This 1878 engraving by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyohara_Chikanobu" class="extiw" title="en:Toyohara Chikanobu">Toyohara Chikanobu</a> (1838 - 1912) visually presents the central tenet of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Shinto" class="extiw" title="en:State Shinto">State Shinto</a> (1871-1946). This Shinto variant asserted and promoted belief in the divinity of the Emperor, which arose from a  genealogical family tree extending back to the first emperor and to the most important deities of Japanese mythology. -- The figures represented in these three panels are:<br><ul><li><b>Center:</b> <u>Front</u>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Meiji" class="extiw" title="en:Emperor Meiji">Emperor Meiji</a> in a Western chair with his wife, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Sh%C5%8Dken" class="extiw" title="en:Empress Shōken">Empress Shōken</a>, seated in the foreground. The Imperial couple are accompanied behind and in the flanking panels with an array of Shinto <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kami" class="extiw" title="en:kami">kami</a></i> and historical figures from Japan's past.  <u>Rear</u>. The <i>kami</i> are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izanami" class="extiw" title="en:Izanami">Izanami</a> (clothed in white), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunitokotatchi" class="extiw" title="en:Kunitokotatchi">Kunitokotachi</a> (clothed in yellow) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izanagi" class="extiw" title="en:Izanagi">Izanagi</a> (clothed in off-white).<br></li>
<li><b>Right:</b> <u>Front</u>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_K%C5%8Dmei" class="extiw" title="en:Emperor Kōmei">Emperor Kōmei</a> (seated in foreground), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Go-Sakuramachi" class="extiw" title="en:Empress Go-Sakuramachi">Empress Go-Sakuramachi</a> (here presented as a man with a false goatee), and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Jinmu" class="extiw" title="en:Emperor Jinmu">Emperor Jinmu</a> (carrying a rough bow and perched golden kite.)  <u>Rear</u>.  The <i>kami</i> are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaterasu" class="extiw" title="en:Amaterasu">Amaterasu</a> (bearing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Regalia_of_Japan" class="extiw" title="en:Imperial Regalia of Japan">three Sacred Treasures</a>) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninigi-no-Mikoto" class="extiw" title="en:Ninigi-no-Mikoto">Ninigi-no-Mikoto</a>.<br></li>
<li><b>Left:</b> <u>Front</u>: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Go-Momozono" class="extiw" title="en:Emperor Go-Momozono">Emperor Go-Momozono</a> (clothed in red), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_K%C5%8Dkaku" class="extiw" title="en:Emperor Kōkaku">Emperor Kōkaku</a> (clothed in black) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Nink%C5%8D" class="extiw" title="en:Emperor Ninkō">Emperor Ninkō</a> (clothed in green). <u>Rear</u>. The <i>kami</i> are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoori" class="extiw" title="en:Hoori">Hiko-hohodemi</a> (clothed in white) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugayafukiaezu" class="extiw" title="en:Ugayafukiaezu">Ugayafukiaezu</a> (clothed in yellow).</li></ul>
<bdi><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Toyohara_Chikanobu" class="extiw" title="w:en:Toyohara Chikanobu"><span title="Japanese artist (1838-1912)">Toyohara Chikanobu</span></a>
</bdi>
1878
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