Landscape reconstruction in Zuisen-ji temple street, Inami, Toyama Prefecture: Tourism and manufacturing stages

Abstract

This paper analyzes the landscape of the Zuisen-ji temple street of Inami-machi in Toyoma Prefecture, and considers roles of woodcarvers in forming a new landscape. The author adopts concept of "theater" which was suggested by Goffman. In the 1910s, two-storied wooden stores lined the street. Roofs of equal height formed a straight skyline. Financial institutions made of stone were added, symbolizing modernization and the arrival of central functions. Inami's economic landscape conveyed a powerful image of vitality. However, the central place function of Inami deteriorated after the 1960s. Inami developed rapidly as tourist area after the latter half of the 1980s. While commerce has declined, woodcarving artisans have begun to be accumulated in the street. Half of the woodcarving studios in the street use the old merchant-style buildings, allowing tourists to watch the work and see the sculptures from the outside. When woodcarvers rent premises for studios in the street, they select traditional merchant-style buildings intentionally. They combine traditional building and traditional industry, and develop a "traditional" image of the stubborn artisan who silently wields a mallet in an old merchant-style building. According to Goffman's theory, tourism and manufacturing in two stages coexist in the street. The settings of the tourism stage include a row of old merchant-style buildings and woodcarving studios. The woodcarvers strengthened "tradition" of the landscape by fitting into the "traditional" stage settings. Local government and a street community preserved the old merchant-style buildings in good condition and decorated the street with stone pavement and woodcarving signboards. The historical background of the woodcarving industry differs from that of the old merchant-style buildings. However, tourists who do not know this regard the landscape as simply "traditional." The stage shows tourists a performance of which the theme is "tradition." In the beginning of tourism development, the woodcarvers participated as directors. However, the local government and the community then occupied the position of director and they bestowed the leading onstage role upon the woodcarvers. They utilize the woodcarvers as a tourism resource. The local government and the community have thus cleverly shifted the theme of the woodcarvers from "production" to "tradition." At the manufacturing stage, the woodcarvers behave as honest producers according to a production theme. They are managers of small businesses, and their dramaturgy is to obtain the trust of customers. From the position of the tourists who cannot understand the manufacturing stage, the woodcarvers' earnest and honest manner is the most attractive. Exposure to tourists leads the woodcarvers to new customer acquisition. The woodcarvers therefore utilize the direction of the local government and the community for their own profit. The lanscape of the street reflects the strategy of the woodcarvers, the local government, and the community. The dual structure of the two stages is hidden behind in the landscape of the street.