Out of the Dark: The Challenges of Branding Post-Disaster Tourism Ten Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract

The act of visiting disaster sites by non-locals is often controversial, such as the promotion of so-called dark tourism or post-disaster tourism. After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster, the affected communities in Northeast Japan encouraged travel to the disaster sites as a way to support the region financially and pass on lessons learned in the disaster for disaster mitigation. This paper discusses how the promotion of post-disaster tourism through novel brands such as “Bosai (disaster mitigation) Tourism” or “Hope Tourism,” conversely emphasizes the positive aspects of disaster-related tourism rather than the “dark” or negative aspects. Drawing on ethnographic field research, analyses of tour descriptions and contents on websites offered by national and prefectural disaster tourism, participant observation at disaster tours, and interviews with local community members and tour organizers, this paper discusses the framing as well as the potential benefits of disaster-related tourism for local recovery and disaster mitigation, while exploring the challenges and burdens this form of tourism may inflict on the local communities. We argue that, despite the ethical challenges dark tourism may generate, confronting tragedies through dark or post-disaster tourism encourages visitors to connect with uncomfortable pasts, potentially helping to prevent similar tragedies from recurring as a result.