Recent Trends in the Geography of Religion in Japan - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 10

1.2 Recent Trends of the Geography of Religion in Japan

1.2.1 Recent Trends

Any consideration of the geography of religion in Japan must analyze and interpret
the distribution/diffusion of religious phenomenon, including religious experience
and practice, the spatial structure of religion, and the religious landscape. Recent
research trends fall into four fi elds.
The fi rst includes studies that focus on how particular religions are practiced by
people in urban or rural areas. We have two analytical views. The fi rst view focuses
on propagandists and believers to understand the mechanism of distribution/diffu-
sion of religions. The researcher may examine coexistence with and competition
among several religions in one community. Other studies seek to discover how reli-
gious diffusion is affected by external factors such as socioeconomic constraints
and regional networks. Both views try to elucidate the relation between religion and
region. In recent decades, many authors have studied worship catchment areas
(Matsui 1998 ; Kaneko 1995 ; Oda 2004 ) and the spatial structure created by reli-
gion. Although such studies also demonstrated diffusion of beliefs, Kaneko ( 1995 )
indicated that many authors were more concerned with elaborate regional division
than with analysis of the dynamism in the worship catchment area.
The second fi eld examines how religion has infl uenced communities and how
religion has changed the cultural landscape in urban/rural areas. Using rural, urban-
social, and historical geography methods, researchers have analyzed religious
events and organizations to elucidate the geographical characteristics of rural areas.
Studies of religious cities and mountain settlements have decreased, and there is
less analysis of the relationship between religion and rural areas (Oda 2002 ). In
contrast, many recent studies have examined the effect of religion on the landscape
(Matsui 1993 ). I consider it desirable that studies of religion and landscape should
also focus on the believer's individuality, and the meaning of the faith for themself.
Kawai ( 2004 ) and others interpret sacred landscape and symbolism (Kawai 2004 ).
The third fi eld includes achievements of religious ecology. One important pur-
pose of the geography of religion is to clarify the relationship between the environ-
ment and religious phenomena (Kong 1990 ). Since religious phenomena inevitably
appear as historical phenomena, geographers of religion must understand the natu-
ral environment surrounding the religion. Religion is closely related to but also
affects nature, but few studies describe the infl uence of religion on the natural envi-
ronment. Nagano's ( 1995 ) valuable contribution identifi ed the role of religion in the
conservation of nature and the preservation of the environment.
Finally, historical geography studies of pilgrimage can reveal the socioeconomic
network produced by religion. Such pilgrimage studies have increased since the
1980s (Oda 2002 ), and are linked to tourism studies, especially from a political and
social background view. Studies of present day pilgrimage routes and the creation of
religious landscapes have been infl uenced by the new cultural geography. We need
to use different geographical disciplines to fi nd how sacred places are produced.