A Comprehensive Study of Multipurpose Event Spaces in the Prewar and Postwar Periods

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13169
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03020:Japanese history-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Kato Satoshi 東北大学, 学術資源研究公開センター, 准教授 (90626300)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 都市史 / 教育史 / 経営史 / 社会経済史 / アーカイブズ学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we defined the auditorium, department stores, and parks that were formed in 20th century cities as "multi-purpose event spaces" with more complex and multipurpose functions. We focused on auditoriums, department stores, and parks, which were the venues for multi-purpose events in cities before and after World War II. The study clarified the background of why various types of events were held in the prewar and postwar periods, the full scope of these events, and the reactions of visitors and public opinion. We also comprehensively analyzed the functions and roles played by multipurpose event spaces by extracting the complementarity and interlocking nature of each facility, which is not limited to individual analysis. The study was further developed in relation to similar facilities in Sendai and Tokyo, where multipurpose event spaces can be compared, and to the traveling nature of the events from a nationwide perspective.

Free Research Field

日本史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、20世紀都市に登場した講堂、百貨店催事場、公園等を複合的で多目的機能を有する「多目的催事空間」として、総合的に捉えたことである。各施設は従来、選挙演説等の政治的空間、学術的成果の社会還元としての場、消費を刺激する新たな生活モデルの流行発信、衛生・防災を背景とした緑化など、相互関連の視座を欠いた画一的な評価と機能の位置づけがなされてきたが、多目的催事空間そのものの機能や役割に着目する本研究の成果は、政治史、軍事史、教育史、文化史等の歴史研究や、社会学、都市計画論、文化政策論等を架橋する議論を深化させた。