Comparative Study of Shugyo (Spiritual Exercise) in Japanese Folk Shamans

在日本民间萨满的宗教行为和他们的萨满活动中，存在着各种各样的修行。本研究以日本北部青森县津葛区和西南部冲绳县冲绳县为主要研究区域，研究巫师及其臣民修行的复杂形式，以明确他们共有的宇宙学和经世论的结构。即使在这个工业时代，许多民间巫师在这两个地区都扮演着重要的社会学角色。在筑路地区，它们被称为Itako，Gomiso，Kamisama；在冲绳，它们被称为Yuta，Munushiri，Kudy和Kamintyu等。这项研究展示了对民间萨满中的Shugyo练习的广泛的田野调查的许多发现。同时指出了大和(日本大陆)萨满与冲绳萨满的不同之处。这种反差可以归结为一种声明，即大和有一种‘Shugyo文化’，而冲绳有一种‘Umare(出生)文化’。

There are various types of Syugyo(spiritual exercise)in the religious behavior of Japanese Folk Shamans and their shamanic initiations. The purpose of this study is to research the complicated forms of Shugyo practiced by the shamans and their clients, and tb make clear the structure of the cosmology and soteriology shared in common among them.The main fields of this research are Tsugaru district in the Prefecture of Aomori in northern Japan, and Okinawa district in southwestern Japan. Even in this industrial era, many folk shamans are playing an important sociological role in both districts. In Tsugaru district, they are called Itako, Gomiso, Kamisama ; and in Okinawa, Yuta, Munushiri, Kudy and Kamintyu etc. .This study presents many findings of extensive field research on Shugyo practices found in folk shamans. At the same time, it points out a difference between the characteristics of Yamato(Mainland Japan)shamans and Okinawan shamans. The contrast can be epitomized as a statement that Yamato has a 'Shugyo-culture' and Okinawa has a 'Umare(birth)-culture".