Carpenter’s Notebook for Shinto Shrine Building and Ceremony

This document provides an insight into some details of the Yuiitsu Shinto tradition. There are illustrations of the Yuiitsu Shinto paradigm, aligning the Five Agents with the human body, the shrine buildings.

According to scholar Anya Ando, “Dated Meiji 3, ca. 1870. Interesting colophon as well. This document provides an insight into some details of the Yuiitsu Shinto tradition.”

Scholar Anya Ando also noted that one of the drawings depicts, “Aligning the Five Agents with the human body, nice example!”

Scholar Jann Williams agrees, “It certainly is. There is an earlier example of the Five Agents on a triangle as well (representations of in’yo, gogyo and godai are of particular interest to me), and the gohei on the altar. The Five Agents are prevalent! There is such a wealth of material here.”

On another drawing, Anya Ando notes, “A slightly more “classic” representation, already known in medieval times, adopted here into the Yuiitsu Shinto paradigm.”

Scholar Jann Williams adds, “How interesting. The elements are different (gogyo cf godai) than I’ve seen associated with Kakuban before (I’m principally familiar with his gorinto imagery). Although I have recently discovered a reference where Kakuban is linked to both gogyo and godai. There is so much to discover here!”