Spatial Symbolic System of Miniture Pilgrimage Places in North Harima, Hyougo Prefecture

Abstract

In Japan, there are many imitative pilgrimageplaces patterned after Shikoku's 88 pilgrimage site. These pilgrimage course divided between the regional pilgrimage course and miniture pilgrimagecourse can be regarded as symbolic spaceto imagine the Real Shikoku.
The aim of this paper is to identify the spatial symbolic system of the miniture pilgrimage by means of field survey in eight miniture pilglimage places of North Harima and comparison of their imitated characteristics with the Real Shikoku model.As the results of this work, some difference of the ways of imitation arose from those of theregional pilgrim places. In miniture pilgrim places, the expression to perform symbolicbehavior (MEGURI) as pilgrim ritual remind people of the pilgrimage in Shikoku. This can be deemed as one kind of technique for the produce of space by Human Activity.