Study on Differences between Hamlets with and without Spatial Relation with Mountains in Murayama Basin, Yamagata Prefecture

Abstract

Nowadays, conversation of nature is mainly about animal and plant. However, in Japan, natural feature is also an important factor. For example, there are small mountains which have relation with hamlet as the object of belief. Therefore we may pay serious attention to that. In this study, we analyzed hamlets with and without mountains as objects of belief, (We define those 2 cases as "Believing hamlet" and "Unbelieving hamlet" respectively) , in Murayama Basin. As a result, we could find that. 1) The rate of Believing hamlet is about 20%. 2) Mountain that is believed by hamlet (Believed mountain) is a small and near the Believing hamlet. 3) The Believing hamlet is placed on the point that is the nearest by the Believed mountain in hamlets around it. 4) In case Believing hamlet is not the nearest, practically, it is placed on more ideal viewpoint to see the Believed mountain than the Unbelieving hamlets around it. 5) There are not mountains that have features like Believed mountain around Unbelieving hamlets. These findings are summarized that it is only Believing hamlet that is pointed.