Analysis of village spatial structure using rituals and traditional geographical views in Okinawa

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K01037
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 04020:Human geography-related
• Research Institution: Kansai University
• Principal Investigator: Matsui Koichi 関西大学, 文学部, 准教授 (40612437)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松井 真一 愛知学院大学, 教養部, 准教授 (00706989) ; 住田 翔子 立命館大学, 産業社会学部, 准教授 (00722050)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 琉球 / 集落 / 風水 / 祭祀

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There were three main results of this study. (1) Laser surveying using a drone at the old village of Nakijinjo showed the existence of sacred sites on the periphery of the old village and the existence of a worldview that considers the periphery of the old village as the outer world in the Gusuku period. The analysis of ritual records in jyana village revealed a wide-area ritual space based on the names of sacred sites, the existence of sacred sites and priest　across the village, and showed that the analysis of ritual records can help to clarify the village structure. The interview survey in jyana village showed that it is possible to reconstruct the former landscape based on collective memory.
The present study shows that the integrated analysis of rituals and traditional geographical views is effective for the study of settlements from a new perspective.

Free Research Field

歴史地理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究ではこれまで個別に扱われることの多かった祭祀と伝統的地理観に関する分析を，結合分析することによって，これまでとは異なる新たな視点から集落研究がおこなえることを示した。
琉球の地方集落において景観や祭祀は時代を経るにしたがい変化し、かつての姿は失われている。祭祀と景観の基盤となる伝統的地理観を組み合わせることによって得られる分析成果は、集落が形成された当時の空間がいかに構成されていたかを知ることに繋がり、住民の郷土意識醸成の一助になると考える。