"Past and Present" of Religions in the Damaged Areas of the Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake(<Special Issue>Religion and Calamities)

Abstract

After the great earthquake in the Hanshin-Awaji area in 1995, many religious orders and religionists were engaged in relief activities. The traditional festivals and newly invented rituals united and encouraged the sufferers. Religion greatly contributed to the recovery of the stricken society in this disaster. Has religion been able to maintain the gains it made at the height of the disaster? It is true that memories of grief and fear would gradually fade with time, so have religionists continued their work in taking care of the sufferers? It should be valuable to study the situation of religions in previously stricken areas, because religion must be active in a social crisis. It would seem that currently in Hanshin-Awaji, religionists such as Buddhist priests are deeply involved in their regular religious duties. The only work they do with regard to the earthquake is to hold annual memorial services. On the other hand, some of the new memorial rituals which sufferers themselves had invented still prevail. A sense of solidarity between sufferers of past and present great earthquake disaster is emerging.