Paper short abstract:

This paper examines the relation between environment and tourism within a World Heritage property of Japan. While considering the geographical division between coastal and offshore villages within the property, we show the various ways in which tourism narratives connect nature with the history of the place in the two settings.

Paper long abstract:

This paper examines the relationship between environment and tourism within “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region” - the latest cultural property inscribed by Japan on the World Heritage List. On a first level, we address the representations of the environment surrounding the components of the property within its nomination file. On a second level, we examine the reflections of these representations at local level in the tourism plans designed within the property. How is the relationship between nature and the history of the place represented in tourism forms? What nature parts do these tourism forms privilege?

The cultural property “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region” consists of ten villages, a castle and a cathedral “reflecting the era of prohibition of the Christian faith as well as the revitalization of Christian communities after the official lifting of the prohibition” (World Heritage Center description). The study will consider the division of villages between two historical stages, which correspond to two geographical settings: coastal (villages in which various modes of faith developed) and offshore (villages in which religious communities continued practicing their faith by moving to remote islands). Within these villages, we examine the inclusion of the components (churches, former churches, graveyards etc.) and their surrounding environment (coast, mountains and other natural sacred locations etc.) in tourism plans. By doing so, we reveal the articulation between nature and the histories of the place (in terms of secrecy, worship or living patterns) in tourism narratives within the two geographical settings.