Masatsugu OKUTANI
Kannushi, Negi at Yabuhara Jinja
*”Kannushi” is the general term indicate the person who do Matsuri (or Shinto ceremony), and “Negi” indicates a senior Kannushi at Jinja where the place for Matsuri.
Mr. Masatsugu Okutani is the 25th successor of Yabuhara Jinja at Nagano prefecture in Japan. The Jinja was founded in 680, and the family handed down the tradition generation to generation for more than 800 years.
Education & License of Kannushi
- Master of Business Administration (MBA),the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK (2006)
- BA on Shinto, Kokugakuin University, Tokyo (1997)
- Mei-Kai rank of license of Kannushi, Jinja Honcho (the Association of Shinto Shrines), Tokyo (1997)
*There are five ranks (or Kai) of license of Kannushi, Jo-Kai, Mei-Kai, Sei-Kai, Gon-Sei-Kai and Choku-Kai from the top. Jo-Kai is the emeritus rank, and the license of Kannushi is only issued by the Jinja Honcho (the Association of Shinto Shrines).
Carrier and Experiences
Mr. Masatsugu Okutani entered Jinja Honcho (the Association of Shinto Shrines), which organise about 80000 Jinja throughout Japan after his graduation of Kokugakuin University in Tokyo (BA on Shinto). At the association, he mainly worked for the international affairs and engaged in PR and providing information on Shinto and Japanese culture for governmental and non-governmental institutions in the world, and planned and implimented lectures on Shinto to foreign embassies and govermental institutions. He also engaged in education and training for young, middle and senior Kannushi. In outside of Japan, as the Kannushi at the association, he offered Matsuri (Shinto ceremony) on the occasion of an international conference at Barcelona in Spain.
After six years of his carrier at the association, he studied organisational management focuses on organisation of Jinja under the post modern society especially in terms of not for profitable organisation at the University of Wales, Aberystwhth in UK (MBA), and he then worked for organisational risk management consulting firm in Tokyo as a senior consultant.
After that, he entered one of the largest Jinja in Japan, Meiji Jingu, in Tokyo as Gon-Negi (a junior Kannushi) and a senior staff at Meiji Jingu, and also as a research fellow at Meiji Jingu Research Institute. As Kannushi, he engaged in Mastsuri which served throughout a year at Meiji Jingu, also giving lecture on Shinto and Meiji Jingu for VIPs, non-Japanese visitor, students of international schools as well as international student at university in Japan, and international organisations in Japan. Also, he planned and implemented international exchange programs with Tokyo American Club. In outside of Japan, he offered Matsuri at Dojo of Budo in European countries such as France, Germany etc, and also offered Matsuri on the event of “BUDO-BUSHIDO-SAMURAI 2008” which commemoration of 150 years of the relationship between France and Japan organised by Japan Foundation at the Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris in 2008. As a senior staff, he engaged in planning and supporting implementation of organisational plannings of top management at Meiji Jingu as well as studies about Shinto as a research fellow at the institution.
Since 2010, he is staying in France as the only Japanese Kannushi in Europe to do Matsuri and offer lectures on Shinto, which is core of Japanese culture until now.
