Commercialization of nostalgia: why Japan tourism industry so successful?

Alone do you like to go to Japan, low-key exploration and wind all sorts of tiny details? Between you and enjoy walking in the thatched roof, or walking on the narrow stone streets of kind of like "miss some, and some sad" atmosphere? If you already used in the holiday began stepping out of the empty bridge, lightweight carry bags, threw himself into the comfortable train bound for ancient, smiling and looking again and the life and old traditions meet? Have you ever stared that used in textile design and decoration of bright trains, both praise and doubts to: why the Japanese are able to retain their own cultural traditions, and packaged so well, so the convenience of visitors to approach, to spend? Japan scholars also thinking about a similar problem, and they concluded that the answer is one:

Because "nostalgia" has long been the postwar Japan political and economic development, and even Japan an important part of modernity.

United States anthropologist Marilyn Ivy that "nostalgia" contemporary Japan key elements of cultural tourism.

Japan Society in the postwar rapid economic development have suffered a sense of spiritual void, so to build a new set seems lost the traditional material culture, and become a new source of Japanese cultural identity. She thought this business was originated in 1970 in memory of Japan launched by the State-owned railway company, collectively, the "discover Japan (Discover Japan)", a series of publicity and promotion activities.

Released in May this year, the World Economic Forum's travel and tourism competitiveness report will be in Japan in the world's top ten, and its evaluation in the cultural assets of a higher ranked second in the world. Brought about by the large devaluation of the Japanese yen in the near future the overseas tourist frenzy, Japan political figure for many years the slogan chanted by "tourist country ‧ Japan" also seems to be coming true.

We recall the nostalgia of commercialization, a glimpse of postwar Japan tourism an important turning point.

Postwar Japan's economy grow a large part based on centering on Tokyo's plans to develop a model: through the national planning a large event and related infrastructure to create economic benefits and employment opportunities and stimulate private investment and consumption.

For example, built to host the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games enabled Japan Shinkansen (Tokyo-Osaka) not only opened the Japan national railway's glory days still remains Japan an important foundation for economic development. Acceptance in Japan of postwar recovery after the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan's bureaucrats and business then start planning the next national event of the Decade, once again the strength of economic growth in the West. Organized in 1970 in Osaka Japan Expo (commonly known as "Osaka fair"), is their victory under the plan. In the mass media and advertising agencies under the delicate operations helped, the fair attracted a total of more than 64 million visitors during the six months held the tourists into the Park. In other words, almost half of Japanese from all over the country travel to Osaka to visit.

Became popular only in their private cars near the late 1960, Japan's national transport was still highly dependent on yet privatization of Japan national railways system. Response to the needs of economic development, Japan national railways starting from mid-1960 has been a long-term investment plan to improve transport efficiency and quality of the national railway system. Iron most of the steam train replaced the diesel train and the planned inter-city and high-speed services on long-distance routes, laid the rapid, punctual and convenient railway service today.

Osaka fair crowds in huge transport is to become national railway one of the beautiful results of this investment, but after the exposition ended, long-distance passenger reduction will bring the operating costs significantly also frightens the planners. Therefore, as early as before the fair opens, national railways and Japan's largest advertising agency, "Dentsu" planning a series of publicity activities to promote cooperation (especially in remote areas), rail travel, to extend the utilization of high density rail services. This is said before the "discover Japan".

"Discover Japan" publicity design of departing from the traditional operation thinking of advertisement design, emphasis on specific tourist attractions and landscapes, such as Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms. Conversely, Dentsu taking a foreign, strange perspective, Japan remote parts on the package of a "traditional" image, demands of railway travelers and daily life in the country as a "heart-to-heart" meeting. Young women in particular, is advertising design objects that are really trying to get in touch. For example, "found that Japan" series of posters of Visual design is often to one or two young women travelers as the main character, or meditation in the Hall of the temple alone, or in the mountain forest trail to ask the monks or fashionable friends met in the ancient capital of old shop-front and kimono Lady. "Discover Japan" of the title is rendered in English and katakana, written in Japanese culture is that of an exotic atmosphere and perspective.

Throughout the "discover Japan" various publicity activities in the core slogan: "beautiful Japan and I (u I o Muhammad Japan と private)", which was advertising Director of Fujioka and He Fu wrote, He Chuanduan Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata in 1968 do title of the Declaration, only one letter difference. This slogan to Japan's natural and traditional and Japanese self in the relative position of a peer and contact each other. Through personal contact with these familiar things to be lost or forgotten, the Japanese will be able to find the heart at the same time, I find myself "Japan".

"Discover Japan" effect is widespread and long term, and its visual design are also considered is one of the masterpieces of Dentsu. Along with its follow-up work together, "finds Japan" lasted a total of eight years ' time, this level of publicity activities is probably rare in history. Japan national railways though again in 1984, introduced the theme new wave of publicity activities "exotic Japan (Exotic Japan)", also used the same meticulous design of Visual poster with the idol singing the theme song, but the State is already a spent force.

Due to automobiles and highways in the country's highly popular, labour disputes and issues such as efficiency of the public sector are subject to question, State debts and heavy losses, especially in the local railway line is staggering. Japan in 1987, the Government officially launched the privatization of the national railway, and the publicity of the iron works and many employees of the State-owned railway company are stored together in Japan's postwar history.

Just as Ivy said, "found that Japan" to build the kind of trip styles, is the Japanese at a time when across the landscape of a rural nature, rediscover their "authenticity" of a journey. As a result, through these trips, Japan nationals who have their identity and this re shaping national culture more snaps, links. In terms of gender-oriented, contemporary image of independent female travellers have gradually started to build.

So, weekend trip to Japan the light traveling in the country, perhaps as the sociologist Anthony Giddens said, have to involve a life (style) of politics.