Taikyo Institute

The Great Teaching Institute (大教院, Taikyoin)^[1] was an organization under the Ministry of Religion in the Empire of Japan.^[2]

Great Teaching Institute

大教院
Predecessor	Department of Divinities
Successor	Bureau of Shinto Affairs
Formation	1872
Dissolved	1875
Parent organization	Ministry of Religion

History

It was founded in 1872^[3] to train kyōdo shōku or religious teachers because the Missionary Office and Department of Divinities were unsuccessful in their national indoctrination objectives.^[4] It was intended as a joint Shinto and Buddhist organization, but ended up becoming entirely dominated by Shinto.^{[citation needed]}

Medium Teaching Institutes (中教院, Chukyoin) were established in each prefectural capital and Small Teaching Institutes (小教院, Shokyoin) were established in various cities.^[5]

On January 1, 1875, an arson attack on the Great Teaching Institute caused confusion, with four Jōdo Shinshū sects informally announcing their departure from the Great Teaching Institute.^[6]

On May 3, 1875, the Great Teaching Institute was dissolved by the Ministry of Religion^[7][8] and was succeeded by the Bureau of Shinto Affairs^[9] and later Shinto Taikyo.^[2]

Ame-no-Minakanushi was one of its patron deities, also known under the Buddhist name Myōken.^[10]

The "Great Teaching" is the same word that is used in the "Great Doctrine" or Proclamation of the Great Doctrine, and Taikyo in Shinto Taikyo.

See also

• Bureau of Shinto Affairs
• Shintō Taikyō
• Kyodo Shoku
• Sect Shinto
• Toyama Chukyoin [ja; simple]