Ancestral land, inheritance, and the revitalization or rural Japan: the case of Ogata Village

Abstract

Three themes are especially significant in rural Japan today. The first two are the traditional strong sense of ancestral land ties shared by Japanese farmers and the shortage of heirs problem (atotsugi mondai), which they face. The third is the recent village revitalization movement (mura-okoshi undo). This thesis addresses the relation of these factors in Ogata-mura, a thirty year-old rice farming village in northern Japan. Strong generational land ties stemming from the deep reverence for ancestors in Japanese Buddhism leads to concerns among older farmers about securing an heir for their property and household. An heir is necessary so that they will not only avoid causing a break in the lineage, but also to ensure that they will be cared for spiritually after their death. It is hypothesized that the lack of ancestral land ties and subsequent reduced need for an heir in the recently established village of Ogata-mura will lead to low interest in community revitalization efforts. This hypothesis is tested by examining three village households.