This study specifically clarified the recognition process of landscapes as tourism resources on the changing descriptions of features in guidebooks. The features in Nikko, described comprehensively in the “Nikko-San shi”, were evaluated for their worth by Satow’s unique perspective, with its natural and artistic scenery deemed picturesque and visit-worthy. With modernization, the geographical scope of the tourist destinations was expanded with the addition of landscape descriptions and information on routes, duration, and viewing points, which strengthened the nature of the tour as a consumption of pre-developed picturesque landscapes and the panoramic perception of the landscape of Nikko.
