Shake (social class)

The Shake (社家) was a Japanese social class and the name for families that dominated Shinto shrines through hereditary government offices and priestly positions. Officially abolished in 1871, with 14 shake families granted hereditary nobility (Kazoku), most shrines were deprived of their power and influence over adepts however a few and prestigious ancient families remained unaffected in terms of succession, as attested by hereditary succession of former shake families continuing to this day. Prominent shake families include the Nakatomi family and the Suwa family.