Sōja (Shinto)  Whenever a new kokushi was appointed by the central government to govern a province, it was necessary for him to visit all of the sanctuaries of his province in order to complete the rites necessary for ceremonial inauguration. Grouping the "kami" into one location near the capital of the province greatly facilitated this duty,  The first mention of "sōja" appeared in the Heian period, in the diary of Taira no Tokinori, dated March 9, 1099 in reference to the province of Inaba. The name "Sōja" is also found in place names such as the city of Sōja in Okayama Prefecture.