Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/68741

Focusing on a rural community with relatively less appealing tourism resources, the purpose of this study is to clarify impacts of tourismrelated activities to the community. Selecting and analyzing Tarusawa area in Ninohe city as a case, it is identified that social impacts are more important than economic and environmental ones. Following the result, the study focuses its analysis on human networks created through tourismrelated activities in the area, and compares them to the human networks existed in the past (1940s-1980s). As a result, it is clarified that some of the human networks in the past have been reproduced by tourism-related activities in the present. Moreover, tourism-related activities in the present also create human-networks linking to outsiders. Based on the social capital theory, these phenomen are explained as reproduction of ‘Bonding Social Capital’ and production of ‘Bridging Social Capital’ respectively. In conclusion, tourism-related activities in the rural community with relatively less appealing tourism resources create ‘Bonding Social Capital’ and ‘Bridging Social Capital’, leading to a strong bond and ties among the people, and fostering self-confidence and pride to the community.