Constructing and Contesting the Shrine: Tourist Performances at Seimei Shrine, Kyoto
Japanese Shinto shrines are popular pilgrimage sites not only for religious reasons, but also because of their connections to popular culture. This study discusses how tourism is involved in the construction of the shrine space by focusing on the material environment of the shrine, visitor performan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/1/19 |
| _version_ | 1797543359187779584 |
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| author | Mia Tillonen |
| author_facet | Mia Tillonen |
| author_sort | Mia Tillonen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Japanese Shinto shrines are popular pilgrimage sites not only for religious reasons, but also because of their connections to popular culture. This study discusses how tourism is involved in the construction of the shrine space by focusing on the material environment of the shrine, visitor performances, and how the shrine is contested by different actors. The subject of the study, Seimei Shrine, is a shrine dedicated to the legendary figure Abe no Seimei (921–1005), who is frequently featured in popular culture. Originally a local shrine, Seimei Shrine became a tourist attraction for fans of the novel series Onmyōji (1986–) and the movie adaptation (2001). Since then, the shrine has branded itself by placing themed statues, which realize the legend of Abe no Seimei in material form, while also attracting religious and touristic practices. On the other hand, visitors also bring new meanings to the shrine and its objects. They understand the shrine through different kinds of interactions with the objects, through performances such as touching and remembering. However, the material objects, their interpretation and performances are also an arena of conflict and contestation, as different actors become involved through tourism. This case study shows how religion and tourism are intertwined in the late-modern consumer society, which affects both the ways in which the shrine presents and reinvents itself, as well as how visitors understand and perform within the shrine. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:43:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50cb2c1ff3c54920b1aa4cc2083f7380 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:43:28Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-50cb2c1ff3c54920b1aa4cc2083f73802023-11-21T02:46:49ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442020-12-011211910.3390/rel12010019Constructing and Contesting the Shrine: Tourist Performances at Seimei Shrine, KyotoMia Tillonen0Graduate School of International Media, Communication, and Tourism Studies, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0817, JapanJapanese Shinto shrines are popular pilgrimage sites not only for religious reasons, but also because of their connections to popular culture. This study discusses how tourism is involved in the construction of the shrine space by focusing on the material environment of the shrine, visitor performances, and how the shrine is contested by different actors. The subject of the study, Seimei Shrine, is a shrine dedicated to the legendary figure Abe no Seimei (921–1005), who is frequently featured in popular culture. Originally a local shrine, Seimei Shrine became a tourist attraction for fans of the novel series Onmyōji (1986–) and the movie adaptation (2001). Since then, the shrine has branded itself by placing themed statues, which realize the legend of Abe no Seimei in material form, while also attracting religious and touristic practices. On the other hand, visitors also bring new meanings to the shrine and its objects. They understand the shrine through different kinds of interactions with the objects, through performances such as touching and remembering. However, the material objects, their interpretation and performances are also an arena of conflict and contestation, as different actors become involved through tourism. This case study shows how religion and tourism are intertwined in the late-modern consumer society, which affects both the ways in which the shrine presents and reinvents itself, as well as how visitors understand and perform within the shrine.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/1/19shinto shrinepopular culturetourist performancesmaterial religion |
| spellingShingle | Mia Tillonen Constructing and Contesting the Shrine: Tourist Performances at Seimei Shrine, Kyoto Religions shinto shrine popular culture tourist performances material religion |
| title | Constructing and Contesting the Shrine: Tourist Performances at Seimei Shrine, Kyoto |
| title_full | Constructing and Contesting the Shrine: Tourist Performances at Seimei Shrine, Kyoto |
| title_fullStr | Constructing and Contesting the Shrine: Tourist Performances at Seimei Shrine, Kyoto |
| title_full_unstemmed | Constructing and Contesting the Shrine: Tourist Performances at Seimei Shrine, Kyoto |
| title_short | Constructing and Contesting the Shrine: Tourist Performances at Seimei Shrine, Kyoto |
| title_sort | constructing and contesting the shrine tourist performances at seimei shrine kyoto |
| topic | shinto shrine popular culture tourist performances material religion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/1/19 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT miatillonen constructingandcontestingtheshrinetouristperformancesatseimeishrinekyoto |