Generally one Gokoku-jinja Shrine in each prefecture was categorized as a Home Minister-designated Gokoku-jinja Shrine, which corresponds to Fukensha (prefectural shrines), and other Gokoku-jinja Shrines were categorized as non-designated Gokoku-jinja Shrines, which correspond to sonsha (a village shrine).
おおむね各府県につき1社を府県社に相当する内務大臣指定護国神社（指定護国神社）とし、それ以外を村社に相当する指定外護国神社とした。