The connotations of kankō in Japanese contemporary popular culture : Focusing on polysemic meanings of kankō in Haruomi Hosono's 1980s activities

Tabi, which has connotations related to romanticism, has frequently been used in popular cultural products, while kankō is rarely used in such contexts. This study aims to investigate the connotation of kankō in popular culture in contemporary Japan. In order to do that, we picked up career, activities, and narratives by a musician Haruomi Hosono, who has repeatedly used the word kankō in the titles and concepts of his works.
The keyword kankō in his activities had complex and polysemic meanings. First, in using this word, he attempted to objectify himself from a serious adventure such as travel (tabi). Second, it also contained an idea of the self as a "medium." Third, he also used it as a parody of Japanese mass tourists and as an excuse for being criticized as colonial. He reproduced these various connotations of kankō through his activities.