A Survey of Japanese Buddhist Temples: Case Studies from the Koshinetsu, Tokai, and Kinki Regions

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K00081
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01030:Religious studies-related
• Research Institution: Suzuka University
• Principal Investigator: AIZAWA Shuki 鈴鹿大学, こども教育学部, 研究員 (90868366)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 川又 俊則 鈴鹿大学, こども教育学部, 学長 (40425377)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 人口減少社会 / 寺院の実態 / 寺檀関係 / コロナ禍 / 寺院の合併・任意解散

Outline of Final Research Achievements

According to a survey of Buddhist temples in the Koshinetsu, Tokai, and Kinki regions, just under 60% of the temples have an annual income of 5 million yen or less, and many temples have seen their income decrease compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. As the number of parishioners continues to decline, some head priests want temples to merge or dissolve. In addition, there are statistical differences due to regional characteristics and religious sects in terms of temple events, mutual assistance between temples, and the amount of donations. According to interviews conducted with temple affiliates in Shizuoka Prefecture, parishioners feel that participating in family temple events gives them a sense of purpose in life. However, most of them are elderly people, leaving the future of the family temple to the next generation, many of whom have left their hometowns and are less concerned with the preservation of these family temples.

Free Research Field

宗教学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本事業は全国に先駆けて寺院の再編が進む甲信越・東海・近畿地方を調査対象地とし、主に質問紙調査によって得られた数量的データに基づき、寺院の実態を捉えようとした。質問紙による仏教寺院の実態調査は、教団が実施するものがほとんどであり、地域や宗派による比較が困難で、研究上の課題となっていた。本事業の質問紙調査は、地域や宗派による比較が行えるよう質問紙を設計し、その結果から地域差や宗派系統差を統計的に解析した。一連の成果は、学術研究の基礎をなすものであり、そこから浮かび上がる寺院の役割は、地域社会に生きる人びとの生きがいや、相互のつながりを考えるうえでも重要である。