This news article by Mai Yoshikawa talks about Bio Hotels Japan, a hotel franchise promoting organic living. In the words of Kazuhiko Nakaishi, its representative director, “It’s impossible to live free of chemicals. But in a hotel, if it’s just for a night or two, you can get a true, raw, organic experience…” (Yoshikawa, 2019). In this article, the bio hotels are perceived to be ‘green’ because they are actively trying to reduce their harm on the environment. Consuming organically-sourced foods is also a means for consumers to go ‘green’. However, even though organic products are ‘greener’ and healthier, Nakaishi highlighted the difficulties in getting consumers to purchase organic products because they are much more expensive than non-organic products in Japan.

The article also discusses other difficulties in going ‘green’ and organic living in Japan. Apart from manpower and money issues, consumer attitudes remain a stumbling block to promoting a more organic tourism industry. In addition, Nakaishi emphasised how the onus lies not only on the consumers, but also on companies to be ‘green’ through sustainable operations instead of focusing on “convenience and short-term profit” (Yoshikawa, 2019). Despite these issues, Nakaishi remains committed to promoting a ‘greener’ way of living through the bio hotels. He also believes that going green can allow firms to benefit economically, and it is therefore in their interest to be green.

The article actually debunks the myth that the Japanese “have a love of nature” (Kalland and Asquith, 1997), by showing us how there are actually challenges in getting Japanese citizens to take on a ‘greener’ lifestyle. In our opinion, the representation of Japan in this article is positive as it shows that there are individuals such as Nakaishi who understand the importance of going ‘green’ and are trying to improve the situation locally by providing avenues such as the above-mentioned eco-friendly hotels despite existing challenges. Furthermore, such a representation is perhaps more accurate given that Nakaishi, being a “Japanese environmental activist” (Yoshikawa, 2019), would have a clearer picture of how the situation in Japan is like.

However, the article has a few contentious points that we wish to analyse and comment on. It insists that only locally grown ingredients are used in cooking and no “genetically modified food or imported fruit” are served at the bio hotels (Yoshikawa, 2019). This is seen as a way of going ‘green’, but it does not explain why locally grown foods are ‘greener’ than imported or genetically modified food. This insistence on using local produce could be because the hotels see local produce as a source of national pride to “set Japan apart as unique” through the “ideology of nature” (Kalland and Asquith, 1997, p. 26). It is also likely due to more Japanese farmers marketing their produce as “additive-free” or “chemical-free” (Kalland and Asquith, 1997, p. 27). Despite these efforts, consumers are still picking what is most convenient for them regardless of how it harms the environment. This article challenges the notion that ecotourism has taught the Japanese “a new way to appreciate nature and to view nature as something to be protected and treasured for its own sake” (Kalland and Asquith, 1997, p. 27). Over twenty years have passed since this argument was made, yet most Japanese consumers are still reluctant to choose eco-friendly options. This further corroborates the argument by Kellert that the Japanese do not especially love nature and have little drive to “conserve nature and wildlife” (as cited in Kalland and Asquith, 1997, p. 7). Based on the article, nature is only enjoyed by the Japanese when it is easy for them to do so.

Next, the article states that in the bio hotels, it is possible for guests to gain a “true, raw, organic experience” (Yoshikawa, 2019). What constitutes a true organic experience? We believe that it is an idealised view of nature that the hotel management wishes to present to its guests. Ultimately, there is no objective view of what constitutes this true organic experience, and the nature that is presented is one that was transformed by man into a form not “in its original state but its idealised state” (Kalland and Asquith, 1997, p. 16). In the case of the bio hotels, nature is transferred to a setting where it normally does not exist so that guests can enjoy ‘nature’. Nature is incorporated to create a “stress-free environment” where they aim to convince guests to go ‘green’ afterwards (Yoshikawa, 2019). In that regard, even though the ‘nature’ that the guests enjoy is artificial, the bio hotels are probably still successful in promoting a more environmentally-friendly way of life to its guests, even if what they are exposed to is an idealised form of nature (Kalland and Asquith, 1997). This perpetuates an appreciation for idealised nature instead of natural nature.

(799 words)

References:

Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. J. (1997). Japanese Perceptions of Nature: Ideals and Illusions. In P. J. Asquith & A. Kalland (Eds.), Japanese Images of Nature: Cultural Perspectives (pp. 1-35). London: RoutledgeCurzon.

Yoshikawa, M. (2019, November 16). Eat, sleep and stay green at one of Japan’s eco hotels. The Japan Times. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2019/11/16/travel/eat-sleep-stay-green-one-japans-eco-hotels/#.XjLupmgzaUk