Episode 10：　 Nunobashi Kanjo-e
A Bridge-Crossing Ritual for the Salvation of Women

Hello everyone,
I am Takano, Director of the Tateyama Museum in Toyama Prefecture.

Since the Heian period, sacred Mt. Tateyama has been known as a holy mountain associated with the salvation of women. During the Edo period, a religious ceremony called the “Nunobashi Kanjo-e” (Cloth Bridge Consecration Rite) was held on the middle day of the autumn equinox. It was a ritual intended to save women from suffering in the afterlife. In this article, let us explore this unique ceremony together.

(1) The Wishes of Women in the Edo Period

During the Edo period, men entered the mountains of Tateyama, believed to represent “the other world” or the afterlife. Through Zenjo-tohai — an ascetic pilgrimage in which worshippers climbed the mountain while engaging in spiritual training and prayer — they symbolically experienced death once in their lifetime. By enduring these hardships, it was believed that their sins would be purified and that rebirth in Paradise after death would be assured.

Women, however, were forbidden from entering the sacred mountain areas because of the custom known as nyonin kinsei, the prohibition against women entering certain sacred spaces.

At that time, women were said to bear the burden of the “Five Obstacles and Three Obedience,” a Buddhist concept that taught women were destined to fall into hell after death and could not easily attain rebirth in Paradise. What women feared most was the “Blood Pond Hell,” a cold pond of blood believed to be the destination of sinful women. Many women longed to escape the suffering of this hell and achieve salvation in the next world.The religious communities of Ashikuraji and Iwakuraji at Tateyama taught that Tateyama was a sacred mountain capable of saving women. They encouraged women to obtain copies of the Ketsubon-kyo (The Blood Bowl Sutra) and protective amulets believed to cleanse the impurity associated with blood. They also promoted memorial services conducted at the “Blood Pond” near Jigokudani (Hell Valley), where sutra offerings were made. Through these practices, Tateyama became an important center of faith for women.

(2) What Was the Nunobashi Kanjo-e Ceremony?

During the Edo period, female pilgrims gathered at Ashikuraji in Tateyama on the middle day of the autumn equinox in late September.

First, the women dressed in white burial robes and underwent a confession ritual at the Enma-do Hall, dedicated to Enma, the judge of the dead. Next, wearing sedge hats and blindfolded, they were guided by religious leaders across the “Nunobashi” — the Cloth Bridge covered with white cloth and regarded as the boundary between this world and the next.

Crossing the bridge symbolized entering the world after death. After reaching the opposite side, the women entered the Ubado Hall, where they participated in a Tendai Buddhist rite known as the “Shika Hoyo.” There, they received a sacred talisman called a “Kechimyaku,” believed to possess spiritual power.

The women then crossed the bridge once again to return to this world. By doing so, they were believed to secure rebirth in Paradise after death. Scholars interpret this ritual as a symbolic ceremony of death and rebirth.

It is not entirely clear when this ritual first began. However, an old document called Ichizan Kyuki Hikae records that in August 1614, Hoshun-in (Matsu, the wife of Maeda Toshiie) and Gyokusen-in (Eei, the wife of Maeda Toshinaga) visited the Ubado Hall of Ashikura Chuguji Temple. On that occasion, cloth was spread over the bridge and a ceremony called the “Taibu no Gishiki” was performed. This is believed to have been the origin of the Nunobashi Kanjo-e.

In 1590, Maeda Toshiie, the first lord of the Kaga Domain, repaired the bridge, and in 1606, Maeda Toshinaga rebuilt it. In 1624, Maeda Toshitsune donated decorative bridge ornaments called giboshi as part of memorial rites conducted during his lifetime.

These contributions by the Maeda family and their wives likely elevated the prestige of the Nunobashi Kanjo-e ceremony.

(3) A Revived Ceremony of “Healing” in Modern Times

At the beginning of the Meiji period, the Ubado Hall was dismantled, the bridge gradually deteriorated, and the Nunobashi Kanjo-e ceremony ceased to be performed.

However, in 1996, during the National Cultural Festival held in Toyama Prefecture, the ceremony was revived. Enma-do Hall, a newly reconstructed Nunobashi Bridge (rebuilt in the 1960s), and the Tateyama Museum’s Yobo-kan Hall — serving in place of the original Ubado Hall — became the setting for the restored ritual.

Since 2011, the ceremony has generally been held once every three years by the Nunobashi Kanjo-e Executive Committee.

In 2011, the ritual was registered as a “Project Future Heritage” by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan. In 2014, the Executive Committee received the 36th Suntory Prize for Regional Cultural Activities.

Today, the Nunobashi Kanjo-e has gained new appeal as a cultural and spiritual event, and is widely appreciated as one of Toyama Prefecture’s representative modern “healing” traditions.

Next time, I will introduce the “Tateyama Faith Ritual Implements,” an Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property designated by the Japanese Government.I hope you will continue to enjoy this series.

◎ For readers who would like to learn more about the Nunobashi Kanjo-e, the Tateyama Museum recommends its illustrated guidebook “Nunobashi Kanjo-e” (200 yen including tax). For purchasing information, please contact the Tateyama Museum at +81-76-481-1216.

Ōno’s 50-Year Journey to Protect Its Water Cycle

Episode 6　- A Model for Mountain Asia (Future)
Future Developments

In collaboration with the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Ono City has developed the “Water School” by renovating a traditional Japanese house.
This facility has been established as a comprehensive hub dedicated to the conservation, transmission, and sustainable use of water and spring water culture, serving as a center for learning and information dissemination related to water.

The first floor functions as a learning space, where research results from universities and exhibits on groundwater are displayed. It is also used for research presentations and information exchange meetings, as well as a place where tourists and school excursion groups visiting the city can freely learn about water.

The second floor houses research rooms. These are intended to serve as a fieldwork base for researchers from universities and research institutions studying water, providing space for simple testing and storage of research materials.

By encouraging wide use of this facility by researchers, Ono City aims to make effective use of its valuable regional resource—water—by promoting academic research, exhibitions, and public outreach activities, thereby contributing to regional revitalization.The facility officially opened on March 22, 2020 (World Water Day).

Groundwater in Ono Nurtures Food Culture

Ono’s abundant groundwater sustains and enriches its local food culture.

“Mizu no Megumin” (Spirit of Water)–

Ōno’s 50-Year Journey to Protect Its Water Cycle

“Yui”　Episode 5 – From Ōno to the World (International Contribution)

We protect our groundwater—so that we may share water with the world.

The “Carrying Water Project” — Giving Back to Water

Thanks to sustained efforts over the years, the condition of Ōno’s groundwater has begun to show signs of recovery.
However, among local residents, there still remains a deeply rooted perception that groundwater is something that naturally exists and can be taken for granted.

In response, the city launched the Carrying Water Project (CWP), grounded in the philosophy of “giving back to water.”
The initiative aims to encourage citizens to rediscover their sense of gratitude and pride in water, and to communicate these values and actions to the world. In doing so, the project seeks to enhance Ōno’s brand identity while contributing to regional revitalization—by increasing exchange populations and addressing long-term population decline.

Through donations from citizens and businesses, CWP supports communities in regions that lack access to safe water, while also promoting place-based branding centered on Ōno’s abundant water resources.
By sharing the story of Ōno’s rich water environment not only within Japan but globally, the project provides an opportunity for local residents to reaffirm the blessings of water they enjoy daily. This, in turn, is expected to foster human capital, enhance the competitiveness of local products and industries, stimulate the regional economy, and ultimately contribute to countermeasures against population decline over the medium to long term.As part of its support for water-stressed regions, the City of Ōno formed a partnership with the Japan Committee for UNICEF.
From 2017 to 2019, the project supported initiatives in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, helping local children gain access to clean and safe water.

Based on the spirit of Yui—mutual cooperation—the project also seeks to raise awareness among Ōno’s citizens of global water challenges, particularly in Timor-Leste, one of the most water-stressed environments in Asia.
Through citizen-led donations and engagement, residents are encouraged to share an appreciation for water, thereby rediscovering the value of what they routinely use and strengthening their confidence and pride in their local community.

The City of Ōno’s direct involvement in the project concluded in 2020, and its philosophy has since been inherited by a General Incorporated Association.

Foreign-born Leaders Revitalizing Japan’s Rural Mountain Communities

Episode 6: From Local Revitalization to Transnational Collaboration

Expanding Mountain Livelihoods Beyond Borders

Currently, Dhalma is focusing on a project that introduces Japanese agricultural technology and investment into rural communities in Nepal, with the goal of exporting locally produced agricultural products to Japan and potentially to European markets.

“To support this initiative, we established a local subsidiary of Happy Farm in Nepal and organized a producers’ cooperative in rural communities,” he explains.

This initiative originally emerged from discussions on how best to support post-earthquake recovery in affected areas such as Lisank village.

“The region has always been a purely agricultural community, where traditional farming mainly focused on subsistence production for household consumption. As a result, many young people chose to migrate in search of cash income, leaving their home villages with aging populations and declining vitality.

In order for these communities to recover and sustain themselves, it is essential to introduce new forms of agriculture that can generate stable income. Only then will younger generations consider remaining in their villages and continuing agricultural practices.”

An opportunity arose when a health food company based in Toyama inquired about the possibility of cultivating perilla in Nepal as a raw material for dietary supplements. While low production costs were a key consideration, the fact that agricultural land in many parts of Nepal had not been exposed to extensive use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides was also seen as an advantage.

“It’s ironic that what we once considered a disadvantage — not being able to afford chemical inputs — is now seen as a strength,” Dhalma says with a smile.

However, producing several tons of perilla annually that meet the quality standards required by Japanese companies remains a significant challenge for Nepalese farmers.

In response, Dhalma mobilized nearly 400 farming families in and around Lisank village to form a producers’ cooperative. At the same time, a local company responsible for purchasing, processing, and exporting agricultural products to Japan was established near Kathmandu under the leadership of his brother.

Construction machinery was introduced from Japan to improve farm land, accompanied by technical training for local farmers.

In 2020, the first shipment of perilla was successfully exported to Japan.

“We are not yet at the stage of making substantial profits, but we have reached a point where the project can continue,” Dhalma notes. “There are challenges, such as requests from Japanese companies to lower purchase prices. On the other hand, we were recently approached by a European company interested in purchasing our perilla products.”

Dhalma is also involved in a more advanced project supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The initiative involves establishing a plant in selected regions of Nepal to process organic waste into fertilizer, which will then be used to cultivate agricultural products for export to Japan.

Several municipalities in Nepal responded to the government’s call for participation, and training sessions have been conducted in Japan. The first region to introduce the plant has now been selected.

Dhalma serves not only as a coordinator connecting stakeholders in both Japan and Nepal but also contributes to the planning process, drawing on his experience as an agricultural entrepreneur to determine which crops should be produced, how they should be processed, and how they can be exported.

“We are currently considering root vegetables that can withstand longer transport times,” he explains. “For example, burdock can be shipped directly to Japan using refrigerated containers. Daikon, on the other hand, cannot be exported fresh, but it can be processed locally into dried strips before shipment. We have already developed prototype products.”

Such products are currently imported into Japan from countries such as China, but Dhalma believes that Nepalese producers can compete in terms of both quality and cost.While this concludes the current series, Dhalma’s ongoing initiatives to connect mountain communities across national borders are likely to continue evolving, linking mountain communities across borders in new ways.

Related Topics

• Transnational Mountain Economies
• Agricultural Value Chains in Rural Regions
• Technology Transfer in Developing Communities
• Sustainable Livelihoods in Mountain Areas
• International Cooperation in Rural Development

Learn More

This episode highlights how technology transfer, cooperative organization, and cross-border collaboration can contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural value chains in rural mountain regions.

Related initiatives can be found in:
• Transnational Rural Development Programs
• Sustainable Mountain Livelihoods
• Community-based Agricultural Export Models

Policy Implications

This series illustrates how local initiatives can evolve into transnational collaborations that address shared challenges in mountain regions.Such approaches may offer valuable insights for policymakers seeking sustainable solutions to labor shortages, agricultural succession, and rural development in aging societies.

Ōno’s 50-Year Journey to Protect Its Water Cycle

Episode 4 – Science Reveals the Invisible River

How Isotope Research Helped Visualize Ono’s Water Cycle

In 2012, the City of Ono had an opportunity to hear a lecture by Professor Nakano of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), titled “Collecting a Thousand Waters: What We Learned from Sampling a Thousand Points.”
Inspired by this work, the city requested that a similar investigation be conducted in Ono.

A collaborative research initiative was launched involving RIHN, Kagawa University, Doshisha University, and local elementary schools in Ono.
Using data collected from approximately 8,000 wells across the city, a comprehensive groundwater temperature survey was carried out.The purpose of this survey was to determine whether rising air temperatures due to recent global warming have affected the temperature of Ono’s groundwater.

Students in the 4th to 6th grades of local elementary schools participated by simultaneously measuring the temperature of groundwater used in their households on designated survey days.
This approach not only enabled continuous monitoring of groundwater temperature changes across the city, but also fostered environmental awareness among children from an early age.

In addition to RIHN, Ono has collaborated with other academic and research institutions.
Since 2013, the University of Tsukuba has been conducting water cycle analysis in the Ono Basin using stable isotope techniques.

Furthermore, the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism analyzed the groundwater flow of the Ono Basin over a two-year period (2013–2014) using a hydrological circulation model.

Through these collaborative scientific efforts, Ono has increasingly attracted attention in recent years as a valuable research field for understanding groundwater-based water circulation systems.

Foreign-born Leaders Revitalizing Japan’s Rural Mountain Communities

Episode 5:  Cultural Mediation Through Faith

Religious Practices as Bridges Between Communities

As interactions between Nepalese residents and local Japanese communities in Toyama gradually increased through various cultural exchange activities, Dhalma began to introduce elements of Nepalese religious traditions into these exchanges.

In Nepal, where daily life is deeply intertwined with religious practices, rituals are not confined to temples or sacred sites but are often conducted within households and local communities. Dhalma believed that sharing these practices could provide a meaningful way to deepen mutual understanding between Nepalese residents and their Japanese neighbors.One such initiative involved organizing Buddhist memorial services and prayer ceremonies led by Nepalese monks. These events were held in collaboration with local communities and offered Japanese participants a rare opportunity to observe and take part in traditional Tibetan Buddhist rituals.

For many Japanese participants, it was their first time witnessing prayer ceremonies involving chanting, incense offerings, and the application of tika — a red blessing mark traditionally placed on the forehead.

Dhalma also introduced workshops on traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting, drawing on his own experience as a Thangka artist. Participants were invited to learn about the symbolism and techniques involved in mandala painting, as well as the philosophical ideas embedded within these visual traditions.

“These activities are not intended to promote any particular religion,” Dhalma explains. “Rather, they provide opportunities for people to learn about each other’s cultural backgrounds and values.”Through such initiatives, religious practices became a platform for dialogue and trust-building between Nepalese and Japanese residents.

Participants often commented that the shared experience of preparing offerings, listening to chants, or engaging in artistic expression helped to create a sense of familiarity that transcended linguistic and cultural differences.

These events also allowed Nepalese residents living in Toyama to reconnect with their own cultural heritage, which they might otherwise find difficult to maintain in their daily lives abroad.As these exchanges continued, Dhalma began to recognize the potential of faith-based practices as informal yet powerful tools for fostering intercultural understanding within rural communities.

Related Topics

• Cultural Mediation in Rural Communities
• Faith-based Community Exchange
• People-to-People Diplomacy
• Intercultural Dialogue in Mountain Regions
• Community Leadership Across Cultures

Learn More

This episode highlights how cultural and faith-based exchanges can foster trust and mutual understanding between communities, creating informal yet meaningful pathways for cross-cultural collaboration in rural mountain regions.Related initiatives can be found in:
• Intercultural Community Engagement Programs
• Faith-based Dialogue Initiatives
• People-to-People Exchange Platforms

Episode 9: Devotion to “Onbasama”

Hello everyone,
I am Takano, Director of the Tateyama Museum in Toyama Prefecture.

In Ashikuraji at the foot of Mt. Tateyama, a statue of a mountain deity known as Uba-son is enshrined.
Locally, it is affectionately called “Onbasama”, and even today it is deeply revered, especially by women in the community.
In this episode, I will introduce Onbasama and the faith surrounding it.

(1) Who is Uba-son of Ashikuraji?

Uba-son is depicted as an elderly woman, with sagging breasts, seated with one knee raised.
Some representations resemble Datsueba, the old woman said to sit by the banks of the Sanzu River in Buddhist cosmology.

It is said that in the past, the Uba Hall housed three principal statues, along with 66 additional figures—matching the number of provinces in Japan during the Edo period. However, in the early Meiji era, the hall was destroyed, and many statues were lost. Today, 24 statues remain, preserved in Enma Hall and the Tateyama Museum.

The exact origin of Uba-son worship is unknown, but the oldest surviving statue bears an inscription dated 1375 (Eiwa 1), indicating that the cult existed at least as early as the Nanbokuchō period.

In the Edo-period encyclopedia Wakan Sansai Zue, Uba-son is described as the mother of the founder of Mt. Tateyama, Jikō Shōnin (also known as Saeki no Ariyori or Ariwaka), and is sometimes regarded as the mother of Tateyama Gongen—suggesting her role as a mother deity.

According to the “Origin Story of the Uba Hall” from Nikkōbō in Ashikuraji, she is the mother of all beings, said to have flown down holding grains in her left hand and hemp seeds in her right—symbolizing the blessings of food and clothing.Thus, Uba-son embodies multiple layers of meaning:

• A water deity worshipped by agricultural communities 
• A mountain deity revered by hunters 
• A Buddhist figure, later interpreted as an incarnation of Dainichi Nyorai 

Scholars suggest that over time, the original “Uba deity” evolved into “Uba-son” under Buddhist influence.

(2) What Was the Uba Hall Like?

During the Edo period, the Uba Hall stood on the left bank of the Uba Valley River (now Ubadō River).Architectural drawings by Yamagami Zen’emon, an official carpenter of the Kaga Domain, show that the hall measured approximately:

• 9 meters (five bays) wide 
• 7 meters (four bays) deep 

It was built in the irimoya (hip-and-gable) style.

The hall was destroyed by fire in the Tenmei era (1780s). While the three principal statues survived, many accompanying figures and decorations were lost.
As an officially funded construction of the Kaga Domain, it was rebuilt in 1787.

Numerous fundraising records (kanjin-ki) and origin texts (engi) from this period suggest that active donation campaigns supported its reconstruction.

Today, the site is marked by a foundation platform constructed in the 1960s, with a stone water basin donated in 1844 placed in front.

(3) Devotion to Onbasama

Faith in Onbasama extended even to feudal lords.

• In 1466, Jinbo Naganobu, deputy governor of Etchū Province, donated tax revenues
• In the Tenshō era, Sassa Narimasa made offerings twice
• Maeda Toshiie of the Kaga Domain donated land equivalent to 100 koku

One of the most important rituals at the Uba Hall is the “Omeshikae” (Changing of the Robes).

This annual ceremony involved:

• Seven women aged 61 or older
• Ritual purification beginning on January 8
• Spinning hemp, weaving cloth, and completing garments by February 5
• Offering prayers on February 9 before dressing the deity

By renewing the garments at the arrival of spring, the ritual symbolized:

• Renewal of the deity’s vitality
• Gratitude toward the mountains

Today, the ritual continues on March 13, with cotton cloth garments prepared by local women’s groups such as the Ashikuraji Women’s Association.

This living tradition offers a rare glimpse into the continuity of Tateyama faith.

In March 2024, this ritual was officially designated as a national intangible folk cultural property requiring documentation and preservation, recognizing its importance for future generations.

Next time, we will introduce the Nunobashi Kanjo-e, a Buddhist rite for the salvation of women practiced in Ashikuraji.
We hope you will continue to follow this series.

For Further Reading

If you would like to learn more about Onbasama, we recommend:

• The Earth Mother of Tateyama: Onbasama 
• Enshrining Uba-son 

For purchase inquiries, please contact the Tateyama Museum.

Ōno’s 50-Year Journey to Protect Its Water Cycle

Episode 3 – Citizens and Rules
Governing Groundwater as a Shared Civic Resource

In Ono City, groundwater has not been treated merely as a resource to be managed by administrative authority, but as a shared civic asset sustained through collective responsibility.

As early as the 1970s, the city began establishing rules to ensure that groundwater would be protected by the community as a whole.
Regulations requiring prior notification for groundwater extraction and restricting the use of groundwater for snow-melting during winter were introduced—not simply as technical controls, but as social agreements embedded in daily life.A distinctive feature of Ono’s approach lies in citizen participation in groundwater monitoring.
Since 1976, local residents have continuously measured groundwater levels at observation wells distributed across the city. These measurements, conducted daily at multiple locations, are publicly displayed—transforming environmental monitoring into a shared civic practice.

Agricultural land has also played a vital role in sustaining groundwater.
Since 1978, the Winter Paddy Field Flooding Project has utilized rice paddies during the non-growing season to retain water and promote infiltration into underground aquifers.
In this way, farmland functions not only as a site of food production but also as infrastructure for groundwater recharge.Recognizing that groundwater conservation extends beyond hydrology, Ono City has sought to preserve the cultural practices associated with spring water.

This perspective led to the formulation of the Echizen Ono Spring Water Culture Revitalization Plan in 2011, which integrates environmental protection with the transmission of water-related cultural heritage to future generations.

Institutional measures have also been taken to safeguard the forested headwaters that support the groundwater system.
In 2012, in response to emerging concerns over land acquisitions by external capital, the city enacted the Ono City Forest and Water Conservation Ordinance. 
This ordinance requires prior notification not only for land transactions but also for the construction of structures within forested areas—an early local policy reflecting public attachment to the forests that sustain the city’s water sources.Citizen engagement has further contributed to spring restoration efforts.
At Honganshimizu, the southernmost habitat of the landlocked Itoyo (three-spined stickleback) and designated National Natural Monument, community-led cleaning and rehabilitation activities began following severe spring depletion in the late 1970s.
Through sustained collaboration between schoolchildren and local residents, some of these spring water sites have since been successfully revived.

Taken together, these initiatives illustrate a model in which groundwater is not governed solely through regulation, but through the combined efforts of institutions, agricultural practices, and civic participation.

Foreign-born Leaders Revitalizing Japan’s Rural Mountain Communities

Episode 4:  Building Connections Through Cultural Exchange

Festivals as Platforms for Mutual Understanding

The primary objective behind establishing the Toyama–Nepal Cultural Exchange Association (hereafter referred to as the Association) was to foster mutual understanding between local residents and the growing Nepalese community in the region through direct interaction.

Unlike major metropolitan areas, rural prefectures such as Toyama had, until recently, relatively few opportunities for everyday contact with foreign residents. While international tourists occasionally visited the area, the number of long-term foreign residents remained limited. As the Nepalese population has increased rapidly in recent years, this demographic shift inevitably generated a degree of uncertainty and, at times, friction within the local community.

Dhalma believed that, as someone positioned between these two groups, it was essential to create opportunities for meaningful engagement in order to build trust and understanding.

As a first step, the Association began organizing events that introduced Nepalese culture to local communities across the prefecture. Among these initiatives, the annual celebration of Dashain has become particularly significant.

Originally a Hindu festival held in autumn, Dashain is now the largest national celebration in Nepal. Lasting nearly two weeks, it provides an opportunity for family members and relatives who normally live apart to gather and celebrate together.

Since 2016, the Association has hosted a Dashain event each year during a weekend in late October. In 2024, approximately 80 Nepalese residents living in Toyama and neighboring areas participated, joined by around 30 Japanese residents. The two-day event was held at Meditation Village in Nanto City, located in the southern part of the prefecture.

Toyama is one of Japan’s most mountainous regions, and several municipalities have established sister-city relationships with towns in Nepal. Nanto City is among them, which is why it was selected as the venue.

However, the site is located far from the population centers in the northern part of the prefecture, such as Toyama City and Takaoka City, where many Nepalese residents live. Public transportation options are limited, and many Nepalese residents do not own private vehicles.

To address this, Dhalma coordinated with local acquaintances who owned larger vehicles to transport participants from various parts of the prefecture to the venue.

“That journey itself often becomes the starting point for exchange,” he explains. “Not everyone who offers a ride can speak English, and many Nepalese participants are not yet fluent in Japanese. But during the two-hour drive, people often become surprisingly close.”

Upon arrival, participants gathered around cooking equipment, food ingredients, and propane gas cylinders transported by Japanese volunteers using small trucks. Together, Nepalese and Japanese participants began preparing traditional Nepalese dishes for dinner.Japanese, English, and Nepali languages were heard throughout the venue, creating a warm and collaborative atmosphere.

“We don’t insist on perfect authenticity,” Dhalma says with a smile. “Even if the dishes don’t turn out exactly right, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that we cook together, eat together, and talk together.”

Before attending the event, I had assumed that most Japanese participants were either familiar with Nepal or had previously visited the country. While some had indeed spent time in Nepal as members of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and spoke Nepali fluently, the majority of Japanese participants admitted that they had little prior knowledge of Nepal before being invited by Dhalma.

“At first, I joined simply because Dhalma asked me to,” one participant said. “I thought it might help keep my mind active.” However, after participating once, many returned year after year.

For Nepalese participants as well, the event provided an opportunity to discover the presence of fellow Nepalese residents living nearby. Many had not realized how many Nepalese people were residing in the region until they attended.

Daily life for many Nepalese residents in Toyama typically consists of commuting between their apartments, workplaces, and Japanese language schools, with limited opportunities for social interaction beyond occasional shopping trips.

For them, Dashain has become a rare occasion to speak Nepali freely, share meals, sing traditional songs, and dance together late into the night.

Unlike in Nepal, where differences in regional origin, ethnicity, or caste may shape social relations, here participants reaffirm their shared identity simply as Nepalese people.

New friendships often emerge through these gatherings, not only between Nepalese and Japanese participants, but also among Nepalese residents themselves.

“That wasn’t something I initially anticipated,” Dhalma says with a laugh. “But as the event has grown, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to manage everything alone. The Nepalese population here will likely continue to increase. Still, I’m sure we’ll find a way.”Perhaps that optimism is one of Dhalma’s defining strengths.

Related Topics

• Social Integration in Rural Mountain Communities

• Multicultural Community Building

• Cultural Exchange in Aging Societies

• Informal Networks for Local Cohesion

• Everyday Coexistence in Rural Japan

Learn More

This episode highlights how cultural exchange initiatives can foster social integration and trust-building between local residents and foreign-born community members in rural mountain regions.Related initiatives can be found in:

• Community-based Cultural Exchange Programs

• Multicultural Integration in Local Communities

• Participatory Social Inclusion Models

Series 8: The Nationwide Spread of Tateyama Faith

Hello everyone, this is Takano, Director of the Toyama Prefectural Tateyama Museum.In the previous article, we introduced Ashikuraji and Iwakuraji, the two temple-settlements that served as major centers of Tateyama faith during the Edo period.
In this installment, we explore how the monks (shuto) of these communities spread Tateyama faith throughout Japan.

(1) Missionary Activities by the Monks of Ashikuraji

The monks of the 33 lodging temples (shukubō) in Ashikuraji established networks of followers across the country, known as dannaba—regions where believers of Tateyama faith were concentrated.

Every year, during the agricultural off-season from autumn to spring, they traveled to places such as Edo (Tokyo), Osaka, Owari (present-day Aichi), and Shinano (Nagano) to conduct missionary activities.

At these destinations, they gathered people in village headmen’s houses or temples and displayed hanging scroll paintings called Tateyama Mandala. Using a storytelling technique known as etoki (picture explanation), they vividly explained the teachings—sometimes with gestures and dramatic narration.

These presentations began with the origin story of Tateyama.
Men were encouraged to undertake the sacred mountain pilgrimage (Tateyama Zenjō), while women were invited to participate in the Nunobashi Kanjochō ritual. At the same time, the monks promoted their own lodging temples, offering guidance and support for pilgrims visiting Tateyama.

They also sold amulets (gofu), sacred medicines, burial garments (kyōkatabira), and texts such as the Ketsubonkyō. Payment was collected the following year—after the promised spiritual benefits had been received—creating a unique system in which faith and trust sustained the relationship.These religious and economic activities were collectively known as kaidan haisatsu (itinerant preaching and distribution of talismans).
Records called danna-chō (registers of patrons) still exist today, documenting these activities in detail.

(2) Missionary Activities by the Monks of Iwakuraji

Meanwhile, the monks of the 24 lodging temples in Iwakuraji focused their activities mainly within the domain of the Kaga clan—covering Kaga and Noto (present-day Ishikawa) and Echū (Toyama).

The Iwakuraji temple complex was entrusted by the Kaga domain with the management and maintenance of the Tateyama mountains. This required funds for repairing subsidiary shrines and facilities such as Murodō, as well as maintaining pilgrimage routes.

To raise these funds, they obtained official permission to hold dekaichō—special traveling exhibitions of sacred images and temple treasures—circulating through temples across the region.

A central object of worship in these exhibitions was a statue of Amida Nyorai (Amitābha Buddha) from Tateyama.
This statue is known for a small hole in its left chest. According to legend, the founder of Tateyama, Saeki no Ariyori (or Ariwaka), shot an arrow into a bear, which was in fact an incarnation of Amida. This gave rise to the name Yakizu Amida Nyorai (“Amida with the arrow wound”).

During these exhibitions, Tateyama Mandala were also displayed, encouraging men to undertake pilgrimages and inviting them to stay at the monks’ lodging temples.

(3) The Devotion Inspired by Tateyama

During the Edo period, Tateyama faith spread widely among the general population.

Numerous offerings were dedicated to the mountain, including stone Buddhas, lanterns, scriptures, and ritual implements.
The Maeda family of the Kaga domain strongly supported Tateyama faith, funding repairs of temple buildings and granting tax exemptions.

At Iwakuraji, close relationships developed between the monks and the domain lords and their retainers. At Ashikuraji, a portable shrine (mikoshi) for the Tateyama Gongen festival was donated by the Maeda family.

Moreover, high-ranking women—including those in the Ōoku (women’s quarters of Edo Castle) and daimyo households—prayed to the deities of Tateyama for health, peaceful afterlife, and the stability of their families.In this way, the monks of Ashikuraji and Iwakuraji spread Tateyama faith across all levels of society during the Edo period.
It is no exaggeration to say that these efforts laid the foundation for Tateyama’s reputation as a sacred mountain that continues to this day.

In the next installment, we will explore Onbasama (Uba-son), the mountain deity who continues to attract the devotion of women in Ashikuraji.We hope you will continue following this series.

Note for Visitors

At the Tateyama Museum, visitors can explore the Digital Tateyama Mandala, an interactive display that allows detailed viewing of the mandala imagery.
The nearby Mountain Culture and Future Center exhibits a large mikoshi said to have been donated by the Maeda family, offering a glimpse into the deep devotion people held for Tateyama.

If you have the opportunity to visit Tateyama, we warmly invite you to stop by the museum.