This study examines the historical transformation of Wakasugi village in Sasaguri, Fukuoka Prefecture, from the standpoint of cultural anthropology. In addition, the process of continuity and transformation of this particular folk society is discussed from viewpoints both inside and outside of the village. Wakasugi village has preserved its customs and habits through a tradition in which such knowledge is transmitted orally from one generation to the next. Folk societies that follow these customs have a long history of acquiring knowledge through typology and repetition. However, even though this society has recently become challenged by the infusion of modern thought, the market economy, and the power of media, it still maintains the social function of continuity. The reason for such continuity is its spiritual connection with Mt. Wakasugi, sacred mountain and New Shikoku reijō, eighty-eight
pilgrimage sites located in Sasaguri. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to investigate four overall aspects: 1) the strong continuous power and thought of the village, which is supported by the socio-religious system in the region; 2) the origins of mountain worship and the reconstruction of holy days surrounding the shrine and temple festivals, based on historical documents, discourses, and practices; 3) the transformation of annual festivals and new trends after the Meiji period, especially in regard to the separation of Buddhism and Shintō; and 4) the tradition and modernization of folk society based on interactions and negotiations from inside and outside of the village. Finally, although Wakasugi village has managed to sustain its everyday-life autonomy, it must be noticed that it has gradually lost its social cohesion and cultural uniqueness. Therefore, this study also clarifies the sustainable process and illuminates the character of cultural transmission through interpretative descriptions of local context and social history of imagination.
