Spatial Structure of Japanese Religion - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 66

Fig. 3.17 Content of prayers in believers of Kanamura, 1995 (Kanamura offi ce)
I found three other kinds of prayer in the Kanamura faith. A prayer for
protection against hailstorms and lightning during summer and autumn,
which is the harvesting season. Second, a prayer to prevent damage from
insects was common to farmers. In the spring festival, farmers bought an
amulet and put it at the entrance of the cultivated fi elds. The amulet was sup-
posed to protect against insect damage during the planting and harvesting
seasons. Third, as a prayer to prevent epidemics and protect against disaster,
large paper amulets of Kanamura are placed at crossings.
(2) The Form of Private Prayer
While communities pray to solve local problems, private prayers may be made
for an individual's fortune or healing (Miyata 1994 ). Private prayers are more
varied than community prayers, and include prayers for good business, smooth
delivery, and protection against fi re or burglars (Miyamoto 1994 ).
In 1995, I recorded the content of the prayers of 945 Kanamura believers
(Fig. 3.17 ). 7 Most (57.9 %) prayers were offered for family safety, followed by
traffi c safety (19.3 %), good business (7.4 %), and protection against lightning.
This last prayer is derived from the origin of the Kanamura faith.
7 A believer is a person for whom a Shinto priest offers a prayer in a hall of worship.