Changes of Christian Church Activities Regarding Churches as Tourism Object in the Case Study of four Christian Churches in Hakodate City

Abstract

Some Christian churches are regarded as tourism objects in Japan. Therefore, it needs the tourism management with maintaining the values both as religious and cultural properties. Such values are created by daily church activities by the church members. This research aims to clarify the changes of church activities in four churches in Hakodate city, Hokkaido while they became tourism objects and discuss the proper management of Christian churches regarded as tourism objects in Japan. As a result, guidebooks and tourism plan by a city government show that these churches have been seen as tourism objects with the image of “exotic”. The amount of church activities which are easy or possible for visitors to participate has increased. On the other hand, some churches separate visitors from church members. Other churches recommend that both of them communicate in some activities. These attitudes depend on the principle of each church and the church members’ status. It can be said that each Christian church has not only meaning as the place of belief in common but also their own meanings along with each principle. Tourist’s activities should be adapted to the meanings which each church has originally and then the image added by outsiders.