紀要論文

Akihabara as magical space

eng

03872610

https://doi.org/10.15002/00009962

法政大学大学院

72

187

204

2014-03

Version of Record

Akihabara(Tokyo,Japan) is a distinctive city in and of itself. (Akihabara and Akiba are very different. Akihabara is a region. Akiba refers to a unique atmosphere and space.) Akihabara is a region with diverse entrepreneurial types. The accumulation of these entrepreneurs and the way that their careers have developed has functioned as a regional platform and formed the “milieu” in Akihabara as an Asyl (sanctuary). The birth of the entrepreneur generates competitive advantages in Akihabara. This study sheds light on the Akihabara area(Tokyo,Japan), an area that has functioned continuously as an industrial cluster for more than 65 years since the end of World War II in 1945. In particular, this research is presented as an analytical paper with case studies to examine industrial changes in the Akihabara area from a historical perspective and to elucidate the status of industrial clusters in the region as examples for the latest industries operating in the contemporary era. With particular emphasis on social elements in mind, the purpose of this paper is to study why specific industries, such as the maid industry and the pop idol industry(e.g. AKB 48) have emerged in the Akihabara area and how the area stands to evolve (with some focus on Japanese society from an otaku - not nerd - perspective) in addition to providing an outlook for new regional analyses. The observations mentioned above confirm that a specific business model innovation (i.e. a new industry) was created in a specific period in a specific region - “the Akihabara Region.” This process can be referred to as the social institutionalization of innovations.

Article

AN00226113