Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/68740

With the increasing social attention toward conserving industrial heritage in Japan, actors and social contexts of the conservation has been diversified for the last decade. This study clarifies the practices of cultural heritage “amateurs” as recent conservation actors based on the data derived from fieldwork conducted by the author in Hyogo Prefecture. The major findings of this study can be summarized as follows: The “amateurs” identify themselves repeatedly through comparisons with existing actors such as professionals. They emphasize on-site performance and experience when diffusing the value of the heritage site to local residents. This is because showing directly their or visitors’ performance to the residents are considered to be the most effective way to change the residents’ understanding of the heritage site. The practices of the “amateurs” can be regarded as the process of conserving cultural heritage that is based on constant contact with local actors.