Gendai Nippon on <Kuyoh Girei> no Jittaiteki Kenkyu (Fact-Finding INquiries of Services Held to Comfort and Calm Dowm Spirits in Contemporary Japan)

1990 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 63450006
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Religious studies
• Research Institution: Taisho University
• Principal Investigator: FUJII Masao Taisho University, Literature, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (30054638)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): WASHIMI Sadanobu Taisho University, Literatrue, Lecturer, 文学部, 講師 ; HOSHINO Eiki Taisho Universituy Literature, Assistant Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (00054669) ; YAMANOI Daiji Taisho University, Literature, Assistant Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (60054649)
• Project Period (FY): 1988 – 1990
• Keywords: Kuyo Girei / Mizuko Kuyo / Animal Kuyo / Pet Kuyo / Tools Kuyo / Nem Religions / Established Buddhist Temples / Ideas of Spirits

Research Abstract

We intended to comprehensively examine the results obtained in past two years by each of investigators, conceptualize new religious situations and give definitions of them and construct a whole research of the FACT-FINDING INQUIRIES OF SERVICES HELD TO COMFORT AND CALM DOWN SPIRITS INCONTEMPORARY JAPAN. Concretely speaking, it was a very important and hard work that we coordinated and reconsidered the concept and definition of the term "kuyo girei" (services held to comfort and calm down spirits in contemporary Japan) which we thought out at this research. We could not finish by the final year because each of investigators took a lot of time to arrange and complete their results of research.
As each of investigators and assistant researchers decided concrete subjects of investigations, the final construction of total research project has been become definite. According to it, the head investigator, Masao Fujii takes charge of "a transformation of ideas of spirits in contemporary Japan" and "on kuyo girei" as the general. The details will be roughly divided into two sections, the part of established religions and the part of new religions. In the former section, clients and transformation of their ideas of spirits on services to animals, tools, pets and so on will be examined. In the latter, Bentenshu denomination uses mizuko kuyo (services to spirits of unborn babies) as main means of missions and revitalization of the sect, Shorokushito Yamatoyama denomination encourages members to enshrine the ashes of their dead families in the sacred building to house the ashes of the dead and Tenrikyo denomination accepts traditional religious folkways while she propagates into the traditional farming village will be researched.