社会構造の変化の中での有形民俗文化財の保存の実態と地域的アイデンティティへの役割

抄録

Today, Japan is experiencing significant changes in social structure and lifestyles, and amid such changes losing tangible folk cultural properties that were produced as necessities in people's daily lives and passed down to the present while undergoing constant evolution. Tangible folk cultural properties are objects and implements used in everyday life (related to food, clothing and shelter) , livelihood activities such as farming and fishing, and annual events in local communities. They are important cultural heritages indispensable for understanding changes in people's modes of life. However, with changes in the industrial structure and lifestyles, many tangible folk cultural properties are on the verge of being dispersed or lost. Furthermore, since tangible folk cultural properties are familiar tools and implements used in daily life, their true value is not fully recognized, resulting in improper preservation and use.
P. Claval states that “ cultural change takes place in the course of profound social structural changes and cultural conflicts between the local traditional culture and a standardized culture brought from outside, particularly from urban areas, and that reexamination of regional identity begins as a reaction to the standardized culture”. He also states that people seek not only for personal identity, but also for regional and social identities, leading to increased group consciousness.
Local and regional cultural activities have become active in recent years. On the other hand, folk cultural properties, which are deeply rooted in the lifestyles of local communities, are at a risk of being lost. The loss of folk cultural properties may lead to the disappearance of regional identity. In view of these circumstances, I conducted a study to ascertain the actual conditions of the collection and preservation of registered tangible folk cultural properties. Seventy items, cultural properties related to production such as agriculture and industry, accounted for the largest proportion (approx. 74%) , followed by properties used in daily life related to food, clothing and shelter.
This study revealed that due to changes in industrial structure and social lifestyles, many tangible folk cultural properties, which have been deeply rooted in local communities and have helped shape regional identities, have been lost or neglected. This is thought to be due to the characteristics of tangible folk cultural properties and it is expected that the social structure will change even more rapidly in the future. Hopefully, this study will provide materials for discussion on how to preserve folk cultural properties that have also provided spiritual support to local communities, and how to use folk cultural properties for community and regional development and to promote regional identity.

JEL Classification: H54, R51, R53, Z11