Regional Development owing to the Commodification of Rural Spaces in Japan

Abstract

This paper analyzes the possibility of regional development through the commodification of rural spaces by comparison of the Nasu region of Tochigi prefecture, the Joetsu region of Niigata prefecture, and the Kurobe alluvial fan of Toyama prefecture. In the Nasu region, individual tourism areas including Shiobara hot springs, Nasu Highland and the Nasu alluvial fan will be consolidated, and a broad based and multiple tourism area spreading dimensionally will be formed, and the possibility for the tourism area to contribute to the development of the entire Nasu region is very high owing to the commodification of rural spaces. The current issues in the Joetsu region are how to mutually connect various and small scale scattered tourism resources, what new tourism resources should be promoted, and how the viewpoints of studies and experience of tourisms should be introduced in order to create new tourism resources. Thus, the commodification of rural and urban spaces is essential. Compared to the above two mentioned regions, the Kurobe alluvial fan is a rural area with few famous tourism resources. Tourism development owing to rural commodification is limited here. Residents should evaluate familiar production activities, industries, landscape, lifestyle, and annual events and consider the direction for regional construction themselves through study and experience. The result will attract tourists from other regions and contribute to tourism development. The most significant factors of the differences among the three regions are the scale of the current and potential tourism resources and the difference in distances from major metropolitan areas.

Spur Dike Applications for the Sustainability of Channels in Incised Steep Bend Streams

“…They were first introduced in Japan by Dutch engineers in the 1800s (Meiji era) and were used for the channelization of large rivers in low-lying areas, like the Kiso River [5,35]. They were later introduced to steep rivers on alluvial fans, like the Kurobe River [36]. Traditionally, wooden triangular pyramidal structures called "Seigyu" have been used for riverbank protection [37].…”

Characteristics, Drivers, and Development Modes of Rural Space Commercialization under Different Altitude Gradients: The Case of the Mountain City of Chongqing

“…The commercialization of rural space essentially refers to the dynamic process by which rural space acquires the characteristics and value of a commodity [14] and is "sold" for a profit under the conditions of a market economy [15,16]. Developed countries, such as those of Western Europe, the United States [11], and Japan [17], conducted earlier research on the commercialization of rural space [15,18], with a particular emphasis on the investigation of the mechanisms of its occurrence [19]. Furthermore, different stages of socioeconomic development have given rise to different theories of rural space development [20,21].…”

Diversification and Spatial Differentiation of Villages’ Functional Types in the New Period of China: Results from Hierarchical Urban-Rural Spatial Relations and Townships Size

“…The urban-rural relationship is the most fundamental aspect of economic and social relations [1]. The functions of urban and rural areas are different and the relations between the two are evolving as factors flow between them, which make rural areas constantly evolve [2][3][4].…”

“…Until the concept of multifunctional agriculture was introduced, which emphasized the pluralistic contribution of agriculture to territorial economic development, environmental management, and rural social survival [13,14], the multidimensional coexistence of productivism and post-productivism actions and reflections became a new trend [15]. As globalization, urbanization, informatization, and marketization continue to spread to rural areas, various factors are transferred from urban to rural markets [1,2], resulting in a fundamental shift in the economy, culture, and society of rural areas and diversification of rural settlements, land resources, and rurality [16]. Thus, a consensus gradually emerges that multifunctional agriculture cannot fully represent multifunctional rural areas.…”