'Hikawa Taisha.'
Hirano-jinja Shrine (Kita Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture): The sign on the torii previously read 'Hirano Taisha.'