81011859

open access

Version of Record

ムツシ ト オソレザン イタコ カンコウ : チイキゾウ ニ チャクモク シテ

Mutsu City and Itako Tourism in Osorezan : Focusing on Regional Image There

国際協力論集

27(1)

139-155

神戸大学大学院国際協力研究科

2019-07-31

2019-08-09

This article aims to present that local government does not always take an active approach to tourism expansion, with a focus on Mutsu city. In Japan, many local governments have adopted certain tourism policies, which are intended to be understood as tourist expansion measurements. But, in reality, there were local governments that did not attempt to actively attract tourists using available resources. Since the 1960s, Osorezan in Mutsu city has become famous among some Japanese for its spiritual mediums who are called ‘Itako’. Itako led many tourists to visit to Osorezan and yet Mutsu city does not continue to actively use these Itako. The aim of this case study is to answer why Itako are not officially used as a tourism attraction. To begin with, chapter2 will explain the importance of regional images shared among local residents. That is the image of the “backward areas”. Among these local residents, the importance of development is shared. Afterward, chapter3 will focus on the image of mediums among local residents: Pre-modern. This case study concludes that Itako in Mutsu city cannot solve the problem of the regional image, and thus are not actively promoted in tourism. This case study demonstrates the importance of regional images shared in cities and their surrounding areas. This article proposes that the regional images are helpful for understanding the local government’s behavior.

紀要論文