Religious Tradition in Japan - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 34

Fig. 2.18 Ksitigarbha (Jizo) at Kawakura Temple

Naturally, differences arise in the actual landscape of villages, depending on
their location. Village landscapes such as the zofutokusui (block the wind and obtain
water) type 4 present original imagery of homes of those engaged in agriculture,
which is rather nostalgic. The sacred and profane are separate but closely related.
A world was developed there where humans, animals, nature, demons, and Gods
can communicate and live alongside each other.

2.2.4 Landscape Dedicated to the Dead

Figures 2.18 and 2.19 depict the Main Hall of Kawakura Jizo-do , located in
Kanagimachi in Aomori Prefecture. Jizo-do in Kawakura is the center of belief for
Jizo in the Tsugaru Region. 5 Families who have lost infants may dedicate large and

4 Tadahiko Higuchi ( 1981 ) refers to the Zofutokusui type landscape as having mountains to the
back of the community, and being surrounded by hills to the left and right that only open at the
front between the mountains.
5 Villages in Tsugaru in Aomori enshrine them as 'migawari Jizo ' who guard against disease and
disasters. “Child rearing Jizo ” are used to pray for the healthy growth of children. It is customary
for a small Jizo to be built when an infant dies (Sakurai 1987 ).