Why Do So Many Tourists Visit Shin-Okubo?: An Answer Based on Quantitative Methodology

李, 光宰

The purpose of this essay is to examine the following questions by using economics tools: “Why has Shin-Okubo Koreatown suddenly become bright?” and “Why are so many tourists visiting Shin-Okubo?” Previously the Shin-Okubo Koreatown had been Pang-Pang-Ya (パンパン宿, a red-light district) for a long time. However, now, three million young men and women flock to Koreatown, a significant tourist hotspot all year round. From Okubo Street to Shokuan Street, stylish shops like “Three Sisters,” supermarkets like “Seoul Market,” and Korean restaurants like “Memory of Kangtong” line the small back alleys, “full of lively crowds”. In a word, the town became “high-spirited and safe,” in sharp contrast to the past. Why is the Shin-Okubo Koreatown shining brightly? Seeking the answer, I shall investigate this riddle, which has not been taken up previously, through the use of an economics tool.

本稿は，経済学の「道具」を用いて，在日コリアンに関する一つの疑問，「なぜ新大久保コリアンタウンは急に明るくなってきたのか」への検討を試みたものである．「新大久保コリアンタウン」においては，忌まわしい「タブー」――パンパン宿に始まる街娼街の歴史がある．ところが，今は，そういったかつての姿はもう微塵も見られなくなっている．現在，東京新名物の「新大久保コリアンタウン」には，年間300万人もの若い男女がガイドブックを片手にJR新大久保駅からぞろぞろと集団で押し寄せている．一言でいえば，「明るくなった」のである．なぜなのか．そこで，本稿では，これまで取り上げられてこなかった，この「なぜ新大久保コリアンタウンは明るく変わったのか」を，経済学のツールを用いて追究していく．

Why Do So Many Tourists Visit Shin-Okubo?: An Answer Based on Quantitative Methodology

Bibliographic Information

Search this article

Description

Journal

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Export

Report a problem