近世以降，媽祖信仰在日、越、韓、琉等地落地生根，亞洲出現所謂「媽祖信仰圈」。與東亞及東南亞等地相比，日本的媽祖信仰呈現高度本地化。德川時代（1603-1868）是媽祖信仰在日本的全盛期，北至奧州（東北）、南至薩州（鹿兒島）均有媽祖廟，而且媽祖與本地宗教產生融合。至今的相關研究多集中以中國人為對象，採用中式拜祭的長崎。本研究集中整理以日本人為對象，跟神道融合的水戶藩及薩摩藩的媽祖信仰。兩藩的媽祖信仰在名稱、祭祀日期、形式及廟宇均與中國的媽祖信仰不同。媽祖被編進神道的系統，變成大權現及大明神，在神社被人用神道儀式供奉，媽祖不是與神道神祇合祀便是混同。本文以德川時代的原始文獻為基礎，探討媽祖信仰在德川日本如何被納入本地宗教系統，與弟橘媛、野間權現及船靈等神道神祇混同。這個研究可加強瞭解中日在宗教上的互動及日人如何將中國民間信仰變成日本文化的一部分。

Belief in Mazu ( 媽祖, Maso in Japanese) took root in popular folk religion in Japan, Vietnam, Korea and the Ryukyu Kingdom in the early modern period, leading to the emergence of a so-called “ sphere of Mazu belief ” in Asia. Compared with other East and Southeast Asian countries, Mazu belief in Japan shows a high degree of localization, being incorporated into Japanese religious traditions. Mazu belief reached its peak in Japan during the Tokugawa period (1603-1868), when she was worshipped in different parts of Japan, from northern Honshu to Kyushu and the Ryukyu Kingdom. Studies of Mazu belief in Japan have until now focused mainly on its popularization in Nagasaki and the Ryukyu Kingdom, which were places under strong Chinese influence, and where the worshippers were basically Chinese sojourners. This study examines the localization of Mazu in Tokugawa Japan, using the belief in Mito 水戶藩 and Satsuma 薩摩藩 as its main points of reference. The Mazu belief in these two domains differed from that in its country of origin, in terms of names, festival dates, forms of worship, and temple design. Mazu was incorporated into the Shinto framework, where she was transformed into a Shinto deity known as Daigongen ( 大權現The Great Avatar) or Daimyojin ( 大明神The Great Illuminator Deity). Mazu was also worshipped in Shinto style, and either enshrined or associated with other Shinto deities. Working with original Tokugawa- era texts, this paper explores how Mazu was integrated into the local Shinto framework and became mixed up with Shinto deities, such as Oto-tachibana- hime 弟橘媛, Nomagongen 野間權現and Funadama 船靈. The aim of this paper is to deepen our understanding of the nature of Sino-Japanese cultural interchange in the early modern period.