Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 3.21 Distribution of prayers to Kanamura, 1995 (Kanamura offi ce)
(2) The Distribution of Believers
Kanamura worshipers, (including those from corporations) are shown in
Fig. 3.21 . 11 In 1995, there were 1,031 believers in seven prefectures (Ibaraki,
Chiba, Saitama, Tokyo, Tochigi, Kanagawa, Aichi, and Nagano); 878 or 85.2 %
lived in Ibaraki. Most lived in the Toyosato district in Tsukuba (273) of whom
more than two-thirds (182 persons) lived in the Ujiko region, followed by
Mitsukaido (155), Iwai (107) and Yatabe district in Tsukuba (62). The number
of believers decreased further from the shrine and the distribution was wider
than that of ko. The core distribution area of the Kanamura - ko was 10-30 km
from Kanamura . However, most believers lived in neighboring areas where the
core was in Ujiko , so the distribution of believers differed from that of the asso-
ciations. For example, only a few believers lived in the Kanamura-ko core
areas, 20 in Noda in Chiba and 21 in Yawahara village in Ibaraki.
Most believers visited Kanamura in winter (December to February 495 per-
sons (48 %) in 1995) because the Japanese custom Hatsumode means a per-
son's fi rst visit to shrines should be made during the New Year. Thus, 348
persons visited Kanamura to pray on New Year's Day, a day that contributes to
prosperity in January. Most of the believers from the Toyosato and Yatabe
11 The defi nition of prayer is to request a Kanamura priest to pray. The Kanamura priest prayed for
something for worshipers.
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