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宗門改 (しゅうもんあらため) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
religious inquisition ; Edo-period census of religious affiliation
Historical term for the Tokugawa shogunate's system of investigating and registering the religious affiliation of the populace, primarily to root out Christians. Often translated as 'religious inquisition' or 'sectarian investigation'.
宗しゅう 門もん 改あらため は 、 寺てら 請うけ 制せい 度ど と 結むす びつい て 行おこな わ れ た 。
The religious census was carried out in conjunction with the temple certification system.
Written forms 宗しゅう 門もん 改あらため
Standard historical term; the shorter form is widely used in academic and reference contexts.
宗しゅう 門もん 改あらた め
Fuller form with okurigana; also encountered in historical texts.
Kanji 宗 religion, sect, denomination 門 gate, counter for cannons 改 reformation, change, modify Similar words 寺てら 請うけ 制せい 度ど The temple certification system that required all Japanese to register with a Buddhist temple; closely linked to 宗門改 as a practical mechanism for proving religious orthodoxy.
踏ふ み 絵え A method of forcing suspected Christians to trample on a Christian image; used alongside 宗門改 to identify hidden believers.
Etymology Compound of 宗門 (しゅうもん, 'religious sect') and 改め (あらため, 'inspection, investigation'), from the verb 改める (あらためる, 'to examine, to reform'). The term refers specifically to the Edo-period practice of investigating and registering religious affiliation.
