We would like to invite you to our upcoming DIJ History & Humanities Study Group on Wednesday, 6 June 2012,
18:30

Ryofu Pussel

Contemporary Pilgrims' Perceptions of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage on Shikoku I sland

This lecture analyses how contemporary pilgrims understand and make meaning of the Buddhist 88 temple pilgrimage on Shikoku Island. Quantitative and qua litative research was conducted, including brief surveys and in-depth intera ctions with pilgrims, pilgrimage guides, those that give out alms, and templ e officials to analyse contemporary pilgrims'
perceptions of the 'sacred'
foci of the pilgrimage: The founder of Shingon Buddhism, Kobo Daishi, and h is presumed role in the origin of the Shikoku pilgrimage, with related issue s of meaning-making, such as the Daishi faith, Daishi tales, the various deities whose images are enshrined in the temples, the connection of Shinto and Buddhism and related rituals and pilgrims' thought s about 'religion', pilgrimage items and related ritual behaviour, experie ntial as pects of the pilgrimage, people's motives for doing the pilgrimage, and their understanding of death. This research not only provides a better under standing of contemporary pilgrims'
practices and their understandings there of, but also of the cultural meaning pertaining to and embedded within pilgr ims' modes of behaviour. These insights lead to a better general understand ing of contemporary Japanese cultural practices and the world Japanese peopl e live in, such as how they seek to achieve well-being and happiness.

Dr. Ryofu Pussel's research interest lies in contemporary Japanese Buddhism . He holds an MEd (TESOL, Wollongong), MA (Japanese Language and Society, Sh effield), MA (Buddhist Studies, Sunderland), and has recently finished a doc toral thesis on the above topic (Sunderland).
See http://www.ryofupussel.org for more details.

The presentation will be given in English. The DIJ History & Humanities Study Group is intended as a forum for young scholars and Ph.D. candidates in pertaining disciplines. Everybody is welcome to attend, but kindly asked to register with Susanne Klien:
klien[at]dijtokyo.org

German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ), Jochi Kioizaka Bldg. 2F,
7-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0094, Phone:
03-3222-5077.
For a map please refer to www.dijtokyo.org