Land calming rites are a matter of course for most construction projects in contemporary Japan. The Japanese Supreme Court has ruled that these rites are "customary" and not "religious" practices, and thus may have political sponsors without violating the constitution's church/state separation; nonetheless, they are wholly within the universe of shrine Shinto ritual practices. This article examines some of the historical and cultural contexts to these practices, their social and political extensions, and their "claiming" properties on participants, local and national topographies, and the agendas of contemporary shrine Shinto.
目次
JAPANESE SPIRITUAL GEOGRAPHY 21 CONTEMPORARY LAND CALMING RITES: THE JICHINSAI 24 CALMING THE LAND 28 POLITICAL EXTENSIONS OF THE JICHINSAI 33 NOTES 35 REFERENCES 38
