Definition

1. Noun:

   • The branch of Shinto recognized as the official state religion of Japan: "Kokka" refers specifically to the institutionalized, state-sanctioned form of Shinto that was established in Japan, particularly from the Meiji Restoration (1868) until the end of World War II (1945). It is often translated as "State Shinto."

2. Adjective:

   • Of or pertaining to the branch of Shinto recognized as the state religion of Japan: The adjective "kokka" describes anything related to this official, national form of Shinto, such as its institutions, rituals, or doctrines.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Kokka was formally disestablished after World War II. (Kokka đã chính thức bị giải thể sau Thế chiến thứ hai.)
  • The shrine was a central institution of Kokka. (Ngôi đền là một tổ chức trung tâm của Kokka.)

• Adjective:

  • They studied the development of kokka ideology. (Họ đã nghiên cứu sự phát triển của hệ tư tưởng kokka.)
  • The emperor's role was defined by kokka doctrine. (Vai trò của Thiên hoàng được định nghĩa bởi giáo lý kokka.)

Advanced Usage

• "Kokka Shinto": This is the full term often used in academic and historical contexts to explicitly mean "State Shinto," distinguishing it from other forms like Sect Shinto (Kyōha Shintō) or Folk Shinto (Minzoku Shintō).
  • Kokka Shinto emphasized rituals for national prosperity and imperial reverence. (Kokka Shinto nhấn mạnh các nghi lễ vì sự thịnh vượng quốc gia và sự tôn kính hoàng gia.)

Variants and Related Words

• Shinto (n): The indigenous spirituality and religion of Japan, of which Kokka is a specific historical branch.
• Jinja (n): A Shinto shrine; the shrines were central to the administration of Kokka.
• Secular (adj): Often used in contrast to describe the post-war status of Shinto, which was separated from the state, unlike kokka.

Synonyms

• State Shinto (n): The direct English translation and synonym for "Kokka."
• National Shinto (n): A less common but sometimes used synonym.

Notes on Meaning

• Historical Specificity: It is crucial to understand that "kokka" is not a general term for all of Shinto. It refers to a specific historical and political system where Shinto was organized as a state religion to promote national unity and imperial loyalty.
• Disestablishment: The concept is primarily historical, as the official "Kokka" system was abolished by the Allied Occupation in the post-war Constitution of Japan, which mandates the separation of religion and state.

Adjective

1. of or pertaining to the branch of Shinto recognized as the state religion of Japan

Noun

1. the branch of Shinto recognized as the official state religion of Japan