small shrine at a crossroads
Archaic term for a small Shinto shrine built at a crossroads or street corner, often as a guardian or boundary marker. Not used in modern everyday Japanese.
古い地図には、村の辻社がいくつも記されている。
Old maps show many small crossroads shrines in the village.
Compound of 辻 (tsuji, 'crossroads') and 社 (yashiro, 'Shinto shrine'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term reflects the practice of placing small shrines at intersections for protection or ritual purposes.