Recent trends in the geography of religion in Japan

Abstract

This study examines the recent trends in the geography of religion by Japanese geographers since the 1990s. The geographers of religion in Japan mainly analyze and interpret the distribution or diffusion of religious phenomena including religious experience or practice, spatial structure of religion, and religious landscape. I was able to summarize the studies in this field into the following four types. The studies of the first type focus on how certain religions have been practiced in urban or rural areas. The studies of the second type examine the influences, roles and changes of religions in urban and rural communities and their landscape. The studies of the third category encompass achievements of religious ecology and relationship between religions and natural environment. The forth type of studies are historical geography of pilgrimage which have revealed socioeconomic network produced by religion. Three directions of future studies are suggested. First, the geography of religion should contribute more to the elucidation of the religion. Second, achievements of this study field are requested to correspond to the religious situations of contemporary Japan. Third, studies taking the religious characteristics of Japan into consideration are needed.