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Paper short abstract

This study explores how ritual spaces in northern Okinawa villages are recognized as public places through cognitive maps and interviews with younger and older residents. Results show generational differences in spatial cognition, with older residents perceiving publicness via cultural transmission.

Paper long abstract

This study aims to clarify how ritual spaces in northern Okinawa villages are perceived as places with a public character by analyzing cognitive maps of younger and older residents. Northern Okinawa continues to practice nature worship through local rituals, preserving a unique cultural heritage within Japan. However, in recent years, the decline in ritual practitioners has led to the erosion of the public nature of these spaces, placing many at risk of disappearance. Conversely, certain spaces, such as Asagi, remain recognized as communal sites within the village. To explore this dynamic, the study targeted four younger residents and eight older residents, employing cognitive map analysis and interviews to examine how they perceive and assign meaning to ritual spaces. The findings reveal that older participants’ maps contained more ritual-related landmarks, such as Tōnuka and Shika, and depicted a broader spatial range extending southward. These differences appear to stem from childhood experiences and intergenerational transmission of cultural knowledge. For older residents, the public character of ritual spaces seems to persist at a level distinct from everyday life, suggesting that these spaces maintain a symbolic communal function even as their practical role diminishes. This research contributes to understanding how cultural landscapes embody publicness and how generational shifts influence spatial cognition. It also highlights the importance of preserving ritual spaces as cultural assets, not only for their religious significance but also for their role in sustaining communal identity and social cohesion in rural Okinawa.