Spatial Structure of Japanese Religion - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 117

visits to include both shrines and a pleasure trip by bus. A party left Shimo-
ushikawa at 6 a.m., visited Mitake Shrine until noon, and then continued to
Haruna Shrine in the afternoon. From Haruna, they went to Ikaho hot springs
and stayed overnight, and returned to Shimo-uchikawa the following day.
Mitake members received one amulet to protect against burglars and Haruna
members receive two.
The Kanamura association members visit the shrine during the spring and
autumn festivals. There are four managers in each group, who inherited their
positions. A manager living in the Higashi group is the leader, and the family of
Mr C has been in charge of the manager. He belongs to the fourth generation.
Fifty households belong to the association and membership has not changed in
recent years. Five delegates take turns to visit Kanamura , and a new association
is formed after 5 years. The fi rst visitors come from the Higashi group, followed
by Nishi, Shimo, and Okuma; the managers turn is the last. Lots have never
been drawn to select delegates. People who want to visit the shrine call into Mr
C's house in the morning of the appointed day to pay the membership fee. After
visiting Kanamura , the members go on a trip (for example, around Mt.
Tsukuba). On the way back, they have a meal with kami . On their return, they
give Mr C the amulets from the Kanamura priest, which are distributed to the
members by each manager at the regular meeting of the neighborhood associa-
tion. There is no pre or postmeeting.
The position of master of the Togakushi - ko has been retained in the same
family since the late nineteenth century. A low Shinto priest (Oshi) belonging
to the middle shrine of Togakushi takes charge of making reservations for the
visitors' lodgings in a temple, and mailing amulets. A total of 41 households
and eight persons took turns to visit until 1988. A group meeting selected del-
egates and chose the shrine to visit (Haruna or Mitake). All members visited the
master's house for a meal and to draw lots. The shrine was visited in May, dur-
ing the main festival, and amulets were collected to distribute directly to each
member. The frequency of visits differed by period. In 1936, there were 64
members, and fi ve went to visit the shrine in September. Before the Second
World War, visits to Togakushi were irregular, but after 1946, visits were made
every 4 or 5 years. Since 1989, visits were made every six years as Somairi . In
1997, members left Shimo-uchikawa at 6 a.m. and arrived at the Togakushi
shrine about 10:30 a.m. After prayers, the delegates stayed at the visitors' lodge
in the temple. The following day, the delegates visited the Zenkoji Temple and
returned to their community in the evening. About 30 persons recruited by the
managers took part in the Togakushi bus tour. An Oshi in charge sends certain
kinds of amulets to the master for distribution to members every January.
Two festivals besides Obisha , spring prayer on March 15 and the donation of
crops on December 15, were celebrated the same way. Ten managers from each
group, a representative of Ujiko, an accountant, and the head of the area took
part in the festivals. A Shinto priest comes to Oiwa shrine to pray at 1 p.m. After
the prayer, all participants had a meal with kami in the community center.
The activity used to be held at the Shinto priest's house until 1986, when he
died. No other Ujiko members took part in either festival, and nothing was