日本关西地区的城市祭（节日）文化

日语中的“祭”（MATURI）为祭日、节日或喜庆的仪式之意。传统的祭是击退病魔和天灾人祸，祈祷平安及五谷丰登的神事，类似于中国传统的庙会。但是随着现代社会结构的变化，祭的形式和内容日趋多样化。本文以日本关西三大城市京都、大阪、神户的代表性“祭”为主，分析和探讨了现代日本城市中形式多样的“祭”的意义。可以说，祭是现代日本城市文化发展的一个重要载体，具有浓郁的地域特色。祭在被传承的同时，也在不断地被“再创新”，形成一种文化再生。

Festival Culture in Japan

The Japanese word MATURI has a meaning for Memorial Day, festival as well as jubilant ceremony. The traditional MATURI aimed to repulse diseases together with natural and man- made disasters, also, to pray for peace and living in plenty, something similar with the Chinese traditional temple fair. As the changes of contemporary society conformation, however, the form and content of MATURI began to diversify. The article centers on 3 representative metropolises of MATURI in Japan （ Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe ）, analyzing and discussing the diverse meaning of MATURI in modern Japanese cities. It can be said that MATURI is an important medium for the development of japanese cities culture with a strong geographical characteristics. At the same time of being inherited, MATURI is re - created constantly and becoming a cultural regeneration.