roads. The term , believed to have been one of the first words for a Shinto shrine, evolved from the word . This fact seems to indicate that the first shrines were huts built to house .

indicates a shrine enshrining an imperial prince. However, there are many instances where it is used simply as a tradition. The word , often found at the end of shrine names such as Hachimangu, Tenmangu, or , comes from the Chinese word , meaning 'a palace or a temple to a high deity'.