Category: International

Posted on

Port Cities Yokohama and Hamburg

Walking through Hamburg this late summer doing fieldwork, I recalled Yokohama and felt the strange rhythm of two cities shaped by water, trade, and memory. In the HafenCity the sunlight danced on glass towers, tourists clicked their cameras, and cafés smelled of espresso and almond croissants. I lingered in a modern café and spoke with a young owner who had moved from Berlin. She loved the design and the buzz, but when I asked if locals came here, she hesitated and said softly, “Mostly no, they don’t feel welcome anymore”. The city felt alive yet curated, like a stage where everyday life had been gently pushed aside (Novy & Colomb, 2013).

A few streets away, in the Gängeviertel, everything slowed down. A muralist painting a brick wall spoke of “looners” – long-term residents who had endured factory closures and redevelopment waves. Sitting on a worn bench, an elderly woman told me about alleyways filled with music, markets that smelled of fish and tar, and children racing past warehouses. These are the stories gentrification quietly erases. In Hamburg-Harburg, the Walls Can Dance project brought color to old port warehouses, blending heritage and street art (Hamburg Tourism, 2025). Cranes, tracks, and old buildings coexist alongside new offices, preserving the port’s history filtered through creativity.

In Yokohama, I often wander(ed) through Koganechō’s narrow alleys, talking with shopkeepers, street artists, and long-standing residents. One café owner hosted small music events, quietly sustaining neighborhood life amid Minato Mirai’s towers (Imai, 2025). Fishermen’s warehouses had been converted into galleries and boutique shops, yet the smell of tar, the murmur of everyday life, and the improvisation of alley activities lingered. Walking these alleys, I saw almost the same layers as in Hamburg: the shiny modern city overlaid on a fragile, persistent network of memory, labor, and informal life (Imai, 2019).

Next steps in the research involve de Certeau-inspired walks to record narratives of daily life, interviews with shopkeepers, artists, and long-time residents, and photographic documentation of ephemeral urban traces. The research aims at comparative mapping of Hamburg, Yokohama and similar port districts to trace gentrification, creative industry clusters, and cultural resilience. Integrating quantitative data on tourism, real estate, and creative employment will allow cross-city analysis. The aim is to capture what disappears – informal social networks, daily rhythms, and the small practices that sustain urban memory – alongside what emerges, the curated “creative city,” offering insights for port cities worldwide navigating heritage, creativity, and transformation. Stay tuned for the next episode coming soon!

References
Hamburg Tourism. (2025). Cultural route: Maritime architecture and street art in Harburg. https://www.hamburg-travel.com/discover-hamburg/areas/discovering-new-corners/cultural-route-maritime-architecture-and-street-art-in-harburg/

Imai, H. (2019, February 2). Yokohamas Koganechō – vom Obdachlosen- und Rotlichtviertel zur Kunststadt. OAG – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Natur- und Völkerkunde Ostasiens. https://oag.jp/events/heide-imai-yokohamas-koganecho-vom-obdachlosen-und-rotlichtviertel-zur-kunststadt/

Imai, H. (2025). From Shipyards to Skylines: An Overview about the Evolution of Yokohama’s Waterfront. In Waterfront Regeneration in a Time of Climate Change. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003597209-8

Novy, J., & Colomb, C. (2013). Struggling for the right to the (creative) city in Berlin and Hamburg: New urban social movements, new “spaces of hope”? International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 37(5), 1816–1838. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2427.2012.01115.x

Schubert, D., & Hamburg Business. (2024). Creative industries in Hamburg: Driving urban innovation. https://www.hamburg.com/business/economic-clusters/creative-17012

Posted on

Conference Reflection: Civic, Political and Community Studies – Voices Across the Pacific

Attending a Community Studies Conference in Hilo, Hawai‘i in June 2025 was not only an intellectual experience but also personally and emotionally meaningful. Held in the spirit of dialogue across cultures and disciplines, the conference brought together researchers, artists, activists, and community leaders from many different parts of the Pacific and beyond. From topics like climate adaptation and sovereignty struggles to urban community design and human rights, the conversations were diverse, challenging, and often deeply hopeful.

The presentation I gave was entitled “Reimagining Urban Voids in Pacific Rim Cities: Transforming Small-Scale Spaces into Civic and Community Hubs for Resilience and Sustainability.” This research is based on fieldwork conducted in Tokyo, Sydney, and Taipei in 2024–2025 and funded by Senshu University (https://shorturl.at/UigD5), explores how underused urban spaces – like alleyways, pocket parks, and other informal places – can be transformed into civic third spaces. These spaces, although often overlooked in official planning documents, can become vital infrastructures for social cohesion, sustainability, and resilience, especially in neighbourhoods exposed to climate threats like urban flooding or heat stress.

During my presentation and the discussions that followed, it became clear that many colleagues across the Pacific are working with similar questions: How can we design cities that are not only efficient but also just and caring? How can communities themselves shape their environments, and what role do local knowledge systems and Indigenous values play in rethinking resilience?

What was especially enriching for me was the chance to exchange ideas with researchers from Hawai‘i, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Australia. I was deeply touched by the cultural presentations and stories from Hawaiian participants, who generously shared insights about ʻāina (land), kuleana (responsibility), and the importance of place-based identity. It made me reflect on how resilience is not only about infrastructure or design but also about relationship – with land, with ancestors, with future generations.

This has strongly influenced how I now look at my work in Japan. I plan to revisit some sites in Tokyo with this new lens, asking: How are informal spaces in Japanese cities also linked to everyday resilience, memory, and care? And can we learn from Hawaiian concepts of land as living relative to rethink how we approach urban voids in dense Asian megacities?

Besides the academic input, the conference was also simply a joy to attend. I met so many fascinating people from different cultural backgrounds – an architect from Guam working on youth spaces, a social worker from Manila involved in post-typhoon housing, and a student from Vancouver doing art interventions. There were art, workshops, and informal conversations in the hallway, which reminded me again that research is not only about producing knowledge but also about building connections – across disciplines and across borders.

In the end, I came home with new ideas, stronger networks, and a renewed commitment to place-based, community-driven research. I am already thinking about how I can apply these insights to future work in the Pacific Rim context – maybe even towards a larger multi-year grant project that links urban resilience, Indigenous knowledge, and micro-scale spatial innovation. Mahalo nui loa to the organisers and all the people I met. This was more than just a conference – it was a moment of learning, sharing, and imagining better futures together.

Posted on

Fieldwork Report: Insights from Taipei’s Alleyway Revitalization

Taipei’s urban regeneration efforts highlight the complex balance between heritage preservation, economic development, and social sustainability. This report examines three key revitalization projects: Datong Dihua Street, Ximending Walking District, and Wanhua Huaxi Night Market, analyzing their strategies, challenges, and broader implications.

Datong Dihua Street: Heritage-Led Urban Renewal

As one of Taipei’s oldest commercial streets, Dihua Street exemplifies heritage-led revitalization. Once a center for traditional Chinese medicine, tea and textile trade, it has been transformed through façade restorations, pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, and cultural tourism initiatives. The integration of seasonal markets, pop-up exhibitions, and art spaces has successfully attracted younger demographics and international visitors. However, rising property values and increasing commercialization threaten long-standing businesses.

Ximending Walking District: Youth-Oriented Urban Transformation

Ximending, historically a Japanese colonial entertainment hub and also known as ‘Harajuku of Taipei’, has been reshaped into Taipei’s premier pedestrian shopping and cultural district. Car-free zones, urban art installations, and designated performance areas have fostered a vibrant space for creative industries and independent retail. The district’s transformation has significantly boosted economic activity, attracting tourists and local youth alike. Yet, concerns over over-commercialization and rising rents have emerged, threatening grassroots cultural expressions.

Wanhua Huaxi Night Market: Tourism and Cultural Preservation

Huaxi Night Market, in Wanhua District illustrate the challenges of integrating tourism-driven redevelopment with cultural heritage preservation. Known for traditional shops and street food stalls, these alleyways have undergone sanitation improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and branding as heritage tourism sites. While these efforts have increased foot traffic, they risk eroding local identity and displacing older vendors. Strategies such as heritage business incentives, community-led planning, and sustainable waste management systems have been introduced to mitigate these effects.

Conclusion

Taipei’s alleyway revitalization efforts demonstrate the potential for heritage-conscious, community-driven urban renewal. While the different neighbourhoods have adopted different strategies, common challenges include gentrification, commercial homogenization, and socio-economic displacement. Sustainable revitalization requires a holistic approach that prioritizes local engagement, regulatory protections, and adaptive urban design to ensure long-term viability and cultural continuity.

Heide Imai
This research was funded by a Senshu University grant and is part of the project 東京の路地ルネッサンス：シドニーと台北からインスピレーションを得る”

Posted on

Fieldwork Report: Insights from Sydney’s Alleyway Revitalization


During a recent fieldwork trip to Sydney, funded by Senshu University, we examined the revitalization of urban alleyways in Darlinghurst’s Crown Lane, Surrey Hills, and McElhone Place. These neighborhoods showcase how alleyways have been transformed into vibrant social, cultural, and economic hubs.

Crown Lane (Darlinghurst)
Originally serving as a functional route for industrial and commercial activities, Crown Lane in Darlinghurst has become a bustling mixed-use space. The new Sydney Street program on November 2 2024 was a standout feature, blending cultural expression with commercial vitality (more here https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/events/sydney-streets-on-crown-street). Initiatives like this have significantly boosted foot traffic and economic activity while preserving the historical essence of the area.

Surrey Hills
Surrey Hills has a rich history, transitioning from a residential area supporting the garment industry to a vibrant cultural hub. The alleyways now serve as venues for artistic expression and community gatherings. Crown Street, in particular, hosts the annual Surry Hills Festival, which turns the neighborhood’s alleyways into dynamic stages for art and music (more here https://shnc.org/surry-hills-festival) This cultural vibrancy has enhanced community engagement and established Surrey Hills as a key cultural destination in Sydney.

McElhone Place
Known as “Cat Alley” due to its feline residents, McElhone Place in Woolloomooloo has been transformed into a serene, green urban retreat. Community-led initiatives have introduced extensive greenery and art, creating a peaceful and aesthetically pleasing space. The lane has become a model for community-driven urban renewal, highlighting the potential of small spaces to foster environmental sustainability and social cohesion (more here https://thedesignfiles.net/2015/05/cat-alley)

What Tokyo Can Learn

Tokyo can gain valuable insights from the revitalization efforts in Crown Lane, Surrey Hills, and McElhone Place: Engaging residents in the planning and transformation of alleyways ensures that the spaces meet local needs and foster a sense of ownership. This can be achieved through workshops, art projects, and participatory urban planning. Tokyo’s alleyways, rich in history and culture, could be revitalized by preserving their historical character while integrating modern amenities such as sustainable infrastructure, improved lighting, and seating areas. Implementing green features like community gardens, rainwater harvesting systems, and eco-friendly materials can enhance the ecological resilience of Tokyo’s alleyways, making them greener and more livable. Furthermore it can be argued that Tokyo can transform its alleyways into vibrant cultural spaces by hosting festivals, art exhibitions, and community events, similar to the Surry Hills Festival. This could foster a sense of community and attract both residents and tourists. However, ensuring that revitalization efforts benefit all residents, including long-standing businesses, is the most crucial. The final report will suggest policies to maintain affordable rents and support local entrepreneurs, preserving the unique character of its neighborhoods.

Open Words and Next Steps in Comparative Analysis
The revitalization of Sydney’s alleyways in Darlinghurst, Surrey Hills, and McElhone Place demonstrates the potential of these spaces to enhance urban resilience, community cohesion, and cultural vibrancy. Tokyo can adopt similar strategies to transform its own alleyways into thriving urban spaces that reflect the city’s rich cultural heritage and modern urban needs. This fieldwork provided a valuable foundation for future fieldwork planned in Taipei, Seoul and other cities with a focus on community-driven, sustainable, and inclusive urban revitalization initiatives, Tokyo could learn from.

Posted on

ASAA Conference Perth July 2024

The ASAA 2024 Conference in Perth was an enriching and memorable event. Held in the amazing green city of Perth, the conference brought together scholars, researchers, and practitioners from around the world to delve into various aspects of Asian studies. The event was hosted by Curtin University, whose facilities and hospitality provided an excellent backdrop for the academic gathering. The blend of modernity and natural beauty in Perth, along with its commitment to sustainability, added a refreshing element to the conference, and the city’s warm hospitality made everyone feel welcome.

Green Perth

Curtin University Campus

One of the highlights of the conference was the panel we participated in, titled “Resilience and Transformation: Perspectives on Societal Dynamics in Indonesia, Japan, and Taiwan.” This panel focused on how societies in these countries have adapted and transformed in response to various challenges. The discussions were insightful and provided a deep understanding of the resilience strategies employed by these nations. Our presentation focused on the reconstruction efforts in Ishinomaki, Japan, after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The research highlighted the crucial role of creativity and community engagement in the rebuilding process. In an ongoing research project, we research about local initiatives and creative practices that have significantly contributed to Ishinomaki’s resilience and transformation.

The presentation provided valuable lessons on how disaster-affected areas can leverage community strengths and innovative approaches to rebuild and thrive. After all presentations, the panelists discussed the dynamic interplay between social capital and societal resilience in the different countries and the ongoing challenges posed by modernization and the erosion of traditional norms. It was a wonderful experience to share my insights and engage in thoughtful discussions with fellow scholars. Reflecting on the panel discussion, we were struck by the depth and breadth of the topics covered. The insights into how Indonesia, Japan, and Taiwan are navigating societal changes and challenges were profound. It became clear that resilience is not just about recovering from adversity but also about transforming and evolving to meet new circumstances. The presentations and ensuing discussions underscored the importance of understanding local contexts and harnessing community strengths to address societal issues effectively.

Overall, the ASAA 2024 Conference in Perth was a remarkable event. It facilitated meaningful exchanges among scholars and practitioners, providing a platform to share knowledge and foster collaborations. The experience underscored the significance of resilience and adaptation in shaping the future of societies in Asia and beyond. The insights gained from this conference will undoubtedly enrich ongoing research and contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between social capital and societal resilience.

Posted on

Exploring Urban Alleys: Enhancing Communities and Resilience in Japan, Australia and Taiwan

In a new international and university funded research project we set to explore the untapped potential of urban alleys to boost resilience and community spirit in cities facing increasing risks from environmental and climatic challenges. The project, which spans Japan, Australia, and Taiwan, aims to transform these often-overlooked urban spaces into vibrant, functional parts of the cityscape. Focusing on comparative analysis between Sydney, Taipei, and Tokyo, the study seeks to uncover how urban alleys can be redesigned to foster community engagement and enhance urban sustainability. By integrating innovative design strategies and community feedback, the project hopes to offer practical guidelines that could reshape Tokyo’s alleys into more inclusive and resilient public spaces.

The research will be supported by Senshu University and will be a collaboration between different international research institutions in the three countries, emphasizing a mix of visual analysis and secondary data to craft tailored urban solutions.

The study will have several key goals, such as:

  1. Enhancing Urban Resilience: To determine how alley redesign can contribute to a city’s ability to withstand and adapt to environmental and social challenges.
  2. Promoting Sustainability: To explore sustainable urban design practices that utilize alleys for green spaces, waste management, and energy-efficient initiatives.
  3. Increasing Community Engagement: To engage local communities in the redesign process, ensuring that the changes reflect their needs and enhance their quality of life.
  4. Boosting Economic Opportunities: To examine how revitalized alleys can stimulate local economies by supporting small businesses, markets, and tourism.
  5. Improving Public Health and Wellbeing: To create safer and healthier environments through improved alley designs that encourage physical activity and social interactions.
  6. Preserving Cultural Heritage: To respect and incorporate historical and cultural elements of the alleys in the redesign, preserving the unique character of each city.
  7. Encouraging Innovation in Urban Design: To use the project as a laboratory for testing new urban design ideas that could be applied to other parts of the city or exported to different urban settings.

More details can be found here https://heideimai.com/research/

Posted on

Pacific Rim Community Design 2023 Sendai:

Looking Back and Looking Forward: Community and Justice in Crisis

The Pacific Rim Community Design 2023 Sendai took place from 16-18 September 2023. At Day 1 all participants visited Futaba, a town erased by 3.11, the Futaba Disaster Museum and listed to the major and how the town tries to recover. He showed us around the derelict city hall where the time stood still and displayed the time of the event: 14.46pm at 3.11. Afterwards we had the opportunity to see one of the local elementary schools and how also here time stop suddenly when the triple disaster hit. Parents were able to pick up belongings some 7 years later, but some never did as the memory must have been too sad.

From former 6500 residents just 100 returned (09.2023) or moved here (e.g. newcomer) since the lifting of the evacuation order on 30 August 2022. Many areas near the destroyed coastal areas are mainly planned for work/shopping but not living or residential purposes (even though around the new JR Futaba station (which is located along the Joban line) new low rise housing is constructed at the moment, offering affordable and subsidied houses and apartments for rent).

Also many (new) companies settle in the area, some are still under construction, attracting even more companies as 70 percent of the construction cost can be covered by public funds. Newcomer who plan to settle in the town can receive 200man/ 16.000 Euro, returnees cannot receive this, which leads to more inner conflicts and shows how complex the situation is. Thanks to all who organized this tour, it was a very inspiring to see the development, even though the town might never recover fully.

On day 2 we visited the Tomioka Archive museum, its impressive installations which featured items which were collected from private homes (70 percents of the items on display) including clocks, calendars but also a wrecked police car which reminds the visitor of the tragedy of the triple disaster which caused so many death, not just immediately but also many years later (the Futaba museum mentioend a number of a total of 2337 disaster related death in Fukushima by 31 March 2023). Minachan who is working as story teller for a local NGO eventually joined us on a bus tour around Tomioka showing us the former shotengai (central shopping street), schools, station buildings and even the fundament of her own house which is she now rebuilding in Tomioka.

After lunch we visited the Tomioka winery which started 2014/2015 to plant vines to better use the area and create something for future generations. Three school friends (who are now in their 50s) came together, used their own land and funds to start the procedure and continue to realize the project with the help of crowdfunding and many volunteers to finally to suceed to produce 500 bottles per year (as of 2022). Most of the bottles go to the crowdfunders, volunteers and all people involved but they have high hopes to be able to sell wine very soon to the general public. More about their initiave can be found here: https://tomioka-wine.com/

Our final stop brought us to Namie Cafe and the Ocafe, which is the initiave of a former residents and other women to tell the stories of 3.11 and their survivor.s Oka-san rebuilt and opens her house as cafe to all who want to know more about the disaster which especially hit Namie town but also many other local communities so hard. We listed to three kamishibai stories, narrated by three amazing women who work effortless to create a local network to which we should listen to and learn from so that such disaster will not happen again. If you are in the area, give them a call, surely they are welcoming you: https://ocafe-utuwa.mystrikingly.com/

On monday all participants came together at the Tohoku Universitie’s International Research Institute of Disaster Science – IRIDeS together to discuss their impressions, listen to different researchers and finally to poster presentations who featured many new ideas. Many thanks to all the organizers for all the efforts, energy and time as they took months to prepare this event, lets not just talk but realize how to create livable communities.

Ocafe is growing 1000 Sakuratrees to give to schools and other groups

More infos can be found here:

Pacific Rim Community Design Network: https://www.facebook.com/prcdnet/

Futaba Disaster Museum: https://www.fipo.or.jp/lore/

Tomioka Archive Museum: https://www.manamori.jp/museum/

Tomioka Winery:

トップページ

Ocafe: https://www.instagram.com/ocafe_utuwa/?igshid=ci0650y10mu9

http://josen.env.go.jp/plaza/about/communication/michisagashi/2008_01/

Sample Kamishibai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0bFbkxj2uU&feature=shared&fbclid=IwAR2Vt4ZBZszjawTLnkJX5TggNFGoZiqYdZgRGoKVDzPFG0PX0O_3r6i9xfI

International Research Institute of Disaster Science – IRIDeS: https://irides.tohoku.ac.jp

Japanese summary

過去を振り返り、今後を展望: 危機に瀕するコミュニティと正義

パシフィック・リム・コミュニティ・デザイン2023仙台は、2023年9月16日から18日まで開催されました。1日目では、参加者全員が3.11によって消滅した双葉町を訪れ、双葉災害資料館を訪れ、橋本少佐と町がどのように復興しようとしているのかについて説明しました。 彼は時間が止まった廃墟の市庁舎を案内し、3.11午後14時46分の時刻を表示した。 その後、私たちは地元の小学校を訪問しましたが、ここでも三重災害が発生したときに突然時間が止まりました。 両親は約7年後に遺品を引き取ることができたが、思い出があまりにも悲しかったため、引き取りに行かなかった人もいた。

2022年8月30日に避難命令が解除されて以来、元住民6500人のうち、ここに戻ったり移住したりしたのはわずか100人（例：新参者）だ。沿岸地域に近い多くの地域は、主に仕事や買い物を目的として計画されており、居住や居住目的ではない（たとえその周辺であっても）。 新しいJR双葉駅（常磐線沿いに位置し、現在新しい低層住宅が建設されており、手頃な価格の住宅とアパートの賃貸を提供しています）

また、建設費の70％が公的資金で賄えるため、多くの（新規）企業がこの地域に定住し、中にはまだ建設中の企業もあり、来年には町への移転を計画するさらに多くの企業を引き寄せた。 町に定住する予定の新参者は200人/16,000ユーロを受け取ることができますが、帰国者はこれを受け取ることができません。これはさらなる内部対立につながり、状況がいかに複雑であるかを示しています。 このツアーを企画してくれた皆さんのおかげで、町が完全に回復することは決してないかもしれないにもかかわらず、発展を目の当たりにすることができてとても感動しました。

2日目に私たちは富岡資料館を訪れました。その印象的なインスタレーションには、時計やカレンダーなどの個人宅から収集された品物（展示品の70パーセント）が展示されていましたが、大破したパトカーも展示されており、訪問者に東日本大震災の悲劇を思い出させました。 この三重災害は、直後だけでなく何年も後にも非常に多くの死者を出した（双葉博物館は、2023年3月31日までに福島県内で合計2,337人の災害関連死亡者数を発表している）。 地元のNGOでストーリーテラーとして働いているミナちゃんは、最終的に富岡周辺のバスツアーに参加し、かつての商店街、学校、駅舎、さらには現在富岡で再建中の自宅の基礎まで見せてくれました。

昼食後、富岡ワイナリーを訪れました。このワイナリーは、この地域をより有効に活用し、将来の世代に何かを生み出すためにブドウの木を植えることを2014年から2015年に始めました。 学生時代の友人3人（現在50代）が集まり、自分たちの土地と資金を使ってプロジェクトをスタートさせ、クラウドファンディングと多くのボランティアの助けを借りてプロジェクトを実現し続け、ついに年間500本を生産することに成功した（現在）。 2022年）。 ボトルのほとんどはクラウドファンディング、ボランティア、関係者全員に寄付されますが、彼らはすぐにワインを一般向けに販売できるようになることに大きな期待を寄せています。 彼らの取り組みの詳細については、こちらをご覧ください: https://omioka-wine.com/

私たちの最後の目的地は、元住民や他の女性たちが 3.11 とその生存者の物語を伝える活動を行っている「Namie Cafe and the Ocafe」です。 岡さんは、特に浪江町だけでなく他の多くの地域社会を襲った災害についてもっと知りたい人たちに自宅を再建し、カフェとしてオープンしました。 私たちは、このような災害が二度と起こらないように、私たちが耳を傾け、学ぶべき地元のネットワークを作るために努力している3人の素晴らしい女性によって語られる3つの紙芝居をリストしました。 お近くにお住まいの場合は、ぜひお電話ください。きっと歓迎いたします: https://ocafe-utuwa.mystrikingly.com/

月曜日には、参加者全員が東北大学災害科学国際研究所 IRIDeS (https://irides.tohaku.ac.jp) に集まり、感想を話し合ったり、さまざまな研究者の話を聞いたり、最後に多くの新しい研究者によるポスター発表を行いました。 アイデア。 このイベントの準備に数か月を費やしたすべての努力、エネルギー、時間に感謝します。ただ話すだけでなく、住みやすいコミュニティを作る方法を実現しましょう。

Posted on

Fieldtrip London and Paris 2023

This years summer fieldwork trip brought us to London and Paris, where we had the chance to walk and discover different neighbourhoods, present our recent research about urban walking methods and made new connections for upcoming seminar projects.

When the next semester starts in some weeks, the new seminar students will not just discuss the human scale of global cities, but also learn about different methods to visualize their diversity, creativity and subcultural spaces.

More can be soon found here:

Seminar 2023/24 Global Cities Research Group
Posted on

Melbourne XXISA 2023 World Congress of Sociology

After attending the last three ISA Congresses, we are happy to be back downunder, so join us tomorrow (virtual or in person) for the ISA 2023 panel:

JS-113 Uses and Misuses of Arts and Culture in Community and Urban Development II on 29 June, 17:30 – 19:20

https://isaconf.confex.com/isaconf/wc2023/meetingapp.cgi/Session/17709#isCurrent

and our presentation

JS-113.3 – The Liminality of Subculture Spaces: Uncertainty, Community and New Social Divides in Post-Covid Tokyo

Thursday, 29 June 2023,  18:00 – 18:15, M2 (Level 1, Crown)

https://isaconf.confex.com/isaconf/wc2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/144563

Posted on

New Semester 2023

After some eventful weeks, a new semester and academic year has started in April. We will enter the second year back F2F and final year for some of the students who started at this faculty in 2020, survived covid-19 and went abroad in 2022. It will be my honor to guide these and all new students to learn more about communication, connections and the city which has so much creativity and dynamics to offer. In some new research project we will also address more current problems as post-pandemic public spaces under pressure, how to achieve urban sustainability/ diversity and support urban-rural linkages to learn more about urban and rural Japan common and different problems. A not complete list:

More updates can be found here https://heideimai.com/bio/ and here https://chiyolab.jp/archives/17284

Posted on

Fieldtrip New York City

A recent fieldwork trip brought us to New York City, where we had the chance to walk and discover different neighbourhoods, present our recent research about global cities and creative clusters to a small audience and make new connections for upcoming projects.

What a fascinating city, which was hit hard by the pandemic, yet always seems to be able to rise like phenix out of the ash. So many facets, faces and feelings, so many communities, creativity and connections were made.

Some interviewees stated during our fieldwork that the people need a thick skin to survive in the city, especially people which belong to the creative sector. Is that the case also in other cities like Tokyo, London or Paris, and what does that mean for their daily life, practice and creative work? Many questions which we hope to answers with more in-depth data.

More can be found on the research and project website

Research Project Tokyo Diversity
Posted on

Modelling 神田神保町 – Semester Progress 2022

After a general introduction and weekly theoretical lectures covering topics such as urban renewal and gentrification, students learned a toolset of fieldwork techniques such as city walks, visual mapping, observation, and interviews. To better get to know the community, the students took ten walks around Jimbocho. First interviews were conducted in October (which was also published in the Nikkei Shimbun in December 2022), and a list of people we want to interview in the future was created.

In the second stage, the students began to discuss the usage of local parks, highways and skyscraper rooftops, etc., and began to create their own research questions. . To consolidate these topics, Kanda Jimbocho’s Mock-up Model was built.

More updates can be also be found here: https://www.senshu-u.ac.jp/education/howto/seminar/search/global/le02.html

Posted on

Chiyoda-ku – diversity, differences and divisions

With the start of a new research project, which is part of the Chiyoda Studies Project(千代田学) students, staff and teachers aim to obtain diverse opinions and suggestions from a wide range of community members to analyse how the everyday life in Chiyoda-ku, especially in the Kudanshita, Jimbocho and Ogawamachi neighbourhoods has changed. In accurately reflecting on the diverse opinions of the residents, we can consider and develop better approaches for the revitalization of local communities and re-integrate various policies, including different machizukuri, tourist and local branding plans.

2022-2044 Next Steps include:

Understanding the local community setup

Interviewing different members of the community

Reflecting on the different social problems (as result of in depth data analysis)

Formulating and Suggesting specific approaches for each community

More updates can be found on

Seminar 2022/23 Cities, Culture and Everyday Life

Posted on

New Semester 2022

After some eventful weeks, a new semester is starting in April and we will be back in the classroom from next week F2F. I am not sure what will come out of this as the pandemic has still not ended, but several new courses and research projects have been set up and organized so students will hopefully learn a diversity of skills this academic year. Just a short but not complete list:

Course Area Studies Eastern Europe (with special attention given to Ukraine)

Course Environment and Culture

Course Urban Studies Seminar

Research Project: Urban Ethnographies and Narratives of Asian Cities

Research Project: Qualitative Methodology and Interviews with different Community Leader

All courses and results will be featured here over the next month:

Seminar 2022/23 Cities, Culture and Everyday Life

Posted on

First Paper 2022, Creative Revitalization in Rural Japan: Lessons from Ishinomaki (Ji and Imai, 2022)

Special Issue: The present issue of Asian Studies is devoted to the investigation of the causes, effects, and ethical and ideological implications of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia, particularly in East and South-East Asia. COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on global societies. There have been enormous changes in the economy, lifestyles, education, culture, and many other aspects of social life (Caron 2021, 1). The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed societies, cultures, organizations, infrastructures, and many social services into a completely new reality. In this respect, the COVID-19 pandemic is without doubt a crisis of global proportions. Therefore, the whole of humanity should try to find a strategic solution to it, and to this end, the importance of intercultural dialog is manifested in a particularly clear and unambiguous way.

Paper Abstract: Different disasters throughout history have prompted Japan to develop diverse approach-es to recovery, revitalization, and local resilience. The current global COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. In this paper, we argue the need to study the impacts of COVID-19 on outside major cities such as Tokyo as such areas were already experiencing socioeconomic decline. Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture is a city that has also been undergoing extensive post-disaster reconstruction after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), nota-bly through various bottom-up approaches, often initiated by volunteers and migrants bringing new, creative ideas to community revitalization. These efforts continue to shape the social life of its residents during COVID-19, making Ishinomaki an important case study in both disaster reconstruction and rural revitalization. This paper examines exam-ples in which creativity played a key role in revitalization, recovery, and community re-silience in Ishinomaki over the last decade to shed light on current creative revitalization initiatives at the grassroots level, initiated and carried out by citizens. Drawing on an eth-nographic approach conducted remotely in the form of semi-structured interviews, the paper presents the personal narratives of a diverse range of residents and social networks committed to rebuilding the soft infrastructure that is often overlooked compared to hard infrastructure. The paper proposes suggestions for the future based on lessons learned from the past decade, and hopes to illuminate how Japan’s rural areas are adapting to a new normal in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More here: https://revije.ff.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/9991/10050?fbclid=IwAR0ySGsaZQXZ-0KjkNphRyTZTAU-LkUmkuBwHLYfhyUoVfusq1T1e8nS2BM

Full Issue: https://revije.ff.uni-lj.si/as/issue/view/754

Posted on

Book Award 2021

We are very happy and proud that we recently received the 2021 Book Award given out by the Slovene Sociological Association for our book Creativity in Tokyo: Revitalizing a Mature City (Palgrave, 2020). Many thanks to Matjaz Ursic for receiving the award in a virtual session held in October.

More about the virtual ceremony here (unfortunately only in Slovene, scroll down the webpage until you come to the movie entitled Znanstveno delo (pri tuji založbi: dr. Matjaž Uršič)

https://www.sociolosko-drustvo.si/nagrajenci-in-nagrajenke-ssd-2021/78197/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nagrajenci-in-nagrajenke-ssd-2021

More about the award ceremony here:

https://www.sociolosko-drustvo.si/nagrajenci-in-nagrajenke/

And another review for our book

https://www.sociolosko-drustvo.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DR96-97-WEB.pdf

Posted on

Visitors from Oxford Brookes

Visitors

A student from Oxford Brookes University, doing a Master in Architecture (how small the world can be as I was doing my master there 2004-2005) approached me a while ago to talk semi-public and semi-private spaces in the case of Tokyo, especially in relation to different housing projects which are either preserved/revitalzided, refurbished or newly built. Coming to Tokyo, in early January we had the chance to talk about more specific aspects including the situation of low rise, traditional neighbourhoods, their appeal and problems, how the government and local municipalities are reacting to these and how a better, medium type of housing (not being either an old, wooden low rise building or sparkling new (tower) manshon) can be planned or realized. Questions about general or personal lifestyle choices, diversity, mixed use, gentrification, commodification, akiya banks and alternatives came to mind and I look forward to see what the student will come up with in the end. Good luck and looking forward to discuss more during your next visit.

Posted on

Nikkei Interview

Recently I was interviewed for the Nikkei Business Newspaper, talking about the differences between Japan and Germany business concepts. During the interview, which was published in the newspaper on monday, 7th October 2019, we touched upon different topics, but especially talked about traditional Japanese values including the ‘mottainai‘ concept, which can be translated in German as ‘zu schade..‘ or in English as ‘what a waste‘. The concept is in times of promoting SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) reemerging again to encourage people to “reduce, reuse and recycle” more. Lets hope it is not just a trend but a return to some basic and great values the Japanese culture has to offer.

Posted on

Prof. Jung In Kim and students visit GIS, Hosei University 29-30 May 2019

As both cities, Tokyo and Seoul, face similar challenges as an aging society, shrinking birthrate, hidden poverty and changing social values, it is to compare the specific reasons, consequences and solutions. Between 29-30 May 2019, Prof. Jung In Kim and 15 architecture students from Soongsil University visited the Faculty of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies, Hosei University to take part in a workshop about political space, which was very successful and a good chance to collaborate together. In a second session, the architecture students presented and discussed their design projects for Seoul 2035 with GIS Students, exchanging new ideas and comparing urban life in both cities.

To get a real impression of ongoing changes in Tokyo, the whole team also conducted fieldwork in Kagurazaka to study ongoing trends as gentrification, commercialization and social segregation. We look forward to collaborate and work together on common problems and solutions.

For more information, please check the GIS website http://gis.hosei.ac.jp/cms/?p=1457

Posted on

Magazine Internazionale – Special Edition featuring Tokyo Roji

Internazionale (1)

Three excerpts from the book Tokyo Roji were featured in the Italian Magazine Internazionale: Junko Terao, editor in charge, featured in this special edition on Tokyo different parts from the book focusing on a portrait of the neighbourhood Yanesen (Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi) and the typical yokochos, different alleyways found in Tokyo. The excerpt , translated into Italian, appeared along with texts from Ian Buruma, Moriyama Daido and Jinnai Hidenobu.

For more information and the full text see:

http://tiny.cc/kd1k5y