Sacred Places, Pilgrimage, and Tourism - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 132

Shinshoji temple

Tsuchiya

Narita

Narita
City

Tamachi

Naka
machi

0 4km

Saiwaicho

Boundary
of Pref.
Boundary
of City
Boundary
of community
Road

Honcho

Higashimachi

Narita
City

Kamicho

Shinmachi

Keisei

Hanasaki
cho

Main street
of temple town

51

JR Narita
Sta.

City hall

Tomisato
City

Keisei Narita
Sta.

0 200m

Fig. 4.2 Study area

Narita Village and Shinshoji were closely involved in those expositions. The men of
Narita Village were mobilized in a parade to Edo (Narita City History Editorial
Committee 1982 ) The expositions strengthened the bond with Narita Village, and
were essential to the development of the temple; for example, by recruiting believers
and raising funds to build the main hall and repair the temple (Narita City History
Editorial Committee 1986a ). When Ichikawa Danjuro (of kabuki fame) played the
Record of Miracles of Narita Fudo, more people converted to Naritasan belief.
As belief in Shinshoji advanced, a town developed in front of the Shrine gate. After
1710, town houses, Kentonya that sold Udon and Sobagiri , candy shops, and drug
stores were opened (Narita City History Editorial Committee 1986a ). A “list of names
of craftsmen” in 1831 (Narita City History Editorial Committee 1976 ) and a “list of
the number of merchants” in 1843 (Narita City History Editorial Committee 1976 )
showed 27 craftsmen involved in eight different jobs, and 123 merchants in 31 differ-
ent businesses in Narita. People other than merchants and craftsmen would also have
lived at Monzenmachi, but these numbers indicate the prosperity enjoyed by Narita.