Presentation Information
[O10-01]Science Book Festa: Fostering Public Engagement with Science through Hobbyist Publishing
*Yoshiya Watanabe1 (1. Osaka Science Museum (Japan))
Keywords:
Science Communication,Hobbyist Creators,Dōjinshi Culture
his Science Book Festa was established to leverage Japan's robust Dōjinshi (self-publishing) culture to promote interest in science. Our primary objective was to observe the creative interaction between niche science hobbyist creators and general citizens attending a science museum (with a planetarium), aiming to understand the potential for cultivating a science culture through these informal exchanges. The event successfully provided a dedicated platform for creators to showcase and discuss their self-published works, generating a positive, curiosity-driven atmosphere of engagement between them and the public. Crucially, this positive interaction translated into action: visitors purchased the books, resulting in diverse scientific works being introduced into private spaces like living rooms and bedrooms, thus embedding a continuous enjoyment of science into daily life. We conclude that a science museum or planetarium is an optimal and highly effective venue for supporting this unique scientific hobby culture. By serving as the physical point of encounter, the museum acts as a catalyst, transforming the passion of hobbyist authors into a widespread, accessible, and enjoyable form of public science engagement. This approach demonstrates a powerful model for extending scientific interest beyond formal settings and into the everyday lives of citizens.