本文旨在探討日治後期嘉義市的初等學校(含公學校、國民學校)如何透過儀式、節慶及軍歌灌輸忠君愛國的思想。本研究採用口述歷史方法,針對十二名日治時期的教師、畢業校友取得口述資料,並輔以書面資料的分析作為研究工具,另外使用質性分析軟體ATLAS.ti進行編碼分類與資料管理。歸納研究有三個結論:第一,儀式過程中,以唱日本國歌〈君が代〉、奉讀〈教育勅語〉及參拜御真影為核心,透過初等學校的儀式,灌輸臺灣人民忠君愛國的思想。第二,師生回憶中的神社都是崇高且神聖的,而神社的節慶活動,更是全盤移植日本內地,讓日本文化深植臺灣人民心中,進而認同日本這個國家。第三,日治後期,日本透過軍歌型塑臺灣人民共赴國難的合理性,也將臺灣人民一步步推向戰爭的可怕深淵。
The purpose of this study is to investigate how elementary schools (including public elementary schools and national schools) instilled Taiwanese with patriotism and loyalty to the Japan sovereign through rituals, Jin-ja festivals, and military songs during the post-Japanese colonial period in Chiayi City. The study adopts the oral history of twelve elementary school teachers and students graduated from elementary school as the primary source datum, using written documents of the times. The qualitative analysis software ”ATLAS.ti” is used for coding, categorization, and management of datum. The study has three conclusions: 1) Japanese instilling Taiwanese in elementary schools with patriotism and loyalty to the Japan sovereign centered around rituals involving the Japanese national anthem, educational rescript, and portraits of the Japanese emperor or empress; 2) In teachers and students' memories, the Jin-ja is highly respected and Jin-ja festivals helped transplant Japanese culture into the Taiwanese mind and create further identification with Japan; 3) Taiwanese were brought to recognize Japan's dire situation through military songs and fear of war.