Within Nichiren Shōshū, Taiseki-ji functions as the supreme head temple and the central axis of both spiritual life and institutional order. It is the residence of the High Priest, who is regarded as the ultimate religious authority and leader of the entire tradition. From this position, the High Priest governs the priesthood and laity, guiding the transmission and interpretation of the teachings. All other temples and priests stand in a subordinate relationship to this head temple and its High Priest, so that the entire network of branch temples is oriented toward Taiseki-ji as its source of legitimacy and direction.

Taiseki-ji is also revered as the guardian of the Dai-Gohonzon, held to be the supreme object of worship for Nichiren Shōshū believers. Because this object of devotion is enshrined there, the temple is not merely an administrative center but the doctrinal and spiritual heart of the tradition. The authority of Taiseki-ji thus rests simultaneously on its role as the seat of leadership and as the locus of the most sacred object of faith. In this way, the structure of the hierarchy mirrors the inner orientation of practice: both converge upon the head temple as the place where devotion, doctrine, and authority are most fully concentrated.

This centrality is further expressed in the lived religious life of practitioners, for whom pilgrimage to Taiseki-ji is strongly emphasized. Such journeys are not only acts of reverence toward the Dai-Gohonzon but also tangible acknowledgments of the temple’s place at the apex of the sect’s hierarchy. By gathering at the head temple for worship and ceremonies, believers reaffirm their connection to the High Priest and to the broader community that looks to Taiseki-ji for guidance. In this sense, the temple serves as both the visible summit of institutional structure and the invisible center of shared faith.