The Japanese Culture of Mourning Whales

Whale Graves and Memorial Monuments in Japan

Mayumi Itoh (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

267 Seiten

2017 | 1st ed. 2018
Springer Verlag, Singapore
978-981-10-6670-2 (ISBN)

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This book provides an in-depth study of Japanese whaling culture, emphasizing how the Japanese have considered whales and whaling in relation to their understanding of nature and religion. It examines why and how the Japanese have mourned the deaths of whales, treating them as if they were human beings, and assesses the relevance of this culture to nature conservation and management of sustainable use of natural resources. It also sheds new light on Japanese whaling, one of the most controversial issues in the contemporary world, by highlighting the hitherto unknown aspects of Japanese beliefs about whales and whaling, which constitute an integral part of their core concept of how they should coexist with nature. Through cross-examining previous studies of Japanese whaling, as well as analyzing new documents and conducting field research on location, this book presents a comprehensive survey of Japanese whaling culture and memorial rites for whales and offers viable insights on how theJapanese whaling culture can be applied to solving current global issues, including nature conservation, management of sustainable use of natural resources, and protection of wildlife and its habitats.

Mayumi Itoh is former Professor of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, US. She has also taught at Princeton University and Queens College, City University of New York and has written numerous books, including Globalization of Japan (1998), The Hatoyama Dynasty (2003), Japanese Wartime Zoo Policy (2010), and The Origin of Ping-Pong Diplomacy (2011).

Introduction.- Historical Background.- Whaling Culture and Whale Graves in the Hokkaidō and Tōhoku Regions.- Whale Shrines and Temples in the Kantō Region.- Whale Graves and Monuments in the Chūbu and Hokuriku Regions.- Sacred Mountains of Buddhism and Shintoism and Whaling Culture in the Kansai-Kinki Region.- Pure Land Buddhism and Whaling Culture in the Chūgoku Region.- Pilgrimage of Eighty-Eight Temples and Whale Graves in the Shikoku Region.- Buddhism, Catholicism, Shintoism, and Whaling Culture in the Kyūshū Region.- Conclusion.

“Though the book was published in 2018, it remains an excellent resource given the long history of most of the monuments and rituals covered. … The Japanese Culture of Mourning Whales is a unique and worthwhile addition to the small but growing canon on Japanese whaling. As it is arranged by region and includes a map and charts for easy access, I’ve found myself checking it before I travel within Japan … .” (Jay Alabaster, Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 76 (2), 2021)

Erscheinungsdatum	07.01.2018
Zusatzinfo	13 Illustrations, color; XXI, 267 p. 13 illus. in color.
Verlagsort	Singapore
Sprache	englisch
Maße	148 x 210 mm
Themenwelt	Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Regional- / Ländergeschichte
	Sozialwissenschaften ► Ethnologie
	Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung
	Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie
Schlagworte	Japan and the International Whaling Commission • Japanese Beliefs about Whales and Whaling • Japanese Belief Systems about Whales • Japanese Whaling and Coexistence with Nature • Japanese Whaling and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources. • Japanese Whaling Culture and Religious Belief • Memorial Rites for Whales in Japan • Mourning Whales in Japan • Whaling in Japan and Politics
ISBN-10	981-10-6670-1 / 9811066701
ISBN-13	978-981-10-6670-2 / 9789811066702
Zustand	Neuware