The bodhisattva Jizō in Japan has long been associated with a stone figure of a child monk, wearing a red bib and standing on the roadside in the quaint landscape of rural Japan. Assumed to have originated as Kşitigarbha in India, this bodhisattva has been worshipped as the protector of children and travelers, but more importantly, as the savior par excellence in the underworld, especially by women in Japan. This article explores how women have played a key role in popularizing Jizō worship in various forms. The main assertion is that women are the reason why Jizō worship as a whole has sustained its popularity throughout Japanese religious history, prompting new movements such as mizuko kuyō—a major gendered practice that not only heals but also empowers women.
目次
Historical Overview of Jizō Worship 310 Terms and textual evidence of Jizō 310 Historical background of Jizō worship and its connection with women 311 Textual evidence of Jizō and its connection with women 313 Development of Jizō Rituals 315 Women performers and children in sai no kawara 315 Contemporary Jizō Ritual 317 Mizuko kuyō : origin and background 317 Mizuko kuyō’s popularity among women 319 mizuko kuyō and women’s “personhood” 320 Rituals and serving others : a way of empowerment 321 Women, Healing, and Religiosity—A Conceptual Framework 322 Interactive process model 322 Four concepts 323 Conclusion 326
