Representation of “mill girls” at a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Gunma, Japan

Abstract

Distribution and recognition injustices are often inextricably linked throughout history. Economic exploitation of a minority group by a dominant group may even transition into cultural domination of the former group by the latter. However, dual and historical analysis of these two forms of injustices is scarce regarding representation of women in the context of tourism. This study explores how “mill girls,” young women who worked in the Tomioka Silk Mill, Japan, dating back to 1870–1940, are represented to tourists. A qualitative case study approach revealed that mill girls are represented in fantasized and sanitized forms. Also, only the short, most prosperous time of the mill is showcased at the expense of excluding the historic struggles of female workers. We argue based on our study that the touristic representations reflect persistent and changing forms of gender injustice that the mill girls have faced. While the mill girls were economically exploited as the mill was in operation, when the mill was turned into a cultural heritage, the form of economic injustice morphed into recognition injustice where the women’s experiences find little expression. The study points to the importance of understanding the role of tourism in perpetuating historically engrained gender injustices.