Cross-strait Tourism in the Japan–Korean Border Region: Fukuoka, Busan, and Tsushima

Abstract

This paper examines cross-border tourism initiatives to promote South Korean visitors to Japan's Tsushima Island. With a rapid growth of mutual influences and the construction of high-speed transportation, bilateral mobility between South Korea and Japan is booming accordingly. The past twenty years' trends in bilateral tourism between South Korea and Japan are first reported, followed by a 2008 survey conducted by the Fukuoka Asian Urban Research Center on tourism across the Tsushima Strait tourism, i.e. via Busan (South Korea) and Fukuoka (Japan). Comparative cross-strait analysis shows different motives and lengths of stay between Japanese and Korean tourists; however, both reports anticipate an incorporation of “experiences and exchanges” activities on their future visits. To promote cross-border tourism, findings of this study suggest a holistic approach by taking into account past history, current issues and future prospects of “near but remote” countries, such as Japan and Korea.

Notes

Refer to the following for details: Takemitsu, Makoto. 2008. The Historical Map of South Korea and Japan. In Near but Remote Country,14–44. Seisyun.

Kyushu Economic Research Center. 2009. The Cooperation Business Report Towards Promotion of Formation in Fukuoka and the Busan Super-Block Economy Area.

Though the city of Arita in Saga prefecture has had active mobility with groups affiliated with South Korea and municipalities through ceramics, Japanese historical accounts of Risanpei (the founder of Nihon Ceramics), who is enshrined in the Touso Shrine and inscribed as a voluntary guide to the Japanese army of Toyotomi Hideoshi during the invasion of Korea in the late 16^th century, have caused strong protest among South Korean visitors. Therefore, the inscription was revised to address the concerns of South Korean visitors. After that, the number of visitors to the shrine and museum at Nagoya Castle has grown rapidly.

Fukuoka Asian Urban Research Center (URC) 2009 investigative research on the making of collaborative society between Japan and South Korea, focusing on Fukuoka and Busan, 40–43.