야스쿠니신사의 공간적 변용 - 여흥의 공간에서 현창의 공간으로 -

Abstract

Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was founded by Emperor Meiji to commemorate those who died in service of the Empire of Japan. However, since war criminals who died during World War II were also enshrined in the shrine, critics at home and abroad evaluate it as a space for honoring Japanese right wings. In the early Meiji period, Yasukuni Shine took extremely different aspects from ‘commemoration of war deads’ in that the site was used as a horse-racing space for ‘entertainment’. If so, when did Yasukuni Shrine’s ‘entertainment’ function disappear and start to be used for ‘commemoration of war deads’ and ‘glorification’? According to this manuscript, Yasukuni Shrine in the early Meiji period was primarily used as a space publicizing the new government’s civilization and enlightenment campaigns such as Western horse-racing events. However, the symbol of Yasukuni Shrine from ‘entertainment’ was gradually transformed to ‘glorification’ for war deads following the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894. The decision to construct Shinto shrine (拜殿) was made in 1899 by Emperor Meiji. Since then, the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 provided a critical opportunity to solidify Yasukuni Shrine’s glorification’ function.