The Changing Gaze of Japanese Tourists

Abstract

Urry's gazer metaphor for tourists has had a significant impact in tourism studies. The theory has been applied to conceptualize the nature of how tourists view and consume experiences at destinations. There is, however, a need to consider its relevance to non-European markets. Specifically, this article challenges the stereotypical image of Japanese tourists as gazers, and analyzes the changing nature of the Japanese outbound tourism market. Japanese tourists are becoming more independent as a result of changes in Japanese culture and want experiences that go far beyond a mere "gaze." Nevertheless, the "otherness" of what Japanese tourists encounter is still high. It is, therefore, argued here that what is needed is a greater understanding of the discourse that is occurring around culture and society in Japan to fully understand the transformation of the gaze from a Japanese standpoint. Societal changes in Japan have coincided with tourists who are less passive but who are still bound up in cultural obligations. By understanding the similarities and differences of the metaphor of the gazer for Japanese and Western tourists a greater understanding of the transformation of Japanese outbound tourism is achieved.