Buddhism and Violence in Asia: The Case of the Military in Tibet during the Ganden Phodrang Period (1642–1959)

On Lore, Lived Religion, and the Allure of World Heritage at Japan's Male-Only Sacred Sites

Two of Japan's religious World Heritage sites currently ban women's access: the island Okinoshima (designated in 2017) and the Sanjōgatake peak of Mt. Ōmine (designated in 2004). Examining recent cultural imaginings of the two sites in light of historical records and lore pertaining to women's religious exclusion, this talk lays bare a disjuncture between putative ancient origins, observable present-day practices (i.e., lived religion), and selective heritage narratives. These cases draw attention to the conflicting agendas and competing versions of history embedded within Japan's religious landscape today; they also provide an opportunity to explore how religion and other social structures such as heritage, tradition, and gender operate and interact.