Field Research on Japanese Local Festivals and Nation-State

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The project has two aspects: diachronically, with focus on Meiji Restoration/The Second World War/the 60's, synchronically with focus on urban/rural/isolated islands folk tradition. In 2001 and 2002, (1) field research in Tsushima island, (2) related document research, and (3) general book research were done.Field site was a small fishing village in the east coast (2001) and a farming and fishing village in the southernmost tip (2002). As for the latter (Tsutsu), the traditional rites called Akagome-no-shinji (seasonal rites of Red Rice) is almost vanishing because of the decrease of population and of the indifference of the younger generations. Though nationally well-known, this folk tradition is not apt to such a way as tourism, which will give lasting motivations. To-nakama (privileged village members for the rites) is now negotiating with Monka-sho under the Cultural Properties Protection Law. The point is, however, not only the subsidy, but also the changing social conditions and cultural motivations for the traditional rites.Through this project, we had examined historical and structural situations of an isolated island in Kyushu Area, which will be compared with the research already done in urban and rural sites.