Recent Trends in the Geography of Religion in Japan - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 7

For example, shrines were erected in militia settlements in the exploitation colo-
nies from the late nineteenth to the beginning of the twentieth century (Meiji Era)
(Endo 2006 ). Endo examined the reciprocal relationship between shrine construc-
tion, the political requirements of the Meiji Government, and the regional back-
ground of Hokkaido. In this scenario, the Meiji Government wished to organize the
nation by centralizing power in the Emperor, and the shrines symbolized places of
national ritual. The militia settlement played an important role in promoting the idea
that people were members of the Meiji Nation.
This form of community identifi cation is similar to community development else-
where. Taniguchi ( 2004 ) described the relationship between town planning and
Christianity in Guelph, Southern Ontario. He concluded that the church buildings
provided closeness and consolation irrespective of denomination (Catholic or
Protestant). We can conclude the establishment of religious groups is important to
people and their communities whether at the frontier or in a developed urban center.
Different religious and social groups also produce different religious landscapes.
Nakagawa ( 1997 ) explored the landscapes of cemeteries, and found differences
according to religions, race, and regions, that express the identity of the group. We
can recognize the perceptions of the group that constructed the cemeteries from
these cultural landscapes.
Yamaguchi ( 1997 ) and Kawai ( 2001 ) applied human geography methods to the
analysis of sacred places. Yamaguchi described the structure of attractive landscapes
of sacred places. Kawai ( 2004 ) found that the Fujitsuka was regarded as a copy of
Mt. Fuji, and tried to restore the landscapes of Mt. Fuji that the members of the
Fuji-ko would have originally viewed. In a subsequent paper, Kawai ( 2004 ) described
reconstructing the sacred landscape from the point of view of social constructionism.
Moreover, Kawai ( 2006 ) explained the symbolism of Shun'nichi-ko from the seven-
teenth to the nineteenth century. Kawai analyzed a sacred map (Mandala) and a ritual
conducted by Shun'nichi-ko . Mikasa Mountain is a holy place for the members of
this ko. Leaves of trees on the mountain were drawn on the map in bright green
because the gods were believed to be present. She concluded that the religious adher-
ents considered the sacred Mikasa Mountain always to have been covered with bright
green trees, which symbolize the landscape of spring, full of the energy of plants.
Funasugi ( 1998 ) studied the restoration of religious landscapes during the forma-
tion of the Monzenmachi (shrine town) in the Ise area during the Sengoku Era.
Kaneko ( 1998 ) also discussed religious landscapes, examining the historical transi-
tion of mountain climbing routes on Mt. Iwaki. Tsugawa ( 1998 ) concluded a
forward-looking research, which deals with the establishment process of the Kannon
statue. Japanese religious landscapes are poorly understood and geographers could
further explore this theme.

1.1.4 Studies on Fudo and the Natural Environment

The relationship between religion and the natural environment, such as that between
topography and fudo , is a further area of research. Matsui ( 1995b ) investigated