Paper short abstract:

In this paper I will reflectively analise my anthropological practices in Spain to explore mutuality and its influences in anthropology, and also challenge to consider what the interaction among anthropologists of Europe and Japan can contribute to.

Paper long abstract:

In this paper I will reflectively analise my anthropological practices in Spain to explore the mutuality and its influences in Anthropology, and also challenge to consider what the interaction among anthropologists of Europe and Japan can contribute to.

In 20th century Spain has been for a long time one of the typical fields in Europe by British, American and French anthropologists. Since the latter half of 1970's, some anthropological methods and disciplines were introduced by first Spanish "anthropologists" who had studied abroad, and since then, Spanish culture have continued being studied by the natives. Now most of Spanish anthropologists realise their fieldwork within the country.

In this situation I began upon my anthropological fieldwork in Spain in 1990's, especially in Huesca, a small town in Aragon. From my point of view, there are different anthropologies in Spain based upon distinct Autonomous Communities; we find rather folkloric or ethnological studies about Aragon than anthropological one. I was obligated to study with anthropologists with different conception and my work would be placed in these academic circumstances.

I challenged to realise my fieldwork on a festival based upon urban anthropology which I had studied before. The urban anthropology in Japan has a particular character because of its main focus: urban festivals as a "pin hole" to consider the urban society. I tried then to introduce my own perspective as a Japanese anthropologist. In the discussions with Spanish anthropologists concerning my works, I noticed advantages and disadvantages as one from other (academic) culture.