| 内容 |
In recent years in Japan , rapid urbanization , digitalization , and the spread of remote work after COVID-19 have blurred the boundaries between home and workplace , and renewed attention has been paid to the idea of the “third place.” At the same time , cafés such as Starbucks are not always used as Oldenburg’s community-oriented third places , but often as individualized spaces for study and work. Against this backdrop , the purpose of this study is to examine how differences in locational conditions—especially distance from the nearest station—shape the role and usage patterns of Starbucks as a third place. The research compares two stores in Nara Prefecture: one located within a five-minute walk of Yamato-Saidaiji Station and one roadside store more than a 20-minute walk from the nearest station. The author conducted non-participant observations over four days per store (13:00–16:00) and semi-structured interviews with four staff members and one regular customer. User behaviors were coded into nine categories and regrouped into “individual work-oriented” and “relaxation/interaction-oriented” use , alongside analysis of party size. The findings show that the station-near store is characterized by a higher share of individual work and solo visitors , functioning as an efficient , high-turnover “function-oriented third place ,” while the station-far store is marked by more conversation , larger groups , and longer stays , operating as a “stay-oriented third place” with a stronger sense of psychological comfort. The study concludes that even within a single brand , environmental factors such as distance from the station significantly shape users’ mindsets , behavior , and the specific form that third places take. |