Figures I

Figure A. Map of Tokushima Prefecture 4

Figure B. Kamikatsu town in Tokushima Prefecture 4

Figure C. Main sites of fieldwork and relation to informants 7

Figure D. Map of Kamikatsu and its gathering places 8

Figure E. Depopulation Trends from 1950 to 1997 43

Figure F. Depopulation Trend based on age and gender 43

Figure G. Age groups in Kamikatsu 43

Figure H. Model of gifts and commodities in Capitalist societies 74

Figure I. Details of gift giving in traditional and non traditional households 92

Figure J. Occasions for gifts and return gifts 95

Figure K. Variations in the practice of returning gifts 96

Figure L. Return gifts in gender perspective 97

Figure M. Detail of Chugen and Seibo domestic accountancy 197

Figure N. Okaeshi return gifts 222

Fig 1. Noshi 30

Fig 2. Noshi with mizuhiki ribbons in girl’s hair 30

Fig 3. Wrapped papers tied in a knot on a tree 52

Fig 4. Wrapped bottle of sake with green furoshiki with bamboo motives 52

Fig 5. Wrapped toy for girl’s day in red bag. Non-wrapped white dolls 52

Fig 6. Two pink and white wrapped towels with pink paper, rewrapped 52

with a box with noshigami papers

Fig 7. Wrapped gifts (envelopes) for weddings with elaborate mizuhiki 52

Fig 8. Unwrapped prestations for a wrapped Jizo 152

Fig 9. Logo 236

Plate 1. Detail of river neighbourhood in Kamikatsu 53

Plate 2. Detail of Fukuhara Village 53

Plate 3. Detail of people fishing 53

Plate 4. Three stages of Mochinage 117

Plate 5. Three stages of Mochinage 118

Plate 6. Children learning to make mochi and feast 122

Plate 7. Parents and children at school feast 122

Plate 8. Six stages of wrapping and unwrapping a festival . Sodai 190

Plate 9. Six stages of wrapping and unwrapping a festival. Mochi 190

Plate 10. Six stages of wrapping and unwrapping a festival. Feast 191

Plate 11. Four types of wrapped gifts (commodities) 228

Plate 12. Ochugen, Oseibo, Orei and Okaeshi 229

Plate 13. Respect and wrapping 255