THE MOUNTAIN VILLAGES FOUNDED BY YAMABUSHI AROUND Mt. DEWA-SANZAN

Abstract

In recent years, there has been remarkable progress in the study of Japanese mountain religions. Although several monographs have been written by geographers, contribution from the geographical point of view is still limited. The author has already defined the zonal structure of mountain religions, which is composed of a sacred zone, a semi-sacred zone and an adherents' zone. Around the top of mountain is a sacred zone where women were prohibited from entering. At the foot of mountain is a semi-sacred 7 one where women were allowed. The mountain villages founded by Yamabushi (priests) are located in the semi-sacred zone. In the adherents' zone, Yamabushi persuade adherents to climb up the sacred mountains. Mt. Dewa-Sanzan (Mts. Yudono, Haguro and Gassan) in Yamagata Prefecture is one of the most famous sacred mountains in Japan. This paper examined a semi-sacred zone of Mt. Dewa-Sanzan, especially seven villages around the mountain, namely Toge, Oami and Shimekake in the Shonai district; Hijiori in the Mogami district ; and Hondoji, Iwanezawa and Oisawa in the Murayama district. According to their origins, these villages are classified into the following three types: 1. Toge and Iwanezawa were reorganized in the early Edo period. 2. Oami, Shimekake, Hondoji and Oisawa were developed in the late Edo period. 3. Hijiori remained undeveloped during the Edo period. Next, the author made a comparison between type 1 and type 2 in regard to the landscape, social structure and function of the villages ; their religious territories; and changes after the Mei ji era. With regard to the landscape, priests and farmers were segregated in type 1, while they mingled in type 2. As to the social structure, priests in type 1 had belonged to the Shugen-do (mountain-cult) since medieval times, but farmers became priests in the late Edo period in type 2. As to the function, priests led the way for climbers, ran lodgings for climbers in summer, and made a tour of their religious territories in order to deliver the talismans and offer prayers. Climbers chiefly lodged at temples belonging to priests in type 2, but climbers mainly stayed at priests' lodgings in type 1. The territory of each priest was divided into separate districts in type 1, where as that in type 2 was complicated. Since the mountain cult is a syncretic sect composed of Buddhist and Shinto elements, it suffered during the drastic religious reformations of Shinbutsu-bunri (the separation of Shintoism from Buddhism) . in the early Mei ji era. Consequently, the mountain villages of type 2 declined after the Mei ji era, but the villages of type 1 still remain at present. As a result of the study, it became clear that the mountain villages founded by Yamabu shi around Mt. Dewa-Sanzan could be classified into three types, and that between type 1 and type 2 there are differences in the landscape, social structure and function of the villages, their religious territories and changes after the Mei ji era. The author supposes that this clas-sification can apply in other Japanese mountain villages founded by Yamabushi.