Changes

Contrary to conventional wisdom, which focuses upon Yasukuni as a shrine dedicated to Japanese war criminals of the World War II era who committed horrible inhuman atrocities, Yasukuni Shrine is actually dedicated to ''all'' Japanese who died in service of their country in modern wars. It was founded in [[1869]] to enshrine the souls of those who died in the [[Boshin War|Bôshin War]] which immediately followed the [[Meiji Restoration]]. Japanese killed in the [[Sino-Japanese War]], [[Russo-Japanese War]], World War I, and World War II are enshrined there as well, along with colonial subjects (Koreans and Taiwanese) who died in service of Japan, Japanese civilians killed in the war, etc.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, which focuses upon Yasukuni as a shrine dedicated to Japanese war criminals of the World War II era who committed horrible inhuman atrocities, Yasukuni Shrine is actually dedicated to ''all'' Japanese who died in service of their country in modern wars. It was founded in [[1869]] to enshrine the souls of those who died in the [[Boshin War|Bôshin War]] which immediately followed the [[Meiji Restoration]]. Japanese killed in the [[Sino-Japanese War]], [[Russo-Japanese War]], World War I, and World War II are enshrined there as well, along with colonial subjects (Koreans and Taiwanese) who died in service of Japan, Japanese civilians killed in the war, etc.

Today, Yasukuni remains a major problem for Japan's foreign relations. It's quite standard, all around the world, for heads of state and other government officials to pay their respects to those who died in the service of their country. However, whenever a Japanese official makes this sort of visit to Yasukuni (often explicitly stated as a personal visit, and not an official visit), there are a great many, particularly in mainland East and Southeast Asia, who associate the visit with the worship of war criminals. Even though the Chinese, Koreans, and certain other peoples are those who should best understand national pride, and East Asian cultural beliefs related to paying respect to one's ancestors, etc., time and again they show that they are less willing to be understanding on this issue than Westerners, who have completely different religious and cultural attitudes about such things.

Today, Yasukuni remains a center of ultranationalist/rightist political activism, and a major problem for Japan's foreign relations. Japanese officials frequently pay visits to the shrine - sometimes but not always explicitly describing these as personal visits, and not official visits - to pay their respects to those who died in the service of their country. A great many people, particularly in mainland East and Southeast Asia, take great offense at these visits, associating such visits with the worship of war criminals.

 

The shrine was originally known as Tokyo Shôkonsha, or Shôkonjo, a reference to it as a place where the spirits were invoked. It was renamed Yasukuni Shrine (lit. "peaceful country shrine") by the Meiji Emperor in [[1879]], with the implication that the country enjoys peace and security because of the sacrifices made by those enshrined there.

 

Records are kept of the names of the individuals whose spirits are enshrined at Yasukuni; today, they number more than 2.5 million.

 

The shrine observes two three-day festivals each year - once in April, and once in October - in which an Imperial messenger presents formal offerings from the Imperial Household to the spirits, and reads a formal Imperial message to the spirits.

==Gates and Structures==

==Gates and Structures==

==References==

==References==

*Plaques on-site.

*Plaques on-site.

==External Links==

==External Links==