The beach turned into a spectacle

A case study of the Oiso beach during the Meiji era

Abstract

Since the Meiji era, coastal areas near major cities have seen a succession of seaside resorts established, where a 'modern' consumption practice unfolded among diverse groups of people. While studies on the history of Japan's seaside resorts have elucidated aspects such as distribution, location, function, and structure from a socio-economic perspective, the aspect of these spaces as consumption environments has not been sufficiently discussed. Therefore, this report aims to interpret seaside resorts as spaces of consumption, particularly focusing on the spectacularization of the Oiso seaside resort in Kanagawa during the Meiji era.