Toshinao Yoneyama, an honorary professor of cultural anthropology at Kyoto University, died of gastric cancer at a hospital in Kyoto on March 9, his family said Monday. He was 75.
A native of Nara, Yoneyama was known for his research on lifestyles and cultural patterns in farming communities across Japan, and he contributed to developing African studies in Japan through researching farm societies in Tanzania and other regions.
His research also covered festivals in Japan, including the Gion in Kyoto and the Tenjin in Osaka, through which he spread cultural anthropology within the country.