Maintaining Order through the Garden Place and Caretaker System Early 2010s

Maintaining Order through the Garden Place and Caretaker System Early 2010s
The stall business at festivals and fairs may appear chaotic at first glance, but inside the stalls, a clear order has been maintained based on the "garden space" and caretaker system. The "garden space" was a space temporarily formed in the precincts of a shrine or on the approach to the shrine, and it was a society with its own rules and regulations. The caretaker, as the coordinator of the entire garden space, was responsible for the placement of stalls, securing the width of the aisles, fire and sanitation control, and maintaining fairness and safety.

As the scale of festivals expanded from the postwar period to the period of rapid economic growth, the number of stalls and crowds increased rapidly, and disorder ran the risk of accidents and police intervention. Caretakers played the role of containing problems internally by initially responding to disputes among merchants, problems with customers, and complaints from neighbors. This was a system of self-governance that maintained order through internal norms rather than relying on external authority.

The management of the garden also had the meaning of protecting the work area, preventing unauthorized stalls and excessive competition, and fostering a culture of mutual support among fellow workers. If someone was unable to open a stall due to illness or accident, adjustments were made, and continuity and safety were prioritized. However, since the 1990s, the system has been misunderstood and the garden space has been downsized due to the Violence Prevention Policy and stricter administrative regulations. Nevertheless, the caretaker system has been an important foundation for the establishment of the stall business as a communal activity based on responsibility and trust.