Cool Japan

Center for Advanced Tourism Studies, Hokkaido University

The use of the Cool Japan concept to revitalise inbound tourism has been promoted by the Japanese national and local governments as an element of regional revitalisation. While the effectiveness of the Cool Japan strategy has been recognised, there are several challenges. One is that the definition of Cool Japan itself is unclear. As the concept of ‘cool’ is subjective, there is a possibility that some things will be promoted as Cool Japan even if they are not fully expected to have a positive impact on the tourism industry and the economy in general. In addition, the economic effects of anime and manga, which are considered representative examples of Cool Japan, are dependent on personal interests and consumption activities. This paper analyses the risks and issues of using Cool Japan for inbound tourism promotion from a critical perspective, using the COOL JAPAN FOREST Project in Tokorozawa city, Saitama prefecture, as a case study. This paper draws comparisons with the strategy of Kyoto International Manga Museum, which has a similar ideological background to COOL JAPAN FOREST Project, to clarify the importance of integrating Cool Japan with local tourism assets as a part of broader tourism area design.