Bulletin > Volume 37 The Engagement of Religious Groups in Postwar Battlefield Pilgrimages

Nishimura Akira

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After World War II, many Japanese citizens took part in battlefield pilgrimages to recover the remains of fallen soldiers. Most of these were bereaved family members and veterans, but religious functionaries, including not only Buddhist monks and Shinto priests but also representatives of new religious movements, also joined and organized trips of their own. The lack of sufficient research on their activities and the paucity of information in official government sources supports the need for further study. The following essay offers an overview of the activities of Japanese religious groups, based in large part on reports in the pages of the “Chūgai Nippō,” an inter-denominational Japanese newspaper.