Summering in Japanese hill stations: an analysis of villa ownership in modern Karuizawa

Abstract

In order to clarify how summering was introduced to Japan by foreigners and accepted by the Japanese, this paper traces the evolution of the hill station in Karuizawa through an analysis of the social characteristics of the region's landowners as well as their land acquisitions. Since European diplomats led by the British had founded hill stations in Japan before the recognition of Karuizawa, summering was accepted by North American missionaries in Karuizawa first, and then was accepted by the Japanese. This paper argues that economic superiority and imbalance between nations changed the primary function of the hill station; the sense of inferiority that led Japanese people to yearn for the rich material and cultural life of the foreigners was one of the driving forces of hill station formation in Japan. This paper thus contributes to research on colonialism and the international development of leisure activities.