Survey on Tourism in Villages and Towns with Historic Buildings (Designated Areas for the Preservation of Important Groups of Traditional Buildings)
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JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hajime Nozawa) conducted a survey titled “Survey on Townscapes Featuring Historic Buildings.” The company continuously conducts research and analysis on how consumers’ lifestyles and values influence their consumption behavior and travel habits.
Throughout Japan, many settlements and townscapes featuring historic architecture—such as castle towns, post towns, and temple town districts—have been preserved. Of these, 118 districts in 98 municipalities have been designated by the national government as Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings. These include areas that are always bustling with tourists, such as Kawagoe City, Kyoto City (Sannenzaka, Gion Shinbashi, Saga Toriimoto, Kamigamo), and Shirakawa Village (Shirakawa-go), as well as areas that retain a quiet atmosphere as places of daily life. Recently, many districts have begun to move beyond simply preserving their streetscapes toward more active utilization of these areas to increase visitor numbers. The national government, in its “Tourism Vision to Support Japan’s Future,” has also championed the “blooming of cultural properties as tourism resources” and has begun providing support to enhance the appeal of these resources and promote regional revitalization.
In this survey, we explore future possibilities by analyzing traveler behavior and visitation intentions regarding “settlements and townscapes with historic buildings.” This is done through questionnaires administered to travelers visiting Important Preservation Districts of Groups of Traditional Buildings, as well as to organizations and groups involved in the management and operation of these districts. Note that while the survey areas regarding visit history and other factors were randomly selected from among the 29 “Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings” by type, major cities and famous tourist destinations that already attract large numbers of visitors were excluded from the survey in order to focus on future potential.
Throughout Japan, many settlements and townscapes featuring historic architecture—such as castle towns, post towns, and temple town districts—have been preserved. Of these, 118 districts in 98 municipalities have been designated by the national government as Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings. These include areas that are always bustling with tourists, such as Kawagoe City, Kyoto City (Sannenzaka, Gion Shinbashi, Saga Toriimoto, Kamigamo), and Shirakawa Village (Shirakawa-go), as well as areas that retain a quiet atmosphere as places of daily life. Recently, many districts have begun to move beyond simply preserving their streetscapes toward more active utilization of these areas to increase visitor numbers. The national government, in its “Tourism Vision to Support Japan’s Future,” has also championed the “blooming of cultural properties as tourism resources” and has begun providing support to enhance the appeal of these resources and promote regional revitalization.
In this survey, we explore future possibilities by analyzing traveler behavior and visitation intentions regarding “settlements and townscapes with historic buildings.” This is done through questionnaires administered to travelers visiting Important Preservation Districts of Groups of Traditional Buildings, as well as to organizations and groups involved in the management and operation of these districts. Note that while the survey areas regarding visit history and other factors were randomly selected from among the 29 “Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings” by type, major cities and famous tourist destinations that already attract large numbers of visitors were excluded from the survey in order to focus on future potential.
Key Findings
- The types of settlements and townscapes of interest include "castle towns and merchant districts," "temple towns and temple precincts," and "modern Western-style buildings."Interest declines among younger people, with 40% of men and women in their 20s saying they “don’t want to visit” or “don’t know.”
- 36.7% of visitors to "Important Groups of Traditional Buildings Preservation Districts" spent less than two hours thereThe most recent stay rate is 12.6%. The challenge in extending the length of stay is how to engage guests within a limited area.
- "Eating lunch in the district" is a key factor in driving increased spending, such as repeat visits and longer stays
- Men in their 20s who have visited the area are highly likely to express a willingness to "contribute to conservation efforts" and to "stay for the medium to long term."
- The key challenges facing the managers and operators of preservation districts are "utilizing vacant homes" and improving "transportation access."
