Sentou Taisha

The grand temple of the Thousand Lanterns, Sentou Taisha is the only complex on Onokoro Island, a short trip from Amatsu-Kyo's harbor. The temple itself is perhaps the most grand and wealthy of Kuniumi's temples, receiving a great deal of Imperial favor in days gone by when it was the primary temple to the Hyakusei. While anyone is welcome to visit this temple, only the Imperial family is ever allowed in the temple's most inner sanctum.

Geography
This Onokoro Island is believed by some sects to be The Onokoro island created by Izanagi and Izanami themselves at the center of the known world, hence the location of the temple. It is a most holy location, and so despite the temple's riches, is rarely harassed by raiders. The island can be seen from Amatsu-Kyo's harbor, and is only a few miles off the coast. It is itself only about five miles across, largely flat, and covered with a forest of bamboo and palm trees that end in tranquil white-sand beaches.

History
Considered the Imperial temple during Empress Taiyouko's reign, Sentou Taisha holds to a long tradition of providing the Imperial families and their allies with a secluded and peaceful to worship. Only recently have they allowed other nobles and commoners to visit and worship, largely as an act of mercy given the tumult of the past hundred years. During the Tenpenchii itself, the temple summoned all of its extant monks and priests back to the island, and used their combined magics and spiritual allies to protect the island from destruction.

This temple once had many child temples across the Empire, but those were left to ruin after the recall of all monks to the main temple to protect it against the cataclysm. Currently, monks from this temple see to the needs of the Imperial Manse and Imperial Court.

Present Day
Sentou Taisha's architecture remains largely the same as hundreds of years ago, with a large temple complex several miles wide at the center of the island, consisting of three concentric walled areas. The innermost contains a shrine to Amaterasu, and is only accessible by the Imperial family. The middle area contains shrines to the twin moons, Susanoo, and others of high import to the Celestial Court; it is most often visited by nobles. The outermost area contains shrines to the rest of the Sentou. One main gate leads to each of these areas through each wall, each with a torii constructed of black wood and set with an abundance of gems to give the impression of a starry night sky.

As for structures, the main temple building is set off from the outer ring, and includes a living place for the temple's monks, a lecture hall, worship area, and so on. Another building rests within the innermost walls, but only a handful of people know what rests therein. Further, an abundance of shrines are scattered throughout the island otherwise, some maintained, some crumbling, all to various kami and other forgotten deities that may have held importance hundreds of years ago, but no longer.

Monastic Order: Temple of the Thousand Stars
See Temple of the Thousand Stars.