Sacred or sacrificed placemaking: a contested fan pilgrimage site for rural tourism development

The concept of placemaking describes the transformation and development of a site directed by the local authorities. This longitudinal study examines the emergence of a fan pilgrimage site in rural Japan and the subsequent placemaking process to establish it as a popular culture tourism site. The study uncovers friction among stakeholders and backlash against the top-down placemaking approach from both residents and fans, whose attitudes are more critical and impactful than those of non-fan tourists towards making the place. The study contributes to a nuanced understanding of placemaking dynamics and complexity by drawing on a non-Western context and its particularities, highlighting that a longitudinal investigation provides in-depth insights into stakeholder conflicts and potentials.

场所营造（placemaking）的概念指由地方当局主导的场地改造与开发过程。本纵向研究探讨了日本乡村某粉丝朝圣地点的形成，以及后续将其打造为流行文化旅游地的场所营造过程。研究揭示了利益相关者之间的摩擦，以及居民和粉丝对自上而下的场所营造方式的抵制——相较于非粉丝游客，他们对场所塑造的态度更为关键且具有影响力。本研究通过借鉴非西方语境及其特殊性，助力深化对场所营造动态与复杂性的细致理解，并强调纵向调查可为利益相关者的冲突与潜力提供深入洞见。