Spatial Structure of Japanese Religion - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 104

Ten out of the 12 communities were organized before the Meiji era. The divine favor
of the Thunder God was implored to control lightning or rainfall and promote good
harvests. Prayers for protection against lightning or storms and for rain were offered
in Kanamura . In the Kami-uchikawa area, a Kanamura association was organized
after the end of the Second World War in two communities, Nakamura and Shimo-
shinhori. The residents of these communities took turns to visit Itakura Thunder
Shrine, but the practice ended before the Second World War. After the war, people
created a Kanamura association to visit and pray for rainfall or protection against
insects because it was nearer than Itakura Thunder Shrine.
In Toyosato, more than half of the associations were organized after 1940, but
most associations in Yoshikawa were organized before the 1860s. Many Kanamura
associations were reported in the area since the late part of the nineteenth century
(Nagareyama City Museum 1991 ). That means that this was already a core area a
long time ago.
In contrast to those in Toyosato, the managers of nine of the 12 Yoshikawa com-
munities were hereditary. In Nakajima, Ho, and Kawafuji-Yakatamae, the managers
were the fourth generation, and in Hiranuma, Suka, and Kawafuji the third genera-
tion. The position was passed down from father to son. The manager was usually
replaced on his death, although families may help if he reached an advanced age.
The continuation of managers, not only in duration but also in number, is a remark-
able characteristic of this area. Associations that have had only three or four manag-
ers have not changed since the fi rst establishment. For example, in Ho, four persons
who were the ancestors of current managers were named on the document of dona-
tion to Kanamura in 1894. In the three communities that did not have a hereditary
system, the change occurred when the managers died, so these managers had in
principle no limited term of offi ce. In this manner, managers were fi xed in place and
the Kanamura association was independent of neighborhood and Ko.
Daidai-ko visited Kanamura twice a year, for the spring and autumn festivals. In
Kawafuji, Kami-uchikawa, and Miwanoe, which all have daidai-ko and kinen-ko ,
members visited three times a year in spring, autumn, and the New Year. Some of
the communities with daidai-ko reduced the frequency of visits. In Nakajima, since
1970, people visited once a year during the spring festival. In Hyogo and Ho, people
used to visit twice a year, and although the frequency of visits has changed,
Yoshikawa has sustained a higher average than Toyosato.
Delegate visitors were selected by a rotation system. When all members had
visited once, a new association would begin. The way of selecting visitors differed
by community. In an area where they were selected by lot, people held a premeeting
called musubi-ko, where visitors are selected just before the visit. In Kawafuji-
yakatamae, musubi-ko was held at the community center the day before the visit.
Previous visitors prepared a meal with kami, and a manager prepared eleven chop-
sticks, four of which were partly colored black. The four people who draw the black
chopsticks visited Kanamura the next day. At the meeting, a picture of Kanamura
was hung and sake was offered. In Kiurishinden, a musubi-ko was held two weeks
before to confi rm members and select visitors. Managers made nineteen numbered
twisted paper strings. After each member had taken one string, a paper was left.