Shintoist Rites Research Council
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The Shintoist Rites Research Council was a political-theological entity for research into all ancient Shinto rites and practices, founded in Japan by Count Kiichiro Hiranuma, to support State Shintoism.
Its founder declared: "We should research the ancient Shinto rites in detail and consider their application in administrative affairs in general and the common life of the nation"
It was in effect a "think tank" formed by nationalist thinkers with Shinto theologians. The origins of the old religious and political beliefs were concerns of right-wingers and militarists. It had a headquarters in Tokyo and input into government policies. It was linked to the Religious Affairs Ministry.
One of its declared purposes was to follow up religious research begun by Norinaga Motoori and his pupil Atsutane Hirata on the texts of the Kojiki, Shoku Nihongi and Yengi-Shiki, on the ancient Yamato religious concepts of Kami and Shintai, the "Sun Goddess Lineage" and Mikubidama collar, the Ujigami and Matsuri sacred objects, the Miya stone altar,and the Matsuri goto leader posts, and other fundamentals of Shinto practices.
They studied: the Takamagahara "sacred plain"; Amaterasu Ōmikami (the Sun Goddess) and her brother Susa-no-wo-Mikoto (storm God); the Izanagi and Izanami divinities; their "Tenson"(Sun Lineage); Ninigi-no-Mikoto, the son of Amaterasu; and his direct descendant Iware Hiko with a divine mission in occupied Yamato, who was later remembered as "Jinmu", the first mythical emperor and founder of the "Imperial Sun Lineage".
The group studied also political theories of Fujiwara Seika, Hayashi Razan, Yamagata Soko, Yamazaki Ansai, Ogura Sorai, Kada Azumamaro, Kamo Mabuchi, Hirata Atsutane,and other political and religious Shinto thinkers of the Shogunate Period.
This organization mantained its activities until the last stages of conflict in the Pacific War. It was dissolved by the Allied authorities in 1945, in the drive against nationalist groups. Its founder and some leaders were convicted of war crimes.
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