(University of Oregon, 2013-10-03) DePaulo, Julie; Freedman, Alisa
This thesis looks at three different Japanese websites to examine how each spreads information about mizuko kuyō and how each provides online spaces for users in which they can share their own experiences with the ceremony. The goal is to show how perceptions of mizuko kuyō have changed with the advent of the Internet and the rise of Japanese Internet culture. Additionally this study shows how individuals now actively participate in dialogues about mizuko kuyō online and how this affects mizuko kuyō as a cultural practice. Emphasis is placed on the shift from mizuko kuyō being a temple dominated religious practice to a more secular and practitioner-focused ritual.
