Abstract
Korean Drama “IRIS” induced inbound tourism from Korea to Akita in 2009. This phenomenon is called “IRIS” impacts. This research attempts to clarify how “IRIS” film tourism in Akita occurred and the structure of the phenomenon, by analyzing local newspaper articles reported on “IRIS”, interviews with Japanese fans who visited Akita, and the data obtained by visitors at Iris Museum. It was found that “IRIS” film tourism in Akita started in March 2009 by 300 over Japanese fans of the actor ”Lee Byung-Hun”. Immediately after the “IRIS” was aired on KBS in Korea from October 2009, Korean tourists began visiting Akita. Then CS channel and TBS aired it from spring 2010 in Japan, which triggered Japanese fans and tourists to travel to Akita. “IRIS” film tourism in Akita produced three stages of its impacts.
