The Ontake cult associations and local society: The case of the Owari-Mikawa region in Central Japan

Abstract

There has been a considerable amount of research published on the Mt. Ontake cult and the religious associations (k6) dedicated to the worship of this mountain. Since the main characteristic of the Ontake cult is the spirit possession rite, performed by the nakaza ("between seat," or medium), the maeza ("front seat," or officer who summons the spirit, interrogates him and sends him away), the shiten ("four heavenly kings," or the guardians of the ritual), and various others endowed with spiritual powers, it is natural that most of these studies should deal with the phenomenon of shamanism. They consist, for example, of analyses of the shamanistic elements in the ritual structures and functions of the oxa skances; of elucidations of the types and social functions of groups formed around people with shamanistic powers; or of attempts to measure the religious consciousness connected with shamanistic beliefs (Ikegami 1955). The present paper will follow the same line. I t will concentrate on the Ontake k6 associations, and particularly on how these shamanistic groups cope with and respond to change in a local society under the impact of rapidly increasing urbanization. As a concrete example of local society I have chosen the area which extends from the east of Nagoya City up to Toyota City and environs in Central Japan. This region, crossed by the Sakai-