スペインにおける日本食レストランの現状 ‒観光資源としての重要性を考える‒

Abstract

This study summarizes the current state of Japanese restaurants in Spain. In particular, I considered the importance of Japanese restaurants as a tourism resource spread overseas in inbound aspects. Recently, the number of Japanese-style restaurants located in major cities of Spain is estimated to be up to 940 or so.It is not just the boom of the Japanese style but has, in fact, penetrated into Spanish people’ daily lives considerably. The reasons why the Japanese style has become popular include the increase of Spanish people who have been to Japan, the increase of gourmets loving the Japanese style, the increase of restaurants inducing Japanese food in their menu, and also the increased opening of Japanese-style restaurants as a place for investment with the lowered bank interest. It is said that what tourists visiting Japan want to enjoy or expect the most is [Japanese food]. It is, in fact, one of the goals to visit Japan. High expectation about and satisfaction with Japanese food can be said to be the charms of the Japanese style and also intangible tourism resources. From the inbound perspective, Japanese food service chain restaurants having its base overseas and Japanese-style restaurants located locally should be the organic tourism resources delivering the charms of the Japanese style to the world everyday. Locals dining in Japanese-style restaurants spread overseas play mediating roles to let them experience Japanese culture with food and also have desire to visit Japan naturally. In other words, it is because Japanese-style restaurants as antenna shops have roles as an entrance to inform the locals of Japanese food and culture and as a base to send and receive messages at the same time.