Geography of Religion in Japan

Written by one of Japan's most celebrated cultural geographers, this book explores the function of religion in the country's communities, revealing how diverse forms of reverence, from tree worship to Shintoism, are intimately related to context and location.

This book discusses modern aspects of Japanese religion in terms of cultural geography. To understand the function of religion, it is essential to examine it in the context of local societies. One of the distinguishing characteristics of Japanese religion is its diversity; indeed, it is often remarked that Japan is a museum of religions. In this work, the author clarifies some geographical aspects of the complex situation of Japanese religion. Chapter 1 discusses the trend of geographical studies of religion in Japan, of which four types can be identified. Chapter 2 focuses on certain characteristics of Japanese religious traditions by discussing tree worship and the landscape of sacred places. Chapter 3 clarifies regional divisions in the catchment areas of Japanese Shintoism by analyzing the distribution of certain types of believers. The author discusses two case studies: the Kasama Inari Shrine and the Kanamura Shrine. Chapter 4 discusses some modern aspects of sacred places andtourism through two case studies. The first part of the chapter focuses on changes in the types of businesses at the Omotesando of the Naritasan Shinshoji-Monzenmachi, and the following sections examine the revitalization of the local community through the promotion of religious tourism.

Is the only book in English that discusses Japanese religion in terms of geography Written by is one of the famous cultural geographers in Japan Presents aspects of geography as well as religious studies Examines the newest dimensions of Japanese religion

Inhalt
Recent Trends in the Geography of Religion in Japan.- Religious Tradition in Japan.- Spatial Structure of Japanese Religion.- Sacred Places, Pilgrimage and Tourism.- Conclusions.