著者

ムカルジー ヒヤ Mukherjee Hiya

出版者

名古屋大学大学院人文学研究科図書・論集委員会

雑誌

名古屋大学人文学フォーラム (ISSN:24332321)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.3, pp.217-225, 2020-03-31

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Childbirth rituals are considered to be one of the important rituals of Rites of passage. In any nation or society, rituals and ceremonies associated with Childbirth have undergone many changes with the passage of time. In Japanese society, traditional Childbirth rituals and its customs have embraced many changes not only in the countryside even in the urban areas with the massive advancement of medical treatment or the transition of an Era. The purpose of this paper is to examine the present practice of Anzankigan ritual (a prayer for safe delivery), which is usually performed during the fifth month of pregnancy for ensuring safe and healthy delivery of a newborn. Particularly, this paper will try to find out the practice of Anzankiganritual in an urban area, by the case study conducted at Shinto Shrines, like Shiogama Shrine and Inu Shrine situated in an urban area of Nagoya, which are believed to be the most sacred places to offer prayer to the Kami, in order to be blessed with safe childbirth. While investigating the present practice of Anzankigan, this paper also aims to emphasis on several important aspects, such as historical origin of these two Shrines, how do these Shrines are closely associated with the concept of safe delivery, why these Shrines are so popular among devotees for offering prayer to ensuring safe childbirth and what is the present practice of Anzankiganin an urban area, where hospital delivery is the most popular choice of pregnant women.Through the case study conducted at Shiogama and Inu Shrines in Nagoya city, this paper will not only investigate the present practice of Anzankigan ritual, it will also make a comparative analysis on similarities and differences in the other practices and customs, such as receiving an auspicious Hara-Obi belt for tying the belly and receiving an amulet or lucky charm for ensuring the safe and healthy delivery. Finally, this paper will help to understand in what way the traditional practice of Anzankigan and other essential customs performed during the fifth month of pregnancy, are still continuing in the present day urban city of Nagoya.