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Scripted Nature: Staging Urban Life at Takanawa Gateway City

I arrive through Takanawa Gateway Station, and the station is already performing before I even know what I think about it. The station and roof, designed by Kengo Kuma, spread overhead in pale timber ribs, ending in small tower-like volumes with cafés overlooking the platforms almost like observation points. It feels a bit like an abstract forest translated into structural rhythm and held together with steel precision. The space is open, luminous, carefully resolved. Yet what marks the experience most strongly is not the timber canopy but the sound. The music is loud. It does not accompany movement; it pushes it forward. The station does not function as neutral infrastructure. Wooden service robots stand near the gates, polished and rounded, reassuring in their material yet entirely digital in operation. The gesture is clear: automation softened through organic surface. Technology becomes aesthetic.

Crossing from the station into the Takanawa Gateway City Newoman complex, initiated by East Japan Railway Company and part of a larger mixed-use redevelopment that also includes installations by artists such as Emmanuelle Moureaux, does not feel like moving from transport into a neighborhood. It feels more like entering the next scene of a controlled composition. The district appears almost all at once, as if unrolled from a master plan and installed at scale. At the same time it is clearly not finished. Shop names printed on A4 sheets sit under transparent plastic covers. Temporary and rather cheap looking signs suggest short-term uses, maybe also because it is still unclear which tenants will actually manage to pay the high rents here.

Flowers line the walkways in expensive arrangements. Indoor spaces include long wooden benches, raised boxes filled with walnut shells (for room climate? for play? or simply decorative?), vertical greenery behind glass, and drum-like structures attached to the ceiling. Nature is pruned, framed, miniaturized. What appears organic is actually carefully installed. There is little unpredictability, little decay, and hardly any seasonality beyond controlled blooming cycles.

Movement through the district is guided with precision. On the twenty-eighth floor a space branded “Luftbaum” opens and the city slowly disappears into abstraction below. Sakura trees bloom in contained installations. Water moves through narrow channels. Tatami mats interrupt engineered stone floors and hint at domestic grounding. Through the glass Tokyo becomes grey density. Above, the roof is open, yet temperature and humidity still feel strangely moderated. The loudness of the station below is replaced by managed calm. The complex works almost like a single orchestrated environment that changes intensity as one moves up.

The forest is convincing exactly because it is constructed. Wooden cocoons built by artists offer small enclosures within the spectacle, promising intimacy without really leaving the branded environment. One can sit on tatami, touch timber, listen to controlled water, and still remain fully inside a consumption infrastructure, next to churchlike cafés and high-end restaurants. The forest does not resist the building. It confirms it. Nature here does not interrupt capital flow. It supports it.

This vertical relocation of landscape is sociologically quite telling. Historically parks functioned as urban commons, spaces where different social groups could encounter each other with only limited economic filtering. At Takanawa Gateway City greenery is lifted upward, curated, and embedded inside a mixed-use complex oriented toward high-value tenants and consumers. Access is technically open, but the atmosphere quietly codes belonging. Prices in cafés, aesthetic signals in restaurants, and the polished neutrality of co-working interiors all suggest a very specific user.

The ordinary becomes exclusive. Desk space, coffee, greenery, silence are packaged as privilege. The extraordinary becomes routine. What once signaled exception now appears as baseline quality in global luxury urbanism. The vocabulary is clearly transnational. Similar spatial grammars appear in Singapore, Dubai, or London: mixed-use density, vertical greenery, experiential retail, cultural branding.

The project also does not hide its orientation toward symbolic economy. The announcement of a future “Museum of Narratives” planned to open in March 2026 makes this quite explicit. Storytelling becomes infrastructure. Identity becomes something the district actively produces. Timber ribs, wooden robots, walnut shells, sakura installations, and curated gastronomy align within a script of sustainable futurity and refined modernity. Technology and tradition seem reconciled, at least on the level of surfaces.

Many questions stay unanswered: If this is presented as a model for future urban development in Tokyo, then one has to ask quite simply: who is this built for and why? Who will really use it and how? What alternative models we can promote instead as it should be a city for all?

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Urban Commoning in Japan?

Urban commoning can refer to the ways people collectively create, manage, and sustain shared urban resources through social practices that are embedded in everyday life. It is less about fixed “resources” and more about the ongoing negotiations, trust networks, and norms that allow communities to maintain public life, cultural practices, and spaces of care. In cities, commoning may include taking care of public parks, in between and left-over places, cultural events, or local mutual aid networks. The approach highlights that urban life is socially produced: how people relate, cooperate, and claim space shapes the city as much as formal planning or market forces.

In Japan, it can be argued that urban commoning is deeply rooted in historical and local forms of governance. For example different type of neighborhood associations provide frameworks for collective responsibility, while contemporary initiatives, from managing semi-public places as alleyways to organizing local matsuri and disaster drills, show how everyday cooperation persists within dense urban environments. These practices rely on trust, reciprocity, and shared norms, but they are also shaped by generational hierarchies, gendered roles, and pressures from urban redevelopment.

Viewed in an Asian context, Japanese urban commoning might offer insights into socially embedded resilience. In a region frequently affected by earthquakes, typhoons, and other environmental risks, community networks often play a critical role in risk communication, evacuation, and post-disaster recovery. Commoning is thus not only about everyday life but also about preparing for extraordinary events. It shows that resilience emerges from the slow, persistent weaving of social ties, local knowledge, and small-scale practices long before disaster strikes. As such, Japan’s experience encourages reflection on how urban social infrastructures, both formal and informal, mediate vulnerability and opportunity in cities.

To dig deeper, the following questions could be raised:

How do everyday, local forms of commoning in neighborhoods shape social cohesion, and who is included or excluded in these networks?

In what ways do culturally specific practices of trust, reciprocity, and obligation influence urban resilience in disaster-prone areas of Japan?

How can the lessons of Japanese urban commoning inform broader theories of social infrastructure and resilience in Asian cities, without flattening the local, historical, and spatial specificities of place?

Urban Commoning seen in Yokohama, 2026

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From 2025 into 2026 – community, social ties and unheard voices

Looking back at 2025, our work can best be described as careful and sometimes uncertain. Much of what we did emerged from ongoing conversations between research, teaching, and field experience, rather than from clearly defined plans. We were often reminded that urban research moves slowly and that understanding everyday spaces requires patience, listening, and a willingness to revise earlier ideas.

An important moment in this process was the exchange at the Community Studies Conference . Presenting our work on small-scale urban spaces and resilience there made clear how differently similar issues are understood across regions and disciplines, and how necessary it is to stay modest in our claims. https://heideimai.com/conference-reflection-civic-political-and-community-studies-voices-across-the-pacific/

Teaching continued to shape our thinking in very direct ways. In the Urban Design Seminar on Cities, Interaction, and Resilience, students worked with complex urban settings such as Jimbocho and struggled with contradictions between policy, everyday use, and emotional attachment to place. Their questions often revealed gaps in our own frameworks.
https://heideimai.com/graduation-themes-2025-cities-of-emotion-interaction-and-resilience/

Alongside this, the seminar offered space to think collectively about sustainability, social ties, and adaptation, without forcing quick solutions. The work highlighted how difficult comparison can be, and how easily concepts lose meaning when removed from their local context. https://heideimai.com/seminar-2025-26-reviving-cities-and-community/

Overall, 2025 was a year of becoming more aware of limits, rather than overcoming them. This has shaped how we look toward 2026. The intention is to slow down, to consolidate existing research, and to work more closely with collaborators and students. We hope to remain open to accept mistakes as part of academic practice, and to keep everyday urban life, with all its messiness, at the center of what we do. Happy New Year 2026 to you all!

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Yanaka: Heritage, Nostalgia, and the Uneven Dynamics of Urban Transformation

Our seminar conducted a fieldtrip to Yanaka, a district in Tokyo known for its nostalgic charm. We began our walk in Ueno, encountering the weekly soup kitchen supporting unhoused residents. The scene reminded us that near the quiet streets and historic temples, Yanaka and its surroundings , other social realities are often invisible to outsiders.

Near the art and music universities, the atmosphere shifted. In Ueno Sakuragicho, Kayaba Coffee, Natsume Sosekis heritage and the Minna no Roji complex including a Nordic-style bakery, and a bar serving Yanaka-inspired craft beer marked the small, yet recognizable details of rising consumer gentrification, as these spaces merge contemporary consumption with the attractiveness of the historical neighbourhood. As such, cafés, galleries, and boutique shops can be understood as increasing signs of so called creative urban lifestyles, attracting tourists and new residents while reshaping the neighborhoods social fabric.

Walking through Yanaka Reien, where Higuchi Ichiyo, Shibusawa Eiichi, and Momoko Kochi are buried, highlighted further the coexistence of history and modernity, often typical for neighbourhoods in Tokyo. Narrow alleys, wooden houses, and centuries-old cemeteries stand alongside renovated mansions and small design-focused commercial spaces. As such, Yanaka functions can be almost called a living archive, where each corner tells stories of memory, reshaping publicness and negotiating social pattern .

Further evidence of gentrification was encountered when we entered the Hanaju flowershop, redesigned by Maru Architects and the Hagiso art gallery, which demonstrate how curated design and cultural branding reposition Yanaka as a creative space. Moreover, Yanaka Ginza, once a traditional shitamachi shopping street, now is the home to many tourist-focused snack shops, souvenir stores, and cafés. Behind the old façades, small wooden houses next to bamboolike, towering apartment buildings, whereas empty lots often become parking to maximize returns under developer pressure. This uneven urban environment, being a blend of heritage, creative experimentation, and commercial redevelopment, reveals the fragile balance between preservation and market-driven transformation.

Despite these pressures, Yanaka kept its distinct charm. Yet the tension between nostalgia, social capital and urban renewal is unmistakable. For students, the fieldtrip was a good lesson to observe that history and nostalgia are not merely aesthetic values but active participants in a city in constant flux.

References (APA)

Imai, H. (2024). Yanaka Revisited: New creative approaches to revitalize a Tokyo neighborhood. International Communication Studies (国際コミュニケーション研究), 3, 20–27. 専修大学. https://senshu-u.repo.nii.ac.jp/record/2000720/files/1081_0003_06.pdf senshu-u.repo.nii.ac.jp

Imai, H. (2015). Preserving Tokyo’s alleyways: From marginal to neighbourhood place? GIS Journal: the Hosei Journal of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies, 1, 1–18. Hosei University. https://doi.org/10.15002/00010890 hosei.ecats-library.jp

Imai, H. (2018). Marginalized, rediscovered and commodified – The perception of alleyways in contemporary Tokyo. GIS Journal: the Hosei Journal of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies, 4, 21–29. Hosei University. https://doi.org/10.15002/00014592 hosei.ecats-library.jp

Imai, H. (2017). Tokyo Roji: The diversity and versatility of alleys in a city in transition. Routledge. (特に、「Chapter Nezu and Yanaka and the mixed-used roji」の章) Taylor & Francis

Leighton, B. (2024, May 1). EYES ON: Yanaka. Tokyo Cowboy. https://www.tokyocowboy.co/articles/eyes-on-yanaka tokyo cowboy

Imai, H. (2014). A spatial anthropology of the changing use of urban spaces in Tokyo, Japan. In 4th International Degrowth Conference, Leipzig. (Conference paper)

Sekai Property. (2020, March 27). Is Tokyo at risk of gentrification? Sekai Property. https://en.sekaiproperty.com/article/3698/tokyo-gentrification en.sekaiproperty.com

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Urban Lives in Transition: Field Notes from Seoul’s Living Neighborhoods

The fieldwork trip to Seoul last month felt less like a visit and more like a slow immersion. I arrived with a simple, persistent question: how do neighborhoods survive when culture itself becomes a form of commodity? Over three days, walking through Bukchon, Insadong, Hongdae, Euljiro, and Dongdaemun, tracing everyday negotiations between preservation, creativity, and survival, this text follows the fieldnotes reflecting on the fragments of a city in motion, where heritage and labor remain inseparable from the struggle to live and work in place. These notes are not conclusions; they are observations, sometimes contradictory, sometimes incomplete, yet grounded in experience.

Day 1: Bukchon – A Neighborhood hypergentrified

Bukchon presents itself as a model of careful preservation. Narrow alleys, tiled roofs, hanok architecture – everything between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung looks like a curated postcard. Yet beneath this curated surface lies tension. Signs read “Please keep your voice down, people live here.” or “No admittance to outsiders“. Furtherdown an alley, I met Mr. Kim, sweeping leaves at his doorstep. His family has lived here since the 1970s. “This is no longer a place to live, but a place to be viewed,” he said. Rising property taxes, guesthouses, and boutique cafés have reshaped everyday life. Houses are now viewed as galleries.

Research shows that heritage preservation in Seoul often prioritizes visual coherence over sustaining lived social relations (Gibert-Flutre & Imai, 2020). Rooflines and alley widths remain, but everyday practices, social networks, and informal encounters are being replaced by images for consumption. Bukchon becomes a curatorial project: a neighborhood stabilized as a photograph, not as a living place.

Research about this topic reinforces this concern, showing that areas like Bukchon and Ikseon-dong are increasingly functioning as cultural stages, where residents become incidental to the neighborhood’s value as a consumable urban aesthetic (Korea Herald, 2025). Local life is not simply displaced, it is reconfigured into a backdrop for visitor experience, even more visible during events like the Seoul Architecture Biennale taking place between October and November 2025.

Day 2: Between Insadong & Hongdae – Culture as Market, Culture as Survival

The next day (re-) encountering, Insadong, it soon becomes quite clear that the place markets itself as Seoul’s “traditional art street.” Calligraphy shops, tea houses, galleries, yet much is geared toward short-term consumption. In a tiny store, Ms. Hyeon, the shop owner, explained: “People come here to feel a version of Korea that is already packaged. Easier and faster to experience...” Moreover, rising rents have pushed out artisan families; imported mass-produced goods now dominate. Heritage is performed, yet increasingly without the people who once inherited it.

On the other hand, Hongdae thrives on youth culture and independent creativity, yet faces its own commodification. Street musicians play beside global cafés; murals are repainted under branding sponsorship. Two art students selling zines told me: “We create because this is where we found each other, but any space we make eventually becomes profitable for someone else.”

Urban ethnography calls this cycle “cultural extraction” (Uršič & Imai, 2020). Creative labor raises an area’s desirability, displacing the creators themselves. Between Insadong and Hongdae lies the same question: when culture becomes an economy, what happens to the people who live it rather than consume it?

Day 3: Euljiro, Jewelry Alleys, Dongdaemun – Work, Craft, and the Fabric of Dependency

On our last day we encounter Euljiro which remains one of Seoul’s densest industrial districts. Alleys echo with metal grinders, workshops produce signage, machine parts, and repairs. Researchers document these vanishing neighborhoods as redevelopment advances. Labor, community, and informal cooperation are intertwined; the city risks losing the invisible networks that keep it alive (Korea Times, 2025).

In the jewelry alley near Euljiro 4-ga, I met Ms. Choi, who runs a three-person workshop. Her tools are worn but cared for; trays of tiny clasps lie in careful order. She emphasized how each step of production depends on proximity: polishers, engravers, stone-setters, couriers. “We survive because we are close. If we scatter, we disappear.”

Later, Dongdaemun’s night market illuminated another rhythm. Couriers balanced parcels through narrow alleys; wholesalers lifted bolts of fabric under fluorescent light; street vendors assembled their stalls well past midnight. Hae-won, a vendor, said: “People say the city never sleeps. But it’s us who stay awake so the city can look alive.” The life of the city depends not on buildings or lights but on countless unseen acts of labor and care.

First reflections

What makes neighborhoods visible is relational labor, not form. Community exists in ongoing acts of care, negotiation, interdependence. Remove these, and all that remains is an beautified image of an neighbourhood. This is why research like this is necessary: to trace these invisible threads that sustain urban life. Seoul, like Tokyo or Taipei shows that memory, creativity, and survival cannot be separated from the spaces that host them. The broader question remains: how can local worlds persist in the accelerating economies of global urban change?

References

Gibert‑Flutre, M., & Imai, H. (Eds.). (2020). Asian Alleyways: An urban vernacular in times of globalization. Amsterdam University Press

Korea Herald. (2025) Pritzker-winning Riken Yamamoto warns Seoul faces crisis without new housing vision, https://shorturl.at/NMLzr

Korea Times. (2025) Architectural firm’s exhibition reveals Seoul’s vanishing neighborhoods, https://shorturl.at/5GIgC

Uršič, M., & Imai, H. (2020). Creativity in Tokyo: Revitalizing a mature city. Palgrave Macmillan Singapore.

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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

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Kawagoe Field Diary: Little Edo Through Students’ Eyes

Today we explored Kawagoe, famously known as “Little Edo,” and immediately the narrow Kurazukuri Street grabbed our attention. The first thing you notice is the crowd – tourists, locals, and bicycles all moving in a tight flow. One student remarked, “It’s beautiful, like stepping back in time, but it feels almost impossible to walk without bumping into someone.” Right away, the tension between charm and congestion becomes clear.

As we moved past the old merchant houses, another student noticed the shops: “So many souvenirs and snacks. I love them, but are we really experiencing heritage, or just consuming a tourist-friendly version?” This sparked a discussion about how overtourism shapes local culture and daily life. Later, a student paused near a small café and said, “I wonder how the residents feel – do they still feel this is their town, or has it become a stage for visitors?” Questions about social capital and community participation started to emerge naturally from these observations.

By the small shrine tucked between two buildings, one student reflected, “Even here, there’s a line of visitors taking photos. It makes me think – heritage is being consumed like a product, not lived in.” Walking further, students noted how festival banners and street performances aim to entertain tourists, yet some residents seemed distant, quietly observing the spectacle. We asked ourselves: who really benefits from tourism here, and at what cost? Halfway down the street, a local shopkeeper invited us inside for a brief chat. A student commented afterward, “I can see they appreciate the business, but they also mentioned feeling powerless to influence the bigger picture. That really hit me – economic benefit isn’t the same as social well-being.”

Our reflections throughout the day repeatedly circled back to critical questions: How can Kawagoe manage tourist flows without losing authenticity? Does consumption of souvenirs and experiences weaken the local community and if how ? And how can residents be empowered to participate in shaping the town, rather than simply serving as hosts?

As we concluded our visit, we looked ahead to Sawara, another historic town with waterways and preserved streets. Kawagoe’s lessons set the stage: we want to observe not just the tourist experience, but also how social networks, community governance, and cultural practices are maintained. Sawara will allow us to compare strategies and think critically about balancing heritage, tourism, and community life.

By the end of the day, students’ comments summed up the visit: “Kawagoe is beautiful and vibrant, but it also raises so many questions about what it means to live in a place that everyone wants to visit.” The field diary reminds us that heritage tourism isn’t just about numbers or photos—it’s about sustaining culture, social capital, and community identity.

References

Imai, H. (2012). Balancing urban revitalization, tourism and development issues in times of crisis: Kawagoe’s historical district as a self-sustaining and resilient community. Contemporary Japan, 24(2), 149–178.
Japan Travel News. (2025, May 10). Kawagoe hits record visitors in 2024.
Kawagoe City DMO. (2023). Crowd management initiatives report.
Milano, C., Cheer, J. M., & Novelli, M. (2019). Overtourism: Excesses, discontents and measures in travel and tourism. CABI.
Nihon Keizai Shimbun. (2023, November 18). Tourist congestion grows in Kawagoe.
Okamoto, R. (2022). Urban heritage under pressure: The case of Kawagoe. Journal of Japanese Urban Studies, 41(2), 55–72.
Yomiuri Shimbun. (2024, April 2). Residents voice concerns over overtourism in Kawagoe.

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Alumni Report

In this interview with HTWK Leipzig, I was able to look back at my student years in Leipzig and honored to explain how they shaped my path as an architect and researcher. I describe the experiences of working closely with classmates, learning from dedicated professors, and gaining insights through practice abroad. These moments continue to guide my work today. Now I remain grateful for the foundations I received in Leipzig, which taught me to see architecture as a cultural practice and a responsibility toward society.

https://www.htwk-leipzig.de/hochschule/aktuelles/newsdetail/artikel/architektur-ist-fuer-mich-eine-kulturelle-praxis

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ASCJ 2025 Community Resilience and Sustainable Practices in Urban Japan, from Edo to the Present

On a sweltering Tokyo afternoon, the conference room became a space for lively debate, academic curiosity, and – despite the heat – some unexpectedly good tea and donuts. This session offered a deep, and at times provocative, look at sustainability in urban Japan – from Edo-period wisdom to today’s grassroots environmental movements. The conversation was anything but dry: questions about alleyway design, waste politics, and community activism kept participants thinking, talking, and occasionally laughing in recognition of shared challenges.

Session Overview

Three papers anchored the discussion of the panel entitled Community Resilience and Sustainable Practices in Urban Japan, from Edo to the Present (https://ascjapan.org/2023-ascj-conference-schedule). The first examined Edo-period alleyways as a model for sustainable, human-scale urban design, arguing that these narrow spaces weren’t just functional but fostered social cohesion and resource-sharing. The audience chuckled at the idea of modern Tokyoites willingly giving up refrigerators to reduce waste – but the underlying message was clear: historical models can inspire today’s resilient cities. The talk invited everyone to consider how adapting past practices could offer creative solutions to contemporary urban challenges.

The second paper brought us from the Meiji period to the present day, tracing the often-overlooked lineage of women’s roles in shaping Japan’s urban environment through care work, resourcefulness, and civic engagement. Focusing on community-led waste management initiatives, the presentation highlighted how women have long sustained the invisible infrastructure of urban life. These efforts, while vital, are rarely recognized as central to city planning or environmental policy. The speaker called out this persistent marginalization, stressing how gendered labor continues to prop up sustainability from behind the scenes. Rather than romanticizing volunteerism, the paper challenged the audience to rethink who counts as an “urban planner” and to question whose voices get institutional attention.

The final talk highlighted the work of local “eco-warriors” reclaiming industrial spaces in Kitakyushu, transforming polluted, neglected zones through bottom-up initiatives. It didn’t shy away from the challenges of dealing with industrial remnants – contaminated soil, abandoned factories, and the weight of a heavy-industrial legacy that can resist change. The speaker stressed that these projects aren’t mere cosmetic improvements but demanding efforts to remediate land and redefine its purpose. Striking photos showed the shift from grey smokestacks to clearer skies and renewed public spaces, reminding everyone that change often begins modestly, faces real obstacles, and requires persistent negotiation with policy-makers who may favor grand, top-down plans over careful, community-driven repair.

Discussion Highlights

The chair kept the Q&A dynamic, gently steering the conversation from polite agreement to more challenging territory. A recurring question: Is all this just nostalgia for Edo? Or can we meaningfully translate centuries-old wisdom into modern cities dominated by concrete and cars? Another theme: Who really carries the burden of sustainable change? Several attendees noted that volunteer-driven projects often fill gaps left by disengaged policy-makers – and wondered aloud how to shift responsibility back to those in power. One person suggested “banning” the phrase “community participation” from grant proposals unless it actually meant something. But it was clear everyone took seriously the tension between grassroots energy and institutional inertia.

Takeaways

Despite the room’s sticky summer air, the discussion stayed sharp. Participants left with a shared sense that sustainability isn’t only about new technology or big plans, but also about reclaiming knowledge, sharing power, and making space – literally and figuratively – for community voices. This panel showed that Asian Studies isn’t just about the past, but also about the urgent questions of today: How do we build cities that work for people? How do we share responsibility for change? And what lessons might be hiding in places we’ve overlooked – like a centuries-old Tokyo alleyway, or a small neighborhood garden battling urban heat? If nothing else, the panel proved that a good conference session can generate real debate – and hopefully, plant the seeds of new ideas. Thank you all for your contribution.

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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.

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Graduation Themes 2025: Cities of Emotion, Interaction, and Resilience

The 2025 Urban Design Seminar has only just commenced, and yet already the questions being raised carry a particular urgency. Our point of departure – Jimbocho, Tokyo’s historic book district – offered more than a geographic starting place. It provided a spatial metaphor: a neighborhood suspended between memory and momentum, grappling with how to remain anchored in its literary and cultural past while adapting to the shifting demands of urban redevelopment.

Over the course of the seminar, we will traverse a series of distinct urban contexts. We will engage directly with local stakeholders, analyze comparative policy case studies, and develop experimental, small-scale interventions informed by both local insights and global frameworks. At the core of this journey are the graduation themes for 2025 – a constellation of intellectual and practical concerns that reflect the evolving relationship between the urban environment and the human condition.

Among these themes is an exploration of emotional wellbeing in the city – a subject that transcends the traditional bounds of urban psychology. This line of inquiry asks how spatial arrangements, material choices, and everyday encounters in the city contribute to, or detract from, a sense of emotional equilibrium. The affective quality of urban life – often overlooked in planning discourse demands greater attention, particularly in increasingly dense, overstimulated urban environments.

Another theme examines the subtle power of micro-infrastructures—seemingly ordinary elements such as benches, which, when thoughtfully integrated into the public realm, can serve as catalysts for social interaction, reflection, and accessibility. These elements operate at the intersection of functionality and symbolism. Their presence or absence speaks volumes about a neighborhood’s orientation toward hospitality, rest, and relational space. The contrast between Jimbocho’s introspective atmosphere and the socially vibrant street culture of Jiyugaoka provides a compelling case comparison. In Jiyugaoka, public seating is not merely utilitarian – it is integral to the neighborhood’s social fabric, contributing to a culture of lingering, informal gathering, and embedded identity.

jiyugaoka

A third theme foregrounds the multifunctionality of urban parks, especially in the context of climate adaptation and disaster preparedness. In Japan, parks are tasked not only with providing spaces for leisure and ecological value but also serving as emergency assembly points and temporary shelters in times of crisis. This dual function introduces complex design challenges. Beyond logistical considerations, there is a need to address more inclusive design, ensuring these spaces are perceived as safe and accessible for all users – before, during, and after disaster events. Case studies of urban parks that have been tested under such conditions will be central to our investigation, offering critical insights into how resilience is socially and spatially distributed.

These thematic trajectories – emotional wellbeing, social infrastructure, and urban resilience – do not exist in isolation. They intersect, overlap, and at times, complicate one another. As the seminar progresses, our task is not only to understand these dynamics analytically but to engage them creatively, through contextual research, collaborative design, and iterative testing.

We return to the city again and again – not merely as designers or observers, but as interlocutors. The city speaks in fragments: in gestures, silences, materials, and voids. In 2025, our work is to listen more deeply, to read more critically, and to design more sensitively – toward an urban future that is as emotionally intelligent as it is structurally sound.

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New Semester 2025/26

Exploring Community Revitalization through the Seminar”

The 2025/26 Seminar has officially begun, and this year we’re diving deep into the theme of community revitalization and its critical challenges. Our first seminar walk took us through the quiet backstreets and bustling intersections of Jimbocho, a neighborhood that feels like a time capsule caught somewhere between fading nostalgia and new possibility.

Jimbocho, known for its secondhand bookstores and coffee shops soaked in Showa-era charm, may not seem like the first place to study revitalization. But that’s exactly why we came. As we wandered past shuttered storefronts and vacant upper floors of old buildings, we couldn’t help but ask ourselves: what does “revitalization” really mean? And who gets to decide what is preserved, what is changed, and who benefits?

Our group paused outside an old rice selling shop that had clearly seen better days. One student noted how the faded noren curtain still fluttered in the wind, almost defiantly. Another pointed out a sleek co-working space that had recently opened just a few doors down, already attracting younger freelancers and remote workers. These contrasts became the foundation of our first group discussion: How do you balance heritage with innovation? Is gentrification inevitable—or can it be guided more ethically?

We were reminded that revitalization is not just about physical renewal. It’s about people. The aging residents, the newcomers, the invisible labor that keeps a neighborhood running. It’s about policies, too – zoning laws, tax incentives, land use debates that often exclude the voices of those most affected. We talked about grassroots efforts in other parts of Tokyo, like Shimokitazawa and Yanaka, and how some communities are reclaiming agency in the face of rapid change.

After the walk, we gathered at a quiet café near Jimbocho Station to reflect. Several students noted how walking through a neighborhood brings research to life in a way that reading papers simply can’t. Others admitted they had never really thought about the human cost of urban renewal. Someone asked, “What if revitalization isn’t about bringing something back, but allowing it to evolve – on its own terms?”

It’s only the beginning of the seminar, but already the questions feel urgent. Over the coming months, we’ll be visiting other neighborhoods, talking to local leaders, analyzing policy case studies, and designing our own small-scale interventions. Jimbocho was our starting point, a neighborhood caught between memory and momentum.

And as we continue, we’ll keep returning to the same question: who is revitalization really for? More on the seminar website https://heideimai.com/seminar-2025-26-reviving-cities-and-community/

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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”

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Gentrification, Urban Renewal, and the Reshaping of Tokyo’s Urban Landscape

Tokyo is undergoing significant urban transformation as gentrification and large-scale redevelopment alter the fabric of historic neighborhoods and commercial districts. The city’s rapid modernization, driven by economic pressures, demographic shifts, and large-scale investment, has led to increasing tensions between heritage preservation and the demands of urban renewal. This study examines how Tokyo’s urban fabric is being restructured, focusing on the impact of rising property values, declining neighborhood-based economies, and the challenges posed by vacant properties (akiya). Key areas experiencing these changes include traditional shopping streets, residential districts, and emerging commercial hubs where redevelopment is accelerating.

Urban renewal in Tokyo is largely shaped by real estate speculation, infrastructure development, and shifting consumer behaviors. Historically, the city’s neighborhoods were characterized by small-scale, community-driven businesses and close-knit social networks. However, as commercial redevelopment expands, independent shops and long-standing local businesses are increasingly being replaced by corporate retail chains and large commercial complexes. This pattern of economic restructuring can be observed in various districts where traditional marketplaces have given way to high-rise developments and large-scale retail spaces, altering the socio-economic character of these neighborhoods.

One of the major consequences of these changes is the increasing number of akiya, or vacant properties, across Tokyo. As aging residents leave their homes and younger generations move to newly developed areas, older neighborhoods experience depopulation, leading to rising vacancy rates. The spread of akiya disrupts local economies, weakens community ties, and contributes to a sense of urban fragmentation. The underutilization of these spaces presents a critical challenge for urban policymakers, as abandoned properties often lead to declining property values, decreased investment, and the gradual deterioration of neighborhood identity. Addressing akiya requires coordinated efforts that incorporate adaptive reuse strategies, financial incentives for repurposing vacant buildings, and urban planning initiatives that promote mixed-use development.

Social cohesion is another casualty of Tokyo’s urban transformation. Traditionally, small commercial streets and independent businesses served as hubs of community interaction, fostering social bonds between residents and local shopkeepers. However, as redevelopment prioritizes large-scale commercial ventures, these organic social structures are being eroded. The disappearance of neighborhood institutions—such as family-run shops, small restaurants, and community gathering spaces—has led to a weakening of local identity and an increase in social isolation. While some districts attempt to counteract this trend through cultural preservation initiatives and local events, the overarching trajectory of Tokyo’s urban development continues to favor large-scale economic expansion over the protection of local heritage.

Looking ahead, Tokyo’s urban transformation will depend on the effectiveness of policy interventions that balance economic growth with community sustainability. Strategies such as participatory urban planning, heritage conservation policies, and incentives for locally owned businesses will be essential in shaping a more inclusive and resilient urban future. This research underscores the importance of examining how Tokyo adapts to the pressures of modernization while maintaining its historical and cultural integrity, offering insights into the broader implications of urban renewal in global cities.

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Walking Through Tokyo: Exploring Urban Narratives and Urban Heritage of the City

There was something profoundly special about walking through Tokyo’s streets—an unspoken dialogue between the past and the present, the traditional and the contemporary. Every corner, from the vibrant alleys of Jimbocho to the quiet resilience of small urban craftsman shops, held stories waiting to be unraveled. This year, as seminar students delved into their research, their passion for these cityscapes became a vital part of their work, transforming observations into meaningful narratives about the city.

Mapping the Future of Jimbocho
Jimbocho was more than just a “Book Town”; it was a living archive of Tokyo’s intellectual and cultural history. As students walked its streets, they felt the pulse of a neighborhood caught between nostalgia and change. Their research focused on how Jimbocho could evolve while retaining its identity. By exploring spaces like book cafes, where the scent of coffee mingled with the weight of dusty tomes, they reimagined how these hybrids could keep Jimbocho relevant in the digital age. Their work balanced thoughtful field observations with innovative solutions, deeply rooted in respect for the district’s heritage.

Diverse Stories of Urban Change
For graduate students, Tokyo became a mosaic of overlapping urban narratives. Their final projects reflected this complexity, tackling themes that resonated with the challenges and opportunities of contemporary cities:

Overtourism: With tourism surging, they critically analyzed its strain on communities, proposing strategies to balance economic benefits with cultural and environmental preservation.

Gentrification: They explored the social costs of rising property values, offering insights into how cities could grow inclusively while safeguarding local identity.

Traditional Culinary Adaptation: Through the lens of traditional sweets, they studied how culinary traditions navigated the pressures of modernization.

Urban Heritage and Small Urban Craftsman Stores
A recurring theme was the significance of Tokyo’s small urban craftsman shops—those hidden spaces of production and skill. These humble yet essential places not only preserved traditions but also anchored the city’s resilience and identity. Students wove these stories into their broader research, illustrating how these often-overlooked spaces contributed to Tokyo’s dynamic urban landscape.

Walking the City: A Transformative Practice
What tied all these themes together was the shared practice of walking the city. For the students, walking was more than movement—it was a method of inquiry that transformed theory into lived experience. By walking, observing, and engaging with Tokyo’s intricate urban fabric, they uncovered nuances that no textbook could convey. They captured the rhythm of streets, the shifts in neighborhood dynamics, and the voices of those who inhabited these spaces. In every step through Tokyo’s streets, there was a story waiting to be told. Through their research, the students ensured these stories didn’t fade but instead inspired new ways of understanding and sustaining urban life.

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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.

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Research in and Outside the Classroom: Understanding How a Neighborhood is Made

When we think of the dynamic development of urban areas, the neighborhood of Jimbocho in Tokyo offers an excellent case study. Known for its unique mix of bookstores, publishing houses, and cozy cafes, Jimbocho showcases the intersection of cultural preservation and modern development. Understanding how a neighborhood like Jimbocho is shaped requires both academic research and hands-on fieldwork.

In the classroom, we explore theories of urban development, discussing concepts like placemaking, the impact of social networks, and the role of community in shaping neighborhoods. Students dive into the intricacies of urban planning theory, exploring how historical, social, and economic forces contribute to the identity and transformation of neighborhoods. These theoretical frameworks help guide the research process, providing a strong foundation for analyzing how urban spaces evolve.

However, true understanding often comes from stepping outside the classroom and immersing oneself in the environment. Fieldwork in Jimbocho reveals more than just the physical layout of streets and buildings. It involves observing the way businesses operate, the cultural practices of locals, and the interactions between new developments and long-standing traditions. For example, as office buildings rise in Jimbocho, some worry about the loss of the area’s identity as a haven for book lovers and food enthusiasts, particularly its famous curry and ramen shops.

During fieldwork, students learn to observe not only what is present but also what might be disappearing. Jimbocho, with its blend of old and new, demonstrates how urban areas can maintain a delicate balance between modern demands and historical roots. While some see new developments as progress, others mourn the potential loss of what made Jimbocho special in the first place – its rich history of books, local eateries, and cultural vibrancy.

A key takeaway from studying Jimbocho is that urban neighborhoods are never static. They evolve based on the needs of residents, businesses, and the broader city. Whether you’re researching in a classroom or conducting fieldwork, understanding a neighborhood like Jimbocho requires looking at both its past and present, recognizing the forces at play, and thinking critically about what the future might hold for such unique urban spaces.

Graduation projects, like those developed by students researching Jimbocho, often illustrate this blend of learning theory inside the classroom and practice outside in the field. Through their work, students are tasked with applying urban development theory to real-world challenges, such as the growing issue of tabearuki (食べ歩き or street eating) and overtourism in some neighborhoods. They also explore how traditional sweets like wagashi are adapted in places like Jimbocho, reflecting the tension between commodity and cultural preservation. Similarly, projects focusing on the rise of vegetarianism or the ideal café concept in a neighborhood steeped in nostalgia and modernity require both academic rigor and practical observation.

By integrating classroom knowledge with real-world observations, students can better grasp how neighborhoods are not just made but constantly remade, influenced by social, cultural, and economic factors. Jimbocho serves as a perfect example of this dynamic, where history and modernity coexist, sometimes uneasily, but always in fascinating ways. Through their research, students uncover the hidden narratives that define neighborhoods and understand the balance required to preserve their unique character while allowing for growth and innovation.

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Kanazawa’s Urban Heritage and Post-2024 Noto Earthquake Recovery

Introduction

This years two-day seminar field trip to Kanazawa, joined by 3rd and 4th year students, was an enriching exploration of how an historial city like Kanazawa blends historical preservation with modern urban development. The purpose of the trip was to examine the integration of Kanazawa’s urban planning, its cultural heritage, and its recovery following the 2024 Noto Earthquake. The seminar group visited significant landmarks, including Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen Garden, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, the Suzuki Museum and the Higashi Chaya district. Our goal was to gain insight into how the city maintains its historical identity while adapting to contemporary urban needs.

Day 1: Examining Historical and Modern Integration

Kanazawa Castle
We began our exploration at Kanazawa Castle, a key historical site and designated heritage site since 2008. The restoration work, which is lasting now since several decades, carefully balances traditional techniques with modern engineering, ensuring both historical authenticity and structural resilience. However, after the 2024 Noto earthquake the progress slowed down as the attention was shifted to the recovery of the northern pensisula. Also on this day we were reminded that the recovery process has been slower than anticipated as the region continues to feel the lingering effects of the earthquake, with progress hindered by ongoing challenges such as a slow reconstruction process, financial struggles and heavy rain/ flooding.

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
Due to the heavy rain, our next stop was the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, where we explored the striking contrast between modern architectural design and the traditional urban layout of Kanazawa. This museum provided a glimpse into how contemporary urban planning integrates with the city’s historical fabric. The modern architecture of the museum, designed to interact seamlessly with the city, also highlighted how Kanazawa is positioning itself as a cultural hub in the 21st century while still honoring its historical roots.

Day 2: Reflections on Simplicity, Religion, and Urban Harmony

D.T. Suzuki Museum
On the second day, we visited the D.T. Suzuki Museum, a serene space dedicated to the Zen philosopher D.T. Suzuki. The museum’s minimalist architecture deeply resonated with our exploration of urban planning principles, as it embodied a perfect balance between simplicity and harmony in design. We reflected on how the museum integrates the natural environment into the urban landscape, using design to create a meditative atmosphere, representing an ideal fusion of nature, space, and culture in urban contexts.

Adjacent to the castle, we explored Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s most renowned landscape gardens. Here, we observed the careful design principles from the Edo period and noted how recent restoration efforts continued to preserve its historic charm while enhancing durability against natural disasters.

Higashi Chaya District
Our final stop was the Higashi Chaya District, a beautifully preserved area known for its traditional teahouses and the cultural atmosphere of old Kanazawa. The district allowed us to observe firsthand how Kanazawa’s cultural identity is preserved in a modern urban setting. Walking through the narrow streets and alleys, we felt the district’s vibrant energy, where historical buildings continue to serve as a vital part of the community’s daily life. The district offered a perfect conclusion to our trip, demonstrating how Kanazawa’s cultural past continues to thrive amidst modern development.

Conclusion

The seminar’s zemitrip to Kanazawa provided invaluable insights into how the city successfully blends historical preservation with modern urban planning. Kanazawa’s ability to recover from the 2024 Noto Earthquake while maintaining its cultural and architectural integrity left a strong impression on us. The visit allowed us to see how a city with such a deep history can evolve without compromising its heritage, providing a model for balancing urban growth with cultural preservation.

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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.

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Euljiro, Seoul: Dynamic Neighbourhood of Change

During a recent visit to Seoul we were able to visit Euljiro, a significant and evolving neighborhood, which serves as a vivid illustration of the intersection between history and modernity, community and gentrification. Originally established during the Joseon Dynasty as a central area for governmental offices, Euljiro has transformed through various historical epochs – each leaving its own layer of influence on the district. During the Japanese occupation, the region was heavily industrialized, which continued into the post-liberation era, shaping Euljiro as a vital industrial hub.

The social and economic dynamics of Euljiro are reflective of a district caught between its historical significance and the pressures of modern development. Its economy has been traditionally anchored by small-scale industries, such as printing and metalwork, which have defined its character for decades. However, the area is also undergoing rapid changes due to gentrification. The rising appeal of ‘Hipjiro’ to younger generations and entrepreneurs has led to an influx of new businesses, including trendy cafes, bars, and cultural venues, juxtaposed against the traditional workshops and hardware stores.

These transformations have not been without struggle. The traditional businesses and older residents face the risk of displacement as property values soar and the area’s character shifts. Gentrification has sparked a complex debate involving community preservation, economic development, and cultural heritage. Efforts to designate parts of Euljiro as heritage sites or special industrial zones attempt to balance these forces, aiming to maintain the unique identity of the area while accommodating growth and modernization.

The future of Euljiro is a topic of vibrant discussion. There are initiatives to blend the old with the new by integrating historical preservation with modern urban planning. This involves supporting the older industries while also promoting Euljiro as a cultural and artistic hub. The challenge lies in ensuring that development is inclusive and respects the district’s rich history.

Conceptually, Euljiro embodies the ongoing global conversation about urban renewal and gentrification. It highlights critical questions about how cities evolve and who benefits from these changes. The district’s ongoing transformation is a case study in managing growth in a way that honors its past, supports its present residents, and welcomes new opportunities. This makes Euljiro not just a physical space, but a living dialogue about the future of urban life and community cohesion.

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New Semester 2024

As we embark on the new academic year this April, we are excited to introduce a dynamic and enriching semester for our students. The focus will be on fostering innovative research, practical engagement, and critical thinking across all levels.

For 3rd Seminar Students:
The theme for the new 3rd seminar students will be “Resilient Cities.” These students will explore how cities can adapt to and mitigate the impacts of disasters and climate change and especially explore Tokyo neighborhoods, including Jinbocho, to identify strategies for enhancing resilience through sustainable infrastructure, community cohesion, and adaptive urban design.

For 4th Year Students:
The 4th year students will be focusing on finalizing and presenting their research theses. Their topics will cover:

Coffee Culture: Investigating the socio-cultural and economic impacts of coffee culture in urban areas.

Overtourism in Japan: Analyzing the effects of excessive tourism on local communities and proposing sustainable tourism practices.

Gentrification: Examining the causes and consequences of gentrification in various neighborhoods and suggesting strategies for equitable development.

Adaptation of Traditional Culinary Tokyo: Exploring how traditional culinary practices are maintained and adapted in the modern urban context.

Throughout the semester, these students will refine their research questions, conduct in-depth data collection and analysis, and prepare comprehensive presentations of their findings. They will also engage in peer review sessions and receive guidance from faculty to ensure the rigor and relevance of their work.

General Seminar Goals and Initiatives:

Urban Studies and Sustainability: This content will cover key concepts and contemporary issues in urban sustainability, including green infrastructure, sustainable transportation, and urban planning.

Critical Thinking and Research Methods: Students will be equipped with the skills necessary for conducting robust research, including qualitative and quantitative methodologies, data analysis, and critical thinking.

Cultural Studies and Urban Diversity: This part will explore the cultural dimensions of urban life, focusing on diversity, inclusivity, and the role of cultural practices in shaping urban spaces.

Fieldwork and Practical Engagement: Students will participate in field trips, exploratory walks, and hands-on projects to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world urban settings. These activities will be designed to enhance their understanding of urban dynamics and foster practical problem-solving skills.

New Initiatives:

Collaborative Projects: Students will have the opportunity to work on interdisciplinary projects that address complex urban issues. These projects will encourage collaboration across different areas of study and promote innovative solutions.

Community Partnerships: We will establish partnerships with local communities and organizations to facilitate community-engaged research and service learning. This will allow students to contribute to local development initiatives and gain valuable practical experience.

This semester plan aims to provide a comprehensive and stimulating educational experience that prepares our students for future academic and professional success. We are committed to supporting their growth and ensuring they have the tools and opportunities to excel in their studies and beyond.

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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/

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Resilience, Social Capital and Community

A recent FAZ article (https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wissen/geist-soziales/verarbeitung-der-pandemie-in-china-und-japan-19339874.html) discusses the cultural and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia, particularly through the lens of art and social resilience in China and Japan. The article highlights a special issue of the “Asian Studies” journal by the University of Ljubljana, which delves into the artistic processing of the COVID-19 pandemic in these countries. The research we conducted remotely in 2020/21 in the vicinity of Ishinomaki, Japan, is specifically mentioned as an example of how disasters historically prompt the mobilization of social capital. Following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the area witnessed significant contributions from civil society towards reconstruction, involving not just local communities but also migrants. A decade later, the pandemic has further catalyzed the development of social networks and creative place-making, with the researchers interviewing various local figures, such as a guesthouse owner pivoting to accommodate students and a drive-in cinema operator using a sea wall as a screen.

This article underscores the importance of social capital in crisis management and recovery, demonstrating how communities in Asia have adapted creatively to the challenges posed by the pandemic, fostering resilience and transformation in the process. Social capital emerges as vital, with networks, norms, and trust enabling shared objectives’ pursuit, essential for community spirit and cooperation during hardships. Expanding this research for presentation at the 2024 Asian Studies Conference (ASAA), the focus will broaden to include similar cases across Japan and the Pacific Rim. This initiative aims to explore social capital’s nuanced impact in diverse cultural contexts, offering valuable lessons on resilience and recovery strategies adaptable globally.

Further reading:

Social Capital, Innovation, and Local Resilience -Tokyo Neighbourhood in Times of Crisis

https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/9410

Creative Revitalization in Rural Japan- Lessons from Ishinomaki

https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/9991

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2023 Review and 2024 Outlook for Academic Engagement and Research

As we transition into a new academic year this April, we reflect on an eventful 2023 and anticipate the opportunities that 2024 holds for our students, especially those who have navigated their academic journey from the onset of their education in 2020 through the challenges of COVID-19, to studying abroad in 2022. As we continued throughout the year, it was a pivotal moment for many, marking the final year for some students. It’s with great honor to guide both returning and new students through an enriching learning experience centered on communication, connections, and the vibrant creativity and dynamism of the city.

In 2023, students embarked on significant academic endeavors, delving into new research projects aimed at addressing pressing contemporary issues such as the challenges facing post-pandemic public spaces, the quest for urban sustainability and diversity, and enhancing urban-rural linkages. These projects are crucial for understanding the common and distinct problems of urban and rural Japan. Our academic year was enriched with a variety of initiatives, including:

  • Seminar Cities, Culture, and Everyday Life
  • Research Project Tokyo Diversity
  • Investigations into “Subculture Spaces”,
  • Studies on “Urban-Rural Linkages (Rethinking Rural Japan)”,
  • And fostering “Critical Thinking towards Sustainability”.

As 2023 unfolded, students reached significant milestones in their research endeavors. They completed their initial findings by the first semester, refining their research questions in the following term. This process involved extensive data collection and analysis, culminating in the summarization of their insights in their final graduation thesis. The year was also marked by increased engagement with the outside world, including professional meetings, guest lectures, exploratory walks around Tokyo, and a seminar trip, enriching their academic and practical understanding of the subjects at hand.

Looking ahead to 2024, we aim to build on this foundation with plans to deepen our exploration of the critical themes introduced. The focus will be on advancing our understanding of how urban and rural dynamics interplay with cultural and sustainability issues in Japan. We will continue to support our students in their academic and research pursuits, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities to achieve their full potential. This year promises to be another step forward in our continuous effort to contribute to the broader discourse on urbanism, sustainability, and societal well-being.

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New Publication JUP The Liminality of Subcultural Spaces

Together with Lisa Woite we worked the last two years on an exciting research project dealign with the liminality of subcultural spaces in Tokyo and the changing urban situation of the city they are situated in. This is one of the first outcomes of this research project about liminal spaces in Japan and this time we are very happy to be a part of the special issue “Urban Borderlands: Difference, Inequality, and Spatio-Temporal In-Betweenness in Cities”, edited byDeljana Iossifova (University of Manchester) and David Kostenwein (ETH Zurich). Many thanks for all the critic, advice and support coming from peer-reviewers, colleagues and friends.

The paper is open access and available for download here:

The Liminality of Subcultural Spaces: Tokyo’s Gaming Arcades as Boundary Between Social Isolation and Integration

  • Heide ImaiFaculty of Intercultural Communication, Senshu University, Japan
  • Lisa WoiteDepartment of Imaging Arts and Sciences, Musashino Art University, Japan

https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6969

The full issue is available here:

https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/issue/view/312

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Kobe as Blueprint for Urban Resilience and Community Revival 

The Kobe Fieldwork, conducted at the beginning of November 2023, aimed to examine the town planning mechanisms implemented by the city government to protect diverse communities and strengthen their resilience. Upon arrival, we commenced our visit to Mount Rokko, observing the city’s development since the 1995 Earthquake. Our exploration included the recovery process and a visit to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Museum, which featured a guided tour and a movie screening. 

 The following day, we delved into the history of the foreign settlement quarter and explored the local farmers market, renowned for its innovative approach to connect producers, consumers, and people from various backgrounds. The market, held every Saturday in a picturesque park, provided us with the opportunity to conduct interviews with over ten food stand operators, discussing their contributions to local farming, food security, and different recovery initiatives, as well as the establishment of local farm networks and distribution channels for wine, cheese, beer, and of course, vegetables. Additionally, we learned about collaborative workspaces, the utilization of akiya (vacant homes) for various purposes, startup promotions, and local tourism initiatives. 

The field trip concluded with a comprehensive tour of the Kobe harbor development, which included visits to the Tadao Ando Children’s Library, the Kiito Design Centre, and the Atoa Complex, along with the newly developed Tooth Tooth Food Market and the iconic Kobe Sign. The Kobe Fieldwork provided the participants with a broad spectrum of experiences, from historical sites and cultural landmarks to insights into disaster management and recovery strategies. More fieldtrips will follow in 2024.

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New Semester and Zemi

For some students it will be final semester and seminar work will be concluded resulting in diverse research projects related to urban sociology and cultural experiences. These projects encompass a wide range of topics and areas of investigation, including:

  1. Urban Renewal and Gentrification: Students explore how urban renewal initiatives and gentrification are impacting the fabric of neighborhoods in Tokyo and other Asian cities, considering their effects on local communities, businesses, and cultural heritage.
  2. Community Revitalization: Research projects delve into the efforts to revitalize local communities within urban settings. This might involve studying the role of local businesses, grassroots initiatives, and community engagement in driving revitalization.
  3. Urban Planning and Development: Students investigate the urban planning strategies and development projects shaping the physical and social landscape of Tokyo and other cities. This could include an examination of transportation infrastructure, green spaces, and architectural design.
  4. Cultural Diversity: Exploring the cultural diversity within urban environments is another avenue of research. This might involve studying cultural festivals, immigrant communities, or the influence of globalization on local traditions.
  5. Everyday Life in the City: Projects also focus on the daily experiences of residents in urban areas, shedding light on routines, challenges, and opportunities. This could encompass studies of work-life balance, commuting patterns, and leisure activities.
  6. Historical Perspectives: Some projects take a historical approach, tracing the evolution of urban areas and examining how past events and decisions have shaped the current urban landscape.
  7. Comparative Studies: Comparative research could involve analyzing similarities and differences between Tokyo and other Asian cities, drawing out lessons and insights that can be applied globally.

These research projects aim to deepen our understanding of urban life, culture, and society, with a focus on Tokyo and its counterparts in Asia. Students apply sociological and ethnographic research methods to explore these topics, and their findings will contribute to broader discussions about the dynamics of modern cities. More soon about the upcoming results

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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。

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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
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Chiyoda-ku Exhibition 2023

The seminar students prepared in June 2023 an exhibition which was displayed at the Kanda Campus of Senshu University, more can be found in this article: 

千代田区と区内の大学などが連携し、千代田区に関するさまざまな事象を調査・研究する2023年度「千代田学」に、専修大学国際コミュニケーション学部の土屋昌明教授が研究代表を務める事業が採択された。

　採択された事業は「文化的多様性を持つ千代田区の国際性に関する調査・研究――千代田区の街と人をめぐるフィールドワークとそのドキュメンタリー映像の制作」。昨年度に採択された課題を引き継ぐ形で、千代田区の国際性や文化的多様性を、街歩きをベースに探求。さらに映像として記録し、複数の言語の字幕をつけて発信することを目指す。同学部の今井ハイデ准教授、映画監督でもある船橋淳客員教授らが研究者・協力者として参加する。

　「都市と文化」をテーマする今井ゼミは、昨年度の千代田学にも協力した。今井ゼミで学生たちは神田神保町を中心に街歩きし、地域住民などにインタビューを重ねてきた。また、建築家でもある今井准教授の指導で、神田キャンパス周辺のジオラマを作製。今年6月に10号館に展示した。ジオラマは毎年、対象地域を拡大しながら作製していく予定だ。ゼミ生は「街を見わたすことで、さまざまな発見があった」「今まではキャンパスがある場所という認識だったが、歩いて、人々の話を聞くことで、神保町や千代田区に愛着がわいた」と活動に意欲的。

　土屋教授は「学生たちにはフィールドワークを通じて、ウォーカブル（歩きやすい・歩きたくなる）な千代田区をとらえ、自分たちの学びの場が持つ文化的・歴史的環境を再確認してほしい」と話す。

　千代田学では今後、船橋客員教授の作品上映やトークイベントなどを開催し、映像化に向け学生とともに活動を進めていく。

https://mainichi.jp/univ/articles/20230728/org/00m/100/055000c

https://www.senshu-u.ac.jp/news/nid00019868.html

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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

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Chiyoda Diaries Documentary

In May students started to prepare a new series of interviews for the upcoming screening of a documentary about everyday life and challenges in Tokyo’s neighbourhoods, this time focussing on Jinbocho, Kanda. The aim it is to highlight the challenges the residents and visitors face everyday to live and access this neighbourhood. This forms a unique chance for the students to conduct town walks and interviews at the same time, documenting their work and research not just in form of fieldnotes, visual sketches but also videomaterial which they can utilize to recall the fieldwork and support their findings.

As the work just started, the time of the screening and exhibition will be announced at a later date. More can be found here: https://heideimai.com/seminar-cities-culture-and-everyday-life-2022%e5%b9%b4%e5%be%8c%e6%9c%9f/

Image taken at https://www.instagram.com/coffeehousedue/

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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

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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
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Local Japan Podcast

Olivier and Jarrod from the Local Japan Podcast are hosting a regulary podcast to connect local Japan and its people to the world. Being recently invited to talk about lessons we can learn from rural Japan we talked about vernacular landscapes, sustainable shrinking and the passion to connect and communicate with people to share the wisdom of the rural Japanese landscape and how to protect it.

Here is the podcast, enjoy listening to it:

https://localjapan.substack.com/p/fe6b9740-227d-44e4-9b88-7656d5dac131#details

Stay also tuned for upcoming podcasts:

https://localjapan.substack.com/podcast

Local_Japan https://linktr.ee/localjapan

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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

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New Projects in 2023

After a slow start, new events and projects are emerging, including:

  1. A small book project with David Sim to show how to make cities for chidren
  2. A paper about subculture, covid-19 and urban borderlands
  3. A paper about the situation of creative industries during covid-19
  4. A new research project conducted with seminar students to show the diversity of Tokyo
  5. A new research project to discuss Tokyo’s future between tradition and modernity (including aspects as urban waterways, highways and micro plots)
  6. Presentations scheduled for New York, Melbourne and London
  7. Urban walks with professional urban planners scheduled for March and April
  8. New courses including sustainable career design and advanced urban theory starting in April and September.

More infos will follow soon

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Nikkei Shinbun Interview 7/12/2022

Recently our seminar was interviewed by Nikkei Shinbun. We talked about the fieldwork we currently conduct in Kanda Jinbocho and we were more than delighted to introduce the journalists to the connections we made overthe last months in the local community and how this will help to improve the character of this neighbourhood.

The article can be found here: /https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUB256M20V21C22A1000000/

English Version:

Senshu University, School of International Communication, Learning Culture through Experiences in Exchange
2022/12/07 Nihon Keizai Shimbun Morning Edition Page 31

　Senshu University’s School of International Communication is a new faculty created in the 2020 academic year. It provides opportunities for fieldwork, study abroad, and practical educational experiences. It aims to develop human resources who are well versed in Japanese culture and cross-cultural understanding and who can respond to globalization.
　In late November, five students from the Faculty of Intercultural Communication visited Yamatoya Shokumoten, a long-established geta store in Kanda Jimbocho, Tokyo. The purpose of their visit was to report their findings through SNS (social networking site).
　The store rents a part of the store to other kimono businesses. On the day of the visit, haori (Japanese traditional haori coat) and hand towels using a technique called chusen (tie-dyeing) were on display. Ryuhei Funabiki, the fifth-generation owner of the store, explained that he wanted to convey the charm of kimono, and the students exchanged opinions, saying, “It looks good even when worn over Western clothes.
　Associate Professor Imai Heide, who is teaching the seminar students, is from Germany and has practical experience in architecture and urban design. “Without the backing of a culture that is easy to empathize with, a community cannot be created. I hope to make students aware of this through a familiar city,” she says about the aim of this fieldwork.
　

The Faculty of International Communication has approximately 700 students in the Department of Intercultural Communication and the Department of Japanese Language. In the first year, all students learn the basics of Japanese culture and cross-cultural understanding. After that, each department cultivates expertise through study abroad, seminars, and practical experience.
　Communication across borders requires not only the ability to understand and use language, but also an understanding of cultural diversity and universality. In order to enable students to study a wide variety of topics, the department has assembled a faculty specializing in languages and interdisciplinary themes. Dean Tetsuro Negishi explains the department’s aim: “We provide students with a three-dimensional approach to the world and society.
　The Department of Intercultural Communication places emphasis on fieldwork and other practical activities. For the first time at Senshu University, students are required to study abroad. Department Chair Kenro Suzuki says, “We hope that students will gain a broad understanding of communication through local experiences.
　The Japanese Language Department, on the other hand, teaches Japanese as a global lingua franca. The students will deepen their knowledge in a practical manner by utilizing literature and materials. The leftward-facing face on the wall visually indicates the rule of reading characters from the left,” he said. Tomoe Konno, a second-year student in Professor Tatsuya Saito’s seminar on Japanese phonology and notation, shows and explains a manuscript of the “Shinkokin Wakashu.
　In Professor Saito’s seminar, students choose a subject of their choice, compile their findings into panels, and display them in the university library. Professor Saito says, “We devise ways for students to learn practical skills such as presentation, planning, and negotiation through the transmission of Japanese language. Journalists and actors are invited as lecturers to deepen students’ practical understanding of the Japanese language.
　For students who wish to become Japanese language teachers, a program to teach Japanese at schools in Japan and abroad is also available. More and more foreigners are becoming interested in Japan through animation and food culture. We will nurture human resources who can transmit the Japanese language, backed up by academic studies, to foreign countries.
　For the department, which focuses on real-life exchanges, the outbreak of the new coronavirus was a blow to the department. Some students had to postpone their planned study abroad programs. On the other hand, there were some positive outcomes, such as the start of online Japanese language joint research with a Croatian university with which the department had been in contact.
　The 2023 academic year will see the first graduates of the program. Dean Negishi is enthusiastic, saying, “We hope to send out people who can make use of what they have learned through their five senses in society.”

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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

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Autumn Semester 2022/2023

The new semester has started already and for the very first time a new zemi is aiming to raise students’ concern over their mundane everyday lives in the modern city. It encourages students to explore the sociological implications of urban cultural experiences. This subject also strengthens students’ skills of planning, developing and carrying out social science research(es). Emphasis is given to current cultural issues, changes and developments going on in Tokyo and other Asian cities (Seoul, Hongkong, Shanghai, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore) while taking global and regional factors into account.  We will take up the challenge of demonstrating what, how and why we can learn from cities as Tokyo. To do so, we will study the hidden aspects of the city, discovering, remembering and re-telling the tales and everyday stories from the past to the present day.  

Research projects will focus on the diversity of the Chiyoda-ku ward and other surrounding areas, and results of the group and individual fieldwork conducted will be featured here:

https://heideimai.com/seminar-cities-culture-and-everyday-life-2022%e5%b9%b4%e5%be%8c%e6%9c%9f/

and upcoming exhibitions, symposiums and publications. Stay tuned!

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Upcoming Tomorrow u:lecture University Vienna Neighborhood Tokyo: Creative Urban Milieus as Places of Innovation and Polarization

30.06.2022 12:30 – 14:00 European time/ 19.30-21:00 Japan time

A virtual u:japan lunch lecture by Heide Imai (Senshu University)

| Abstract |

Against the background of the new attractiveness of urban centers, creative people are gaining more and more importance as potential initiators for various urban development processes. On the one hand, the activation and participation of these creative people is important in order to integrate innovative potential into various development processes, on the other hand, creative people are showing increasing interest in the development of their city and are demanding their participation. 

In Tokyo, creatives represent a relatively hidden but important part of the larger creative ecosystem, made up of many different influential stakeholders (e.g. state, city authorities, big companies and foreign investors), all of which actively contribute to its functioning. As such, creative actors occupy a unique meta-position between the two worlds of creativity, as they are both part of everyday neighborhood life and part of the larger economic system in which they (want) to thrive. Therefore, they also can also be described as ‘facilitators’, bridging the two dimensions of Tokyo’s creative ecosystem, as their hybrid, bi-directional role enables the important exchange between systematic/economic and neighborhood creativity. 

This lecture aims to illuminate and better understand the role of existing creative urban milieus in the urban development of Tokyo. Various neighborhoods of Tokyo are introduced and ‘walked through’ (Bakurochō, Hikifune, Kyōjima, Ichigaya, Kiyosumi Shirakawa, Kōenji, Kuramae) to capture how milieu-bound creativity as a collective network resource has and is affecting Tokyo’s urban development, especially during and after the Covid -19 Pandemic. 

| Bio |

Dr. Heide Imai, Architect and since 2020 Associate Professor at Senshu University, Faculty of Intercultural Communication, and Research Associate at Keio University, studied architecture, cultural studies and urban sociology in Leipzig, Rotterdam, Oxford and Manchester. Author of Tokyo Roji: The Diversity and Versatility of Alleyways in a City in Transition (Routledge, 2017), Asian Alleyways: An Urban Vernacular in Times of Globalization (with M. Gibert-Flutre, Amsterdam University Press, 2020), Creativity in Tokyo : Revitalizing a Mature City (with M. Ursic, Palgrave Macmillan, 2020). She is primarily concerned with urban places, through which we can understand urban development processes between revitalization and decay, creativity and sustainability. A new publication on the subject entitled Everyday Yokohama – Neighborhoods between Decline and Revival will be published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2022.

| Date & Time |

u:japan lecture | s04e13
Thursday 2022-06-30, 12:30~14:00
max. 300 participants (online) 

| Plattform & Link |

https://univienna.zoom.us/j/67211020753?pwd=L29xb2xJK2QvVTYyekRJRC8yKzhQUT09
Meeting-ID: 672 1102 0753 | PW: 154699

Instructions and Netiquette (in English and German)
How to join a lecture via Zoom Meeting (in English)
Frequently Asked Questions (in English)

| Further Questions? |

Please contact ujapanlectures.ostasien@univie.ac.at or visit https://japanologie.univie.ac.at/ujapanlectures/s04/#e13.

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u:japan Lecture 30 June 2022

Its my honour to invite you to a u:japan lecture covering the following research:

Neighborhood Tokyo: Creative Urban Milieus as Places of Innovation and Polarization 

Against the background of the new attractiveness of urban centers, creative people are gaining more and more importance as potential initiators for various urban development processes. On the one hand, the activation and participation of these creative people is important in order to integrate innovative potential into various development processes, on the other hand, creative people are showing increasing interest in the development of their city and are demanding their participation. 

Iin Tokyo, creatives represent a relatively hidden but important part of the larger creative ecosystem, made up of many different influential stakeholders (e.g. state, city authorities, big companies and foreign investors), all of which actively contribute to its functioning. As such, creative actors occupy a unique meta-position between the two worlds of creativity, as they are both part of everyday neighborhood life and part of the larger economic system in which they (want) to thrive. Therefore, they also can also be described as ‘facilitators’, bridging the two dimensions of Tokyo’s creative ecosystem, as their hybrid, bi-directional role enables the important exchange between systematic/economic and neighborhood creativity. 

This lecture aims to illuminate and better understand the role of existing creative urban milieus in the urban development of Tokyo. Various neighborhoods of Tokyo are introduced and ‘walked through’ (Bakurochō, Hikifune, Kyōjima, Ichigaya, Kiyosumi Shirakawa, Kōenji, Kuramae) to capture how milieu-bound creativity as a collective network resource has and is affecting Tokyo’s urban development, especially during and after the Covid -19 Pandemic. 

Everybody welcome, please find more infos here https://japanologie.univie.ac.at/startseite/einzelnews/news/neighborhood-tokyo-creative-urban-milieus-as-places-of-innovation-and-polarization/?tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&cHash=ca6473709a02c8c6261006bd3534298e

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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

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Symposium PUBLIC SPACES IN CENTRAL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOODS IN CANBERRA AND TOKYO March 16 2022

This symposium invites internationally recognised urban designers/thinkers/academics to discuss the role and future of public spaces.

About this event

The definition of the public space and its significance has been gaining importance in academic discussions recognising the crisis and the need to rethink them. COVID-19 has provoked changes in our everyday life and as we emerge (perhaps only temporary) from the pandemic we invite you to a discussion on the role and future of public spaces. The symposium reviews some of the findings from two cities Tokyo and Canberra and invites internationally recognised urban designers to open discussion through the multicultural exchange.

Please register here:

Register on Eventbrite
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Dr. Heide Imai & Dr. Susanne Klien: „Tokyo Living 2.0 – Neue Wohn- und Arbeitswelten Post-Covid“

OAG Tokyo Reihe

Es ist nicht zu leugnen – die Corona-Pandemie hat das Leben, wie wir es kennen, verändert. Soziale Distanzierungsmaßnahmen, Selbstisolation und Telearbeit sind zur Norm geworden und haben unsere Wertvorstellung von ‚Leben‘, ‚Wohnen‘ und ‚Arbeiten‘ gewandelt. COVID-19 hat auch die Art und Weise, wie man in Japan arbeitet und lebt, erheblich beeinflusst, erkennbar z.B. an der Empfehlung, die „drei Cs“ (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings = geschlossene Räume, überfüllte Orte und Umgebungen mit engem Kontakt) zu vermeiden.

In dieser Diskussionsrunde werden wir daher erörtern, wie sich die Wohn- und Arbeitswelten in Tokyo als Stadt und Japan als Land modifiziert haben und welche Wege eingeschlagen wurden, um (kreativ) auf die Pandemie zu reagieren. Zu Beginn stellen wir verschiedene Konzepte und Projekte vor, die während der Corona-Krise in Tokyo zu beobachten waren bzw. entstanden sind, gefolgt von neu gestalteten Wohn- und Lebenswelten außerhalb Tokyos (z.B. Onomichi, Shirahama) und anderen Städten weltweit im Vergleich (Vorstellung Forschungsprojekte Tokyo – Canberra bzw. Japan, Slowenien und Deutschland). Neue Ideen bzw. Begriffe wie z.B. Workcation, Urban-Rural Linkage und Lifestyle Entrepreneurs werden dabei ebenso erklärt bzw. debattiert, wie auch die weitreichenden Auswirkungen dieser Tendenzen auf die Zukunft Tokyos, besonders auf die Bevölkerung der Stadt, die 2021 das erste Mal seit 26 Jahren geschrumpft ist.

Tokyo Living: Neue Wohnen und Arbeitswelten
Konzept: Urban-Rural Linkages
Japan Living: Wohnen und Arbeiten außerhalb Tokyos (Shirahama / Onomichi)
Konzept: Lifestyle Entrepreneurs
Tokyo im internationalen Vergleich
(Tokyo/ Canberra und Japan/ Slovenien/ Deutschland)

Gesprächsteilnehmerinnen:
Dr. Heide Imai, Architektin, Associate Professorin an der Senshū Universität, Fakultät für Interkulturelle Kommunikation. Sie beschäftigt sich vor allem mit urbanen Orten, durch die wir Stadtentwicklungsprozesse zwischen Revitalisierung und Verfall, Kreativität und Nachhaltigkeit verstehen können. Eine neue Publikation zum Thema mit dem Titel Everyday Yokohama – Neighbourhoods between Decline and Revival wird 2022 bei Palgrave Macmillan erscheinen. Persönliche Webseite von Heide Imai.

Dr. Susanne Klien ist Associate Professorin im Modern Japanese Studies Program der Hokkaidō Universität. Ihre Forschungsthemen sind u.a. regionale Revitalisierung, Traditionen im ländlichen Japan, transnationale Migration. Sie veröffentlichte Urban Migrants in Rural Japan: Between Agency and Anomie in a Post-growth Society (SUNY Press 2020).

Moderation: Dr. Mechthild Duppel

Datum und Zeit:30.Maerz 2022, 18.30-20.00 Uhr (Japan), 11.30-13.00 Uhr (MESZ)
(ACHTUNG: in Europa gilt wieder SOMMERZEIT, der Zeitunterschied zu Japan beträgt 7 Stunden!)

Zoom-Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83572742663?pwd=T1psbWc2cXJla3FOaTYxck1WQ05FZz09
Meeting ID: 835 7274 2663
Passcode: 546682

https://oag.jp/events/dr-heide-imai-dr-susanne-klien-tokyo-living-2-0-neue-wohn-und-arbeitswelten-post-covid/

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INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT

We, a research team based at Senshu University Japan and University of Canberra, Australia, made a short survey to find out how outdoor activities and the use of different public spaces changed due to covid-19. The survey takes only 3-5min and we would appreciate all the help we can get, especially if you live in Japan. Many thanks in advance.

Survey in English and Japanese available

https://lnkd.in/e6Dra_Rk

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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

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AAS2022 Panel

Panel Title: “Reflections on COVID–19, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and their Legacies for Old, Poor, Disabled, Immigrant, and Sexual Minority Communities in Japan”

Friday March 25, 2022, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM

Panel Abstract: “The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and ongoing COVID–19 crisis have provided spaces for advocacy for old, poor, disabled, immigrant, and sexual minority communities in Japan. By passing laws, producing media, and redesigning cityscapes, advocates and members of the general public have contributed to projects to build a more inclusive society. Despite their contributions (or perhaps because of them), such projects have frequently failed to combat discrimination, improve accessibility, and correct for longstanding economic inequalities. In this panel, we consider some of the factors that constrained efforts to use the 2020 Games and COVID–19 crisis to promote diversity in Japan while utilizing our case studies to suggest paths for a more inclusive future. By combining disciplinary approaches from History, Anthropology, Political Science, and Urban Studies, we demonstrate how advocates and regular citizens alike empowered some marginalized persons at the expense of others and show how their exclusions may influence broader communities inside and outside Japan. Ultimately, our empirical analyses act as a gateway to explore prescriptive policy interventions and avenues for community action.

Our panel consists of three core presentations and commentary from discussant Robin Kietlinski. 

In the first presentation, Mark Bookman and Celeste Arrington discuss how disability advocates used the 2020 Games to expand on decades of activism for accessibility and enact new policies, which removed barriers for some individuals but erected them for others with conflicting needs. By tracing the development and implementation of those policies, Bookman and Arrington show how they helped reify hierarchies of inequality across impairment type, age, and gender in Japan.

In the second presentation, Heide Imai and Milica Muminovic show that a (re)definition of public space has gained significance in recent academic discourses recognising moments of crisis and the need to rethink how different groups perceive, use, and design public spaces. The central argument of their presentation is that public spaces serve a variety of purposes and are crucial for socially vulnerable groups including low-income residents, immigrant and elderly populations. In making their argument, Imai and Muminovic illustrate the importance of understanding how the needs of vulnerable groups will be accounted for in future public space designs and practices. 

In the final presentation, Thomas Baudinette considers how discourses of hope that emerged in mainstream Japanese media prior to the Games concerning the emancipation of sexual minority communities should be considered in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s frustration of meaningful social change within Tokyo’s gay nightlife district of Shinjuku Ni-chome. While demonstrating how systems of xenophobic and gendered discrimination were not dismantled during this seminal moment in recent Japanese history, Baudinette nevertheless reveals that his interlocutors’ hopes continue to build emancipatory queer futures for a post-Games, post-COVID world.

Disciplines: History, Anthropology, Urban Studies, Law

Keywords: Japan, COVID–19, Olympics, Accessibility, Inclusion

—————————————————————————————————-

Paper 1.

Title: “Policy Change in the Shadow of the Olympics: Disability Activism and Accessibility Reforms in Japan”

Presenters: Celeste L. Arrington and Mark R. Bookman

Abstract: “The preparation, execution, and aftermath of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo have provided domestic stakeholders opportunities to leverage international scrutiny and deadlines to pressure policymakers to pass reforms, including measures to improve accessibility. However, the games alone are not sufficient to explain the scope and consequences of recent accessibility measures. We argue that researchers must also consider the impact of historical contingencies such as decades of activism for accessibility by affected parties (tōjisha), the 3/11 triple disaster, and Japan’s 2014 ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in order to understand how the games catalyzed reforms and empowered some (but not all) populations of disabled people. Drawing on government records, news reports, and documents from disability organizations, we unpack the causal mechanisms that linked activism for accessibility to policy outcomes and in so doing contribute to studies of minority social movements and policy processes in Japan. Our analysis also demonstrates how disability activists contributed to a recent “legalistic turn” in Japanese governance, characterized by detailed rules and enforcement mechanisms, through accessibility projects. Those projects improved accessibility for some disabled individuals but engineered difficulties for others with conflicting needs, reinforcing inequalities across impairment type, age, and gender inside Japan.”

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Paper 2.

Title: “Access for all? Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Covid-19 and the Future of Public Spaces”

Presenters: Heide Imai and Milica Muminovic 

Abstract: “What does it mean for vulnerable communities to have to access and actively use public spaces, especially in times of crisis? We discuss in this paper how the use and behavior observed in different neighborhoods and public spaces in Tokyo has changed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results are based on ethnographic observations, survey and interview data collected during different lock-down phases in 2020 and 2021. The data shows that regular behavior and access pattern of vulnerable groups (including different immigrant groups, low-income residents and elderly) have significantly been influenced by different social-distancing measurements, from 1) being totally invisible, 2) re-appearing in different form and pattern, and 3) being heavily regulated again to stage the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.  Our findings show how the access to public spaces was/is heavily disrupted by the measurements implemented and we conclude this paper with recommendations about what should be done to allow all communities to (re-)gain their right and access to a diversity of public spaces. To do so, we argue that different stakeholders have to find new ways, tangible and intangible, to reconnect basic communication lines between users and designers, as observed disruptions mirror the ongoing trends of Japan’s restructuring, especially in terms of basic economic needs and social changes affecting the right to the city during and after mega events as the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Thus, in what way can we use these disruptions as a chance to re-design public spaces that facilitate nourishing and care-full relations?”

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Paper 3.

Title: “Queer Hopes Frustrated by the Pandemic?: Theorizing Queer Futurity from Tokyo’s Gay Nightlife District”

Presenter: Thomas Baudinette
Abstract: “From 2015 until 2017, Japanese media underwent a so-called LGBT Boom as debates concerning queer rights emerged as a prominent topic. Simultaneously, informants I interviewed in Tokyo’s gay nightlife district of Shinjuku Ni-chōme consistently positioned the upcoming Tokyo Olympics as a moment when Japan’s somewhat parochial queer culture would undergo significant transformations. My interlocutors voiced hopes that a renewed focus on queer rights in the district would shift systems of xenophobic and gendered discrimination central to Japan’s gay male culture. Hope represented a resource that young gay men traveling to this important queer space would deploy to combat discrimination they had faced in both mainstream society and within Shinjuku Ni-chōme itself. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world and anti-Olympics sentiment developed in Japan during 2020 and 2021, there is a need to complicate arguments about the hopes expressed by young gay men during the LGBT Boom to re-theorize queer futurity in the post-COVID Japanese context. In this presentation, I marry a critical discursive analysis of social and traditional media debates concerning Shinjuku Ni-chōme during the pandemic and Tokyo Olympics to a queer affective reading of my interlocutors’ narratives of hope from the earlier LGBT Boom to explore slippages in articulations of the future. Rather than adopting an overly pessimistic reading, however, my analysis of hope before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 Olympics reveals how concerns in the present among young gay men are mobilized to produce queer knowledge that is fundamentally emancipatory in its future orientation. ”

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Talk 19 November 2021, Global Floor, Senshu University

(バーチャル）グローバルフロア―の催し第８回のお知らせです。先生がどんな研究をし
ているのか、お話を聞いてみましょう！
今井ハイデ先生
Tokyo Roji – The Diversity and Versatility of Alleys in a City in Transition
(東京路地―遷移における市の路地の多様性と汎用性）
2021 年 11 月 19 日（金）16:35～18:05


The back alleys of Tokyo used to be a place for ordinary people’s daily lives, but they gradually changed their appearance due to complex interests. Pushed by the emergence of new forms of dwellings and public spaces, relocated as non-traditional sites, recreated by modern urban design discourses, the social significance now attached to alleys is personal speculation. It has been reinterpreted in various ways by subcultures and new social movements. In the lecture, we will introduce and consider examples of urban practices that take place in the dynamic urban landscape of modern Tokyo, and depict the life cycle of urban forms that are found again as physical spaces, commercialized, and lost.


東京の路地裏は、かつて庶民の日常生活の場で あったが、複雑な利害関係によって次第にその姿 を変えていった。住居や公共空間の新しい形態の 出現によって押しやられ、従来とは異なる用地と して再配置され、現代のアーバンデザイン・ディス コースによって再創生され、いまや路地に付され た社会的意義は、個人の思惑や、サブカルチャー、新しい社会運動などによってさまざまに再解釈さ れている。講義では、現代 東京のダイナミックな 都市景観のなかで行われる都市の慣行例を紹介・考察し、物理的な空間として再び見いだされ、商品 化されて、失われるという都市形態のライフサイ クルを描き出している。

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Tokyo Design Studio – Talk HTWK Leipzig, Germany

Kiyosumi Shirakawa

On 27th October 2021 I was honoured to give a talk as part of the opening of the Tokyo Design Studio, run this semester by Prof. Anthusa Loeffler at the Faculty of Architecture and Social Science, HTWK Leipzig, Germany.

Talking about megacity Tokyo, students were supposed to get an idea about the current problems taking place in Tokyo, including rising environmental issues more and more local neighbourhoods are facing. Even in a global city like Tokyo many small houses and units are empty, falling apart (and becoming a rising obstacle and danger in case of disasters), so what to do with this unrecognized resources?

Studio Gross followed with a very interesting talk about the reality and real issues people in such neighbourhoods are facing and how to tackle such problems. After this introduction it is now up to the students to come up with interesting and innovative ideas, how to improve this situation, so lets stay tuned about the solutions they will develop.

More about this topic on:

http://studio-gross.de/

http://studio-gross.de/https://fas.htwk-leipzig.de/architektur/personen/cv-seiten/loeffler-anthusa/

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A+U Special Issue 2021

A special issue of A+U will be published on 8 November 2021, to which I provided a short article entitled “Tokyo Above and Below – The Neglected and Poor of the City, in Radovic, D. Tokyo Diversities, A+U, Architecture and Urbanism Magazine, Tokyo: Shinkenchiku-Sha Co.” discussing problems as marginalisation, poverty and homelessness in contemporary Tokyo.

More can be found here:

https://japan-architect.co.jp/information/

https://www.core.place/post/a-u-special-issue-edited-by-darko

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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

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3rd Workshop: Public spaces in central residential neighbourhoods

Phase mapping: Canberra: Understanding the city through the scales of urban relationships

Public spaces in central residential neighbourhoods: workshop 3: excellent talk and introduction to Canberra: Understanding the city through scales of urban relationships by PhD candidate Viktoria Holmik

On 13 October 2021 Viktoria Holmik was leading the discussion on the future of Canberra/ connectivity/ roles of green spaces/ mega events/ global futures/ identity @ausjapanfoundation @architecture_uc, Many thanks for the great talk and we look forward to the next steps. #ucbuiltenvironment #citymapping #publicspace #urban #豪日交流基金 #canberra #gardencity #postcovid19

More on: https://www.facebook.com/City-Milieu-102215982017149/

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Gentrification Symposium 2022

Neighborhood Transformation in East Asian Cities: Is “Gentrification” the Right Frame of Reference?

15 – 17 May 2022 (Postponed from August 2021), hybrid set-up

In this symposium, we are interested in the following question: Is “gentrification” the best concept with which to describe what is going on in Asian cities, or do we need other—or additional—frames to understand the Asian context at the neighborhood level? Our goals in this symposium are to 1) understand what is going on at the neighborhood level in Asia; and 2) identify more appropriate terms and lenses with which to describe transformations in Asian cities, using locally-specific language and frameworks.

The geographical scope of the symposium is East Asia, including Northeast Asia and the ASEAN countries in Southeast Asia. Contributions may be in the form of individual case studies or comparative work involving multiple cities in the region. Selected papers presented at the symposium will be published together as an edited volume or a special journal issue, depending on the strength and coherence of the contributions.  

Given the ongoing uncertainties arising from Covid-19, this will be a blended event with participants (both panelists and audience members) having the option to join the panel proceedings online if travel to Chiba is not possible, or if they prefer to participate online.

Panel: Heide Imai, Florian Purkarthofer

Gentrification, Revitalization or what: Changing Spaces, Places and Scapes in Japan

While the core meaning of gentrification – the spatial expression of economic inequality – is still a relevant research topic for metropolitan regions, the forms, structures and processes of urban change are differing by place and neighborhood. Yet, there is also a rich discourse about revitalization and recovery of cities and neighborhoods, facing population decline due to aging and migration into the metropolitan areas. Looking at newly opened coffee shop, galleries and shared work spaces in those places, one might be forced to rethink the overly simplified dichotomy of gentrification (bad) and revitalization (good). Hence, the paper tries to move beyond such concepts to ask how the ambiguity of urban change can be understood.

The case studies — rich in data and from different urban spheres in Japan, which experienced decline, failure but also rebirth and revival — allow us to develop a deeper understanding for the ongoing restructuring processes which happen around us, yet we cannot fully understand until we know how they affect the everyday life of the ordinary residents, users and visitors (often in contrasting ways). We use metropolitan case studies from Tokyo (Kiyosumi Shirakawa) and outside the metropolitan area (Morioka) to substantiate our pursuit. While the influx of richer households is still replacing poorer tenants in Tokyo, the arrival of new (wealthy) people in many shrinking cities throw-out japan is perceived as a blessing, reducing the number of deserted houses. And while some symptoms might seem similar, the actual meaning and impact on the city and its social fabrics can be antithetic.

Focusing on changing spaces in contemporary Japan, we try to show that urban change is multifaceted and context-sensitive and that it needs more than two buzzwords to grasp its complexity.

More here: https://ukna.asia/gentrification

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Space, Culture and Non-verbal Communication

guest lecture

When preparing some guest lectures we revisited with the students the work of Edward T.Hall who established e.g the concept of:

´High context ´In a high-context culture, there are many contextual elements that help people to understand the rules. As a result, much is taken for granted. This can be very confusing for person who does not understand the ‘unwritten rules’ of the culture.

´Low context ´In a low-context culture, very little is taken for granted. Whilst this means that more explanation is needed, it also means there is less chance of misunderstanding particularly when visitors are present.

He established in his book ´In The Hidden Dimension’ (1966), his theory of proxemics (= the study of the human use of space within the context of culture), arguing that human perceptions of space, although derived from sensory apparatus that all humans share, are moulded and patterned by culture. ´Differing cultural frameworks for defining and organizing space, which are internalized in all people at an unconscious level, can lead to serious failures of communication and understanding in cross-cultural settings.’

We could argue that this especially applies to Japan and post-pandemic, post-olympic settings urge us even more to find better design practices to respond this changes in an efficient way.

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New Reviews

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Reviews about “Asian Alleyways” (with Marie Gibert-Flutre)

“The rich ethnographic data provide insights into how to address the central question posed in the book, which asks what the future roles and functions of the old alleyways are in the modern city. Each chapter elucidates the potential of alleyways by examining their transformations and functions, explaining the conflicts and initiatives, and underlining concerns and uncertainties. Together, they develop new perspectives on the laneways through the concepts of marginalization and reintegration. […] Asian Alleyways opens up questions that will interest architects, urban planners and designers, as well as policymakers interested in the spatial qualities and dynamics of these alleyways.”
– Ha Minh Hai Thai, School of Architecture and Urban Design, RMIT University, Melbourne, Journal of Urban Design, 2021

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13574809.2021.1880267?journalCode=cjud20

“The volume edited by Marie Gibert-Flutre and Heide Imai approaches the ever-changing, multi-faceted Asian alleyways as spaces of everyday practice through dense de-scriptions of the quotidian and interviews with urban planners, businesspeople, and the residents of these “liminal places” ( Jones 2007), thus bringing to light these often neglected—in real life as well as in academia—in-between spaces.The volume presents a fascinating kaleidoscope of rich ethnographic detail gathered from metropoles across Asia, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing, To-kyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Shanghai, Taipei, and Hong Kong. It furthers discussions on how spaces create collectives, how collectives create space, and how social change, local politics, and recent modes of globalization impact lived realities in Asian cities.” Daniel BULTMANN, Humboldt-Universität Berlin,

https://revije.ff.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/9891/9409?fbclid=IwAR3FMTM1eOeAWaOAlMpu4EhhLsWxYj3cnnv03-Jos8-JAzB_CzUFNiM3bLY

Review about “Creativity in Tokyo” (with Matjaz Ursic)

https://urbaniizziv.uirs.si/Portals/urbaniizziv/Clanki/2021/urbani-izziv-en-2021-32-01-06.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3SLR0nL_J0k5qGtHI6_DebPR-VyBTRN-tIm10dF7FBiLWK8Volv3Wmfaw

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Studio Gross and OGU MAG

OGU

2021 is almost half way done and its always good to make new connections to learn more about the most urgent issues living in this megalopolis. Studio Gross is run by Anne and Sebastian Gross and they established a place which is not only caring to discover but also serving the local neighbourhood in e.g. renovating old and vacant akiya (houses) and organizing events, exhibitions and talks in a local studio they rent inside the long shotengai (shopping street) in Ogu, North Tokyo. Features is the recent renovation of OGU MAG. Looking forward to some great collaboration projects.

They do so much more, so have a look at their website and other social media accounts:

http://studio-gross.de/

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Sustainability Live Talk Interview

Today I was invited by Joy Jarman-Walsh, hosting regular Sustainability Live Talks, to talk about different research projects in Japan and Asia, about backstreet heritage, traditions and the wisdoms of the locals to inspire new approaches of revitalization, resilience, creativity, innovation and sustainable practices including tourism. Many thanks and hopefully more chances for exchange follow 🙂

Please watch the interview here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBQmzvy020Y

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Rural Creativity and Resilience

Local Yonezawa

Different disasters throughout history have prompted Japan to develop diverse approaches to recovery, revitalization, and local resilience. The current global COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. In this project, we argue the need to study its impacts on Japan’s rural areas, which were already experiencing socioeconomic decline. Rural Japan, including Ishinomaki has also been undergoing extensive post-disaster reconstruction after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), notably through diverse 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 research examines also other interesting examples in which creativity played a key role in revitalization, recovery, and community resilience. The project 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 information and updates can be found here:

https://www.researchgate.net/project/Rural-Creativity-in-Japan

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1st workshop Public spaces in central residential neighbourhoods: from neglect to resilience in Canberra and Tokyo

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Research project: Public spaces in central residential neighbourhoods: from neglect to resilience that aims to compare Canberra and Tokyo spaces::asking questions on future role of public spaces kicks off today with joint workshop/symposium session and student presentations @architecture_uc @ausjapanfoundation #豪日交流基金 #ajf #ucbuiltenvironment #fadartanddesign #mapping #publicspace

Starting our our new research project, kick off event and if you want to take part in one of the future workshops, we are more than happy if you get in touch, many thanks!

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Talk DJG 29 May 2021


Lecture Tokyo between Edo and Meiji
Saturday, May 29th, 2021 (start: 11:00 a.m. German time/18pm Tokyo time)

Lecture Tokyo between Edo and Meiji

Speaker: Dr. Heide Imai (Senshu University, Faculty of Intercultural Communication)

More than a million people lived in Edo as early as the 18th century and the city soon became the political and cultural center of the country alongside Kyoto. In 1869 the city became an imperial residence and since then has been called Tokyo, “Eastern Capital”. Today more than 9 million people live in Tokyo and around 36 million people in the entire metropolitan area. And the city continues to grow, or so it seems. In this lecture we want to find out how the city of Edo has grown into one of the largest cities in the world and has been known since 1869 for its numerous facets and equally diverse history, situated in the tension between tradition and modernity.

Online here:

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Edo Tokyo

When Tokugawa Ieyasu took control of the provinces around Tokyo Bay in 1590 as part of an exchange of territory, he decided to make the insignificant Edo his headquarters. Edo was now the political center of Japan, Kyoto remained the formal capital of the country as the seat of the Tenno. The large-scale castle, surrounded by the “Inner Trench” (Uchibori) with its branch trenches and more than 20 gates, was supplemented by the “Outer Trench” (Sotobori) with 10 gates. The city expanded significantly before the Outer Rift and occupied an area that is now enclosed by the Yamanote Line, to which the areas beyond the Sumida were added. Yamate / Yama-no-tem, “Mountain side” (山 手 / 山 の 手) refers to the hills in the west and north of the city.

In this area, the urban structure is determined by the fact that roads were laid along the heights or along the valleys and that these were connected by hillside paths (sakamichi). Many sakamichi had (nick) names, which are remembered today with inscribed wooden pillars. The plain towards the sea (including the areas extracted from the sea) formed the “lower town” (下町, shitamachi).

After the shogunate was dissolved in 1868, the new government renamed the city Tokyo (“eastern capital”) and moved the seat of the young emperor in 1869 from Kyoto to Tokyo, turning the city in a global metropolis with a very dynamic culture influenced by Eastern tradition and western modernity. The city was badly damaged by the Kantō earthquake (1923) and almost completely destroyed in the Second World War . As such, the city was rebuilt twice and the city structure was changed by new streets, but if you look carefully you can still see the old Edo under today’s Tokyo.

In a talk, scheduled for 29 May 2021 we will highlight how Edo became Tokyo, how the city changed under the new Meiji government and which traces of Edo Tokyo can be found until today. More details follow soon.

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Tokyo’s creative urban milieus

Bakurocho

Against the background of the new attractiveness of urban centers, creatives are becoming more important as potential sources of inspiration for various urban development processes. On the one hand, the activation or participation of these creatives is important to include their innovative potential in various development processes, on the other hand they show an increasing interest in the development of their city and are demanding their participation. Even in Tokyo, creative people are a relatively hidden but important part of the larger creative ecosystem that is made up of many different influential interest groups (e.g. state,
city authorities, large corporations and foreign investors), all active to contribute to its functioning.

Against the background of the new attractiveness of urban centers, creatives are becoming more important as potential sources of inspiration for various urban development processes. On the one hand, the activation or participation of these creatives is important in order to incorporate their innovative potential into various development processes; on the other hand, creatives are showing increasing interest in the development of their city and demanding their participation. In Tokyo, too, creatives are a relatively hidden but important part of the larger creative ecosystem, made up of many different influential stakeholders (e.g., government, city authorities, large corporations, and foreign investors) who all actively contribute to its functioning.

Creative actors occupy a unique metaposition between the two worlds of creativity as they are both part of the everyday neighborhood as well part of the larger economic system in which they (want to) thrive. This is why Tokyo’s creatives can also be referred to as ‘mediators’ who represent a bridge between the two dimensions of Tokyo’s creative ecosystem, as their hybrid, bidirectional role is very important to enable the exchange between systematic / economic and neighborhood creativity.

To illuminate and better understand the urban transformation of Tokyo, different neighborhoods in Tokyo are presented and ‘walked through’ to understand how the environment-bound creativity as a collective network resource has and will influence the urban development of Tokyo, especially during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The talk will take place on 31 March 2021, 16-17.30pm Tokyo time, please register here:

https://oag.jp/events/dr-heide-imai-nachbarschaft-tokyo-kreativ-urbane-milieus-als-orte-der-innovation-und-polasierung/

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Outlook 2021

Happy New Year 2021 and being back in the office, the year 2021 looks like a fresh start as several new ideas turned into new research projects and publications, and before shortly talking about some of them, lets review what 2020 brought:

  • starting a new job right during a global pandemic, incl. online teaching and learning
  • two new books published, one edited book and one written with a co-author, many thanks to all
  • two book chapters published
  • two journal papers published
  • four journal papers reviewed and two book reviews written for journals
  • research funding secured for 2021 and 2022
  • presentations given at three conferences online, plus several invited talks, lectures and a book talk
  • several webinars, seminars and workshops attended online, covering the areas of Asian, Japanese, Cultural and Urban Studies,

so all in all 2020 was a good year and 2021 may offer new chances including:

  1. Cross-cultural research project based in Japan and Australia, discussing the relationship between public space, global pandemics and how to secure that vulnerable groups are included in programs addressing and securing the possibility of diverse uses
  2. New monograph focusing on the case of Yokohama, describing how the city has used different approaches to revitalize urban areas, resulting in new everyday realities for in- and outsiders, https://www.researchgate.net/project/Everyday-Yokohama
  3. Papers addressing the lesson we can learn from the creative industries in shrinking areas in Japan, discussing their resilience level to overcome future global crisis
  4. Papers discussing the role of creative revitalization, gentrification and local governance in different scales, places and spaces in Japan and Asia, https://www.researchgate.net/project/Creativity-and-Urban-Revitalization
  5. Presentations planned for conferences in Singapore, Kyoto and Chiba, Japan, https://www.iias.asia/events/icas-12

Lets see how 2021 will turn out but first of all I wish you all the best and stay safe!

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Social Capital, Innovation, and Local Resilience: Tokyo Neighbourhood in Times of Crisis

small creative actors

This paper is based on research that centres on the city of Tokyo, a mature city that is experiencing various transformations, in order to show how social capital and innovation can help build up resilient communities. It presents two major topics: 1) the potential of localities and their social capital and social innovation to actively react to change, and 2) the role of localities for inclusive urban governance. By focusing on five small neighbourhoods in the south of Taito-ward in central-east Tokyo, the paper addresses the following questions: a) what kinds of social networks and interaction exist at the local level, b) how are residents contributing to neighbourhood revitalization and community identity, and c) what are specific examples of social innovative practices, emerging in periods of crisis, in the case-study area as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic? By adopting a mixed methods approach drawing especially on in-depth interviews conducted with a range of independent business owners, the study reveals the dynamics between long-term residents and newcomers as they negotiate shared identities that continue to shape the present and future of some of Tokyo’s oldest neighbourhoods. The research findings highlight the need for good urban governance to draw on an improved understanding of the potential of localities, place-based social capital building, and new social practices that are emerging in local third sectors, such as volunteer-run industry-based organizations, which are vital in maintaining informal networks as an alternative to more traditional neighbourhood groups to bond, bridge, and link diverse community members, Authors: Heide IMAI, Yao JI

appearing 01.2021 Asian Studies Journal, Special Issues Local Transformations in Urban Asia,

https://revije.ff.uni-lj.si/as/announcement/view/87

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Global Landscape of Subculture

サブカルチャー的空間というグローバル・ランドスケー
プ：高円寺の事例より
Global Landscape of Subculture Spaces: The Case of Kōenji, Tokyo

This paper presents the neighbourhood Koenji, Tokyo to show how urban neighbourhoods in Japan are increasingly transformed by diverse and competing interests. Gentrified through the emergence of new forms of housing, public spaces and re-appropriated by different fields, the local community is re-interpreted by individuals, subcultures and new social movements to fit hybrid and multiple concepts of living and lifestyles. Drawing on ethnographic data, this paper investigates the kind of functions the community fulfilled in the past, the qualities of urban life that have been lost, changed or re-integrated. Providing multiple narratives of change, the paper’s main purpose is to critically reflect on the gentrification of the neighbourhood, arguing that similar cases exist in cities worldwide, including for example Berlin and Amsterdam, which should be studied and compared with each other to understand how different urban transformation processes affect the local community and everyday urban life at the micro-level

appearing 01/2021 in Japanese in 造園学会誌84-4号特集号執筆

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Poverty in Tokyo – Life in 2020

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“On February 20, 2012, the death of a family of three people was reported from Saitama due to starvation – an elderly couple and their 39-year-old son. The family could not afford to pay the rent, and electricity had been cut off. Unable to pay for heating, hypothermia is also suspected to be the cause of their death”. This was a newsline in 2012 and one can ask how is this possible in such a wealthy country? How many people suffer from poverty in and how is it measured? Is the covid-19 pandemic worthening the situation, and if so how, for whom in what way and what are approaches to tackle the issues? What can 2020 teach us to improve the situation?

Some of the questions are answered in my recent chapter entitled “Poverty in a wealthy megacity: stories from Tokyo’s alleys after the bubble burst”, which appeared in the book “Handbook of Megacities and Megacity-Regions, Research Handbooks in Urban Studies series, edited by Danielle Labbé and André Sorensen.

https://www.elgaronline.com/view/edcoll/9781788972697/9781788972697.00025.xml

Currently working on extended research reflecting on the worthening of poverty levels in 2020 and beyond, the topic will be updated continuously here, thanks for visiting:

https://www.researchgate.net/project/Poverty-in-Tokyo-and-the-Covid-19-Pandemic

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Reviews ‘Asian Alleyways’

Cover

“Within the mainstream study of cities, East Asian and everyday ordinary spaces, forms of long vernacular traditions, remain less-known urbanity. The “Asian alleyways: an urban vernacular in times of globalisation” contributes to this field within cross-cultural dialogue and lenses of ubiquitous semi public-semi private urban spaces. Focusing on the Other, which escapes the globalisation and current verticalization processes, where intimate scale, a vibrant urban life and dwelling defines alternative urban spaces the book takes a case study approach to diverse human scale emergent urbanism. The book is an engaging review of East Asian alleyways that instigates discussion beyond nostalgia, exploring possibilities qualities and relevance of local processes of ordinary urban landscapes and contributes to broadening theoretical questions.” – Milica MuminoviC, PhD, Lecturer, Architecture, Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra

“Asian Alleyways make an important contribution to Urban Studies at two levels. At the micro and local scale, alleyways exist as extensions of the home, and are intimate spaces of the self and the community of users. The informality and intimacy enable such spaces to be creatively managed resulting in dynamic mixes of different uses. At the metropolitan scale, alleys and lanes as traditional spatial forms have an uneasy existence in the modern city. The different chapters of Asian Alleyways highlight the important local textures that go into the making of city character and yet alleywaysare under threat from redevelopment and gentrification as Asian cities undergo rapid change.” – K.C. Ho, Associate Professor of Sociology and Research Leader, Asian Urbanisms, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore.

“This dynamic collection brings to life the hidden veins of contemporary urbanity by focusing on an array of alleyways across different cities in Asia. In interweaving colourful sensory aspects of these passages with both granular insights and broad structural critique, Gibert-Flutre and Imai have assembled a multidisciplinary arsenal of chapters that opportunely punctuate and challenge state-of-the-art debates on urbanization in the region and beyond. A must-read and a valuable resource for researchers and students of urban studies, sustainability and everyday life.” – Dr Kelvin E.Y. Low, Associate Professor/ Deputy Head Of Department, Department Of Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences National University of Singapore

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Reviews ‘Creativity in Tokyo’

cover

“Matjaz Ursic and Heide Imai’s book plunges deep into the fabric of everyday neighbourhood life in the world’s biggest city. Turning a sceptical eye on the glittering projects of large‐scale urban development, chasing an elusive global creative class, they show how getting a feel for the intricate texture of the city’s soft infrastructure is the only viable starting point for the long term, sustainable creative development of this twenty‐first century metropolis”. —Justin O’Connor, Professor of Cultural Economy, University of South Australia

“Creativity in Tokyo provides a critical and grass‐roots view to Tokyo’s urban policies and planning, aimed to enhance city’s creative economies. Still today the largest urban agglomeration in the world, Tokyo is facing urban shrinkage. Exploring the global city at a turning point, Matjaz Ursic and Heide Imai make a strong case for small urban actors and ordinary neighbourhood places as vital elements for success, sustainability and renewal. Based on extensive fieldwork, the authors give new insights about soft cultural and socio‐spatial factors that any policy and plan for urban creativity should take seriously. They claim that Tokyo should use its maturity to build on experience, instead of copying urban redevelopment strategies from elsewhere. This advice applies to many cities and city‐regions in Asia, Europe and the Americas that face similar challenges. Creativity in Tokyo is carefully researched and sharply argued. It is highly recommended reading for urban scholars, students, planners and policy makers”. —Panu Lehtovuori, Professor of Planning Theory, Tampere University, Finland

“Since the dawn of the twenty‐first century, urban regeneration has been the subject of critical scrutiny due to the preference for the common practice of economically successful model application even at the expense of the context. This book is a timely response to this practice. It offers a theoretical framework and empirical data, comprehensively synthesised to establish the unique relationships between creativity and space, using Tokyo as the spatial‐laboratory ground, and argues that urban regeneration must balance these relationships.This book will be essential reading for all who seek to understand and strategically apply the spatial process of urban creativity”. —Apiradee Kasemsook, Faculty of Architecture, Silpakorn University

“Creativity in Tokyo is a fascinating study of neighborhood‐level transformations in urban life. Across a variety of case studies, we see how entrepreneurs, artists, and producers of culture have worked alongside local civic leaders to revitalize neighborhoods and navigate new forms of locality in an ever more globally‐oriented megacity. The successes (and sometime failures) of these projects offer a compelling perspective for thinking about the future of post‐growth urban life in Japan and beyond”. —Nathaniel M. Smith, Assistant Professor, East Asian Studies, The University of Arizona

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Recovering from disaster and pandemic: Visiting the Hoki Museum, Chiba

In August 2020 the Hoki Museum in Chiba finally was able to reopen after undergoing major renovation. Being severly damaged by water caused by Typhoon Hagibis on 25th October 2019, the Museum had to close down and restore major parts of the museum which have been flooded. Also more than 100 art works were affected, forming a large part of the collection which is solely featuring realist art pieces, especially work of painter Sosuke Morimoto.

After months of renovation, the museum was hoping to reopen in spring 2020 but then the Covid-19 pandemic struck and plans had to be put on hold for an unknown time, causing new challenges and stresses for the museum.

Being one of the only museum worldwide focusing on photorealistic art, many museum lovers and supporters urgently awaited the latest developments and the announcement to reopen on August 1st 2020. The museum did not disappointed as it now features a special selection of work done by Morimoto, who inspired owner Masao Hoki in the first place to open the museum in 2010.

If you plan to visit the museum, then please book your tickets online here:

https://www.hoki-museum.jp/reservation/link_open.html

Our study group was more than impressed with the building, renovation and art work and we closed the day with a visit to the attached restaurant which serves outstanding dishes using local products and supporting local businesses. We will be for sure back soon.

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AAS In Asia Conference 2020

AAS-IN-ASIA-2020

Even though the AAS in Asia Conference 2020 will be streamed online this year between 31 August to 4 September 2020, we hope that some of you will join us on monday, 31 August between 12.30-2pm to contribute to the panel discussion entitled:

The City Remade, the City Evaded: Transformations of Life in and Away from Urban Japan

Panelists:
Nathaniel Smith, University of Arizona, United States (organizer, presenter, chair)
Heide Imai, Senshu University, Japan (presenter)
James Farrer, Sophia University, Japan (presenter)
Susanne Klien, Hokkaido University, Japan (presenter)

Abstract:

Urbanity is a filter for life in Japan, orienting labor, social space, and regimes of taste. This panel brings together ethnographically-driven research in the social sciences to consider changes in urban life as it evolves both within and beyond the megacity. We take up novel places like the “hidden” slices of urbanity found in the narrow back-alley, shopping street, or crusty postwar yokochō, consider the “bistro battleground” of a suburban neighborhood where entrepreneur chefs draw competing global culinary cultures into pockets of decidedly everyday life, examine forms of resistance to urbanity enacted by young “lifestyle migrants” pursuing new food ventures and hoping for a slower life in rural areas, and evaluate how parts of Tokyo stand as symbolic Petri dishes for the coming “diverse Japan” of the future, as tourism remakes and attempts to gentrify the famously gritty neighborhood of Kabukicho into a would-be welcome mat for the world. As Japan’s population ages and its rural centers wane, dynamic urban development in the Tokyo megacity is conversely reaching new heights. In the run-up to the Summer Olympics, we focus on how the megacity of Tokyo is being remade or evaded by locals and visitors alike and consider what revitalization campaigns, new forms of cosmopolitanism, and efforts to imagine alternatives to the clout of urban Japan reveal about changing aspects of society.

Link to the programme (live stream): https://aasinasia.org/programme/

Link to the panel: https://aasinasia.org/submission/submission1311/

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Asian Alleyways (2) Publications in 2020

Alleyways are an urban form historically shared by most cities in Asia, yet understudied. The book critically explores “Global Asia” and the metropolization process, specifically from its alleyways, which are understood as ordinary neighbourhood landscape providing the setting for everyday urban life and place-based identities being shaped by varied everyday practices, collective experiences and forces. This turns the traditional approach of “global cities” upside-down and contributes to a renewed conception of metropolization as a highly situated process, where forces at play locally, in each alleyway neighbourhood, are both intertwined and labile. Beyond the mainstream, standardising vision of the metropolization process, the book offers a nuanced overview of urban production in Asia at a time of great changes. As such, the book will be welcomed by an array of scholars, students, and all those interested in the modern transformation of Asian cities and their urban cultures, including new approaches to social life, urban change and urban governance.

Many thanks to Marie Gibert-Flutre for being such a great co-editor and co-author, for bringing together such a great list of scholars covering such as Bangkok, Beijing, Hongkong, HCMC, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo. We hope the book will make a great addition to the ongoing discussion about changes going in Asian cities and Asian Alleyways. Many thanks to all contributors, editors, endorsers and to everyone who helped to make the book come true…

More on: https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789463729604/asian-alleyways

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Creativity in Tokyo (1) Publications in 2020

This book focuses on overlooked contextual factors that constitute the urban creative climate or innovative urban milieu in contemporary cities. Filled with reflections based on interviews with a diverse range of creative actors in various local neighborhoods in Tokyo, it offers a rare glimpse into the complex set of elements that provide long-term, physical, and sociocultural support to urban creativity. Ursic and Imai highlight the interplay between physical and soft (social) factors in the process of place-making and explore how a city’s creativity is influenced by financial support and accessible infrastructure, as well as the sets of informal networks, services, and tacit, locally embedded knowledge that provide the basic layers of stimuli needed for creativity to fully develop. The authors show how the future development of creativity and the overall development of a city depend not only on the (top-down) planning strategies of formal authorities, but also on the appropriate (bottom-up) inclusion of heterogeneous elements that are provided and embedded within the small, hidden context of city spaces.

Many thanks to Matjaz Ursic for being such a fantastic co-author, for taking the journey to write a book together and for never giving up, after 5 years, endless emails and video calls, the book is almost hitting the book shelves and we hope it will be great addition to the ongoing discussion about the importance of public space. Many thanks to all our endorsers, editors and everybody involved, we could not have succeeded without you…

More on: ww.palgrave.com/gp/book/9789811566868#aboutBook

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Teaching in times of Corona

The new semester has not even started yet, but behind the scenes we had some busy weeks to prepare for the start of online classes next week. I am honest if I say that it will be a huge challenge for everybody involved, especially for the new students.

Therefore each week and topic will be as interactive as possible, with videos, chats and different online live activities. I am not sure how long it will be like this but I think we have to prepare for a dual system (on and offline) for the coming months.

It is also out of question that this is a challenging time for everybody out there, starting with small businesses, young and elderly, single and families, but it might be the best to see it also as a chance to rethink our current lifestyle, finding new ways to support each other and the local community.

This might be the chance to improve our daily life in cities and the public spaces we use, appreciate and need to voice our concerns, starting with political, social, environmental and cultural issues we should be addressed now to improve our society as a whole. For this purpose we are preparing some new research and fieldwork projects to be announced soon.

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What will 2020 bring

In times of uncertainty, I think it is time to update you on some happy news and things happening in 2020:


Update 1:As of April 1st 2020 I will start a new tenured position as Associate Professor at Senshu Universities’ new Faculty of Intercultural Communication and I am more than looking forward to teach young, upcoming students who want to explore the world and widen their horizons, making our globe hopefully a better place. We need new innovative ideas, in Japan especially.


Update 2:We are happy to announce that our edited book “Asian Alleyways: An Urban Vernacular in Times of Globalization” (Amsterdam University Press, with Marie Gibert-Flutre) will be in print soon, but under the current circumstances we have to wait for the confirmation fo the official release date.


Update 3:We are happy to announce that our co-authored book “Creativity in Tokyo – Revitalizing a Matured City” (Palgrave Macmillan, with Matjaz Ursic), will be published soon and we will announce the publication date as soon as we know more. We think that especially this book will help Tokyo and Japan to discover new ways to approach current challenges, regardless of what will happen to Tokyo 2021 #beyond2020

Looking forward to see what else 2020 (apart from some journal papers) will bring, not just work-wise. If you want to collaborate in any way, please get in touch. Many thanks to you all, stay safe and strong.

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Study tour Ise

Fuji Museum

To make good use of the semester break another domestic study tour brought us on the first day to Fujinomiya and the Fuji World Heritage Centre in Shizuoka (https://mtfuji-whc.jp/en/), designed by Shigeru Ban and open since 2018. Due to the lack of crowds avoiding to travel in Japan caused by the worldwide corona virus outbreak, the museum was literally empty. This allowed us to take pictures from all angles on this sunny yet very windy day.

On the second day we were able to first visit the Yokoayama Observatory (https://www.iseshima-kanko.jp/en/see-and-do/1249) which allows the visitor to overlook the beautiful Ago Bay, where austers and pearls are farmed and which reminds us much of Finlands’ rough cliff landscape. Afterwards we finally arrived at the Ise Jingu Geku – the outer shrine of the very famous Ise Shrine where in 2019 the new emperor was enthroned. The shrine building which was rebuilt in 2013 and will be rebuilt in 2033 again (thus every 20 years) cannot be photographed but the atmosphere was transquil and very special. A visit to the Ise Jingu Naiku -the inner shrine of the Ise Shrine completed this visit to this grand heritage site.

On the third day we were able to visit another famous site, the Mikimoto Pearl Island (http://www.mikimoto-pearl-museum.co.jp/index.html) where Mikimoto Kokichi, a local entrepreneur, succeeded in 1893 to produce cultured pearls on an island called Ojima (相島). The trip ended with a ferry ride over the Ise Bay to reach Irago with its impressive lighthouse tower and beautiful strawberry fields.

More about Ise Jingu’s architecture can be found here:

https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/about/index.html

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Study tour West Japan

Kohtei Fukuyama, Kohei Nawa

A recent study tour brought us to Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi) and Kitakyushu (Fukuoka), located between Japanese main island of Honshu and Kyushu, the third largest of the main islands. Starting to discover different revitalization processes in urban Mojiko, Shimonoseki and Kitakyushu (including the very interesting Toto Museum), we further discovered more local areas as the remote island of Tsunoshima (known for its colbalt blue water) and Kawatana Onsen town, kown for Kawatana Soba and Kengo Kuma small exhibition centre.

The next day we discovered Kiwanosato (Kutsuwai, Shimonoseki), a small village which tries to bring back (new) life into the community with the help of creative, local ideas and international collaborations. In comparison, Onoda village, well known for its cement and brickstone production, surprised with a very well maintained, rural development at the seaside, known as Kirarara Yakeno Beach. Almost 20 years ago Kengo Kuma was involved in the development and the area is now featuring a small glass museum/workshop and restaurant with stunning setting, especially during sunrise and sunset.

The third and final day brought us to the outskirts of Fukuyama where the the remote, yet tranquil Shinsoji Zen Garden and Museum complex first ask wellknown architect and historian Terunobu Fujimori to built a central building in 2014. In 2016, artist Kohei Nawa developed together with Sandwich Architects a floating, almost spaceship-like building which features inside an impressive Zen installation. As the bathhouse and several cafes where closed, it will be for sure not the last visit to this beautiful spot in West Japan.

More on https://szmg.jp/en/explore/kohtei/

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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.

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2020

Belated Happy New Year and the new year is not even two weeks old but many things already happened, including a new PhD student I am going to supervise for the next coming years, two books (co-authors and edited) being almost ready for publication/coming out soon and many more little projects (research, fieldwork, workshops), papers and plans which can hopefully realized in 2020. The year – as olympic it can be – is hopefully a fruitful one for all of you and I look forward to continue to connect and collaborate in diverse ways. More important news will be announced soon.

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Kagurazaka Fieldwork

Fieldwork

The lecture “Urban Space, Identity and Gender”, given for the ESOP course “Multiple Japan: Stability and Flux”, raised interesting questions about the conceptual and physical set-up of different public spaces. In connection, students were asked to conduct fieldwork in the Kagurazaka neighbourhood to observe for example how many women and men use the place, how they move across space and what kind of positions, behaviour and different relations/ interactions they are engaging in. The main aim was to analyse and understand the importance of (inangible) aspects as informal rules, bodily exposure, performance, feeling of comfort and belonging in comparison to formal aspects as regulations, security cameras or similar. These characteristics are often overlooked but are crucial when trying to understand what contemporary urban spaces are lacking and how to design better, gender-conscious spaces.

For more refer to:

https://www.researchgate.net/project/Shared-City-and-Japan

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Urban Development Lecture

meijigakuin

Recently I was kindly invited by Prof. Prajakta Khare, Meijigakuin University to give a guest lecture about the recent urban development in more and less developed countries, including Japan, India and Costa Rica. To engage actively with the topic, the students were asked to identify current issues caused by the urbanization processes taking place in different countries around the world and to discuss urgent issues, challenges and solutions these countries might be able to utilized. Thanks to everybody for a very engaging talk which helps to inspire new ideas for ongoing research, including:

https://www.researchgate.net/project/Creativity-Social-Entrepreneurs-and-Urban-Revitalization

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Foreign Women in Japan

Recently I was interviewed by my former student Mizuki Nakata for her research about professional migrant women in Japan, where she is aiming to understand what difficulties including for example isolation, exclusion and discrimination but also challenges as building up a social network, realizing some kind of work-life balance and finding the right niche in Japanese society, they faced and even overcame. As there are nowadays so many different kind of women in Japan, living, working, surviving but also thriving here, it will be important to see what kind of results the research will reveal and how it might help other women to take control of their own life, set goals, and make positive choices, or in other words, how can we empower women to change Japan from inside.

women
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The Future of Onagawa

onagawa

In July 2019, we had the chance to visit Onagawa to conduct interviews with local residents about the current stage of recovery work and development, more than 8 years after the Great Tohoku Earthquake which hit on March 11 2011. The situation in Onagawa is something we plan to observe over the coming years, as a lot of ‘flagship’ projects (e.g, a new station and public bath by Shigeru Ban) were realized but residents have their doubts about their lasting efforts as on weekends many tourists come, but on normal weekdays the city can look deserted. In our coming fieldwork we would like to focus on questions as 1) what will happen to the neighbourhood and city in the next coming years, 2) how can local residents make a living, not relying alone on the tourism sector and 3) how are basic needs, including tangible (e.g. facilities as super markets, school/kindergarten, bank etc) and intangible aspects addressed. Thus, how is the community network functioning day in day out and what problems are overlooked but should be solved to secure a livable community development.  In a final step we plan to compare the case of Onagawa with other cases in Yamagata (Tsuruoka) and Fukushima (Kitakata).

Shigeru Bans Suiden Terrace in Tsuruoka

Suiden Terrace in Tsuruoka (by Shigery Ban) opened in 2018.

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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.

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Typhoon Faxai and the Consequences

Broken trees block trainline

In the night from 8 to 9 September, typhoon faxai swept across Shizuoka, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Tokyo, and the typhoon was the strongest in Japan’s recent history. With 965 hPa air pressure and wind speeds of up to 210 kilometers per hour, up to 400 millimeters of rain were observed in some places. Next to train delays, school closures and a chaotic situation at Narita airport (some 17000 people were stranded at some point in the terminal) many electric pylons were destroyed and up to 900,000 people were without power. As of today, there are still ca. 500,000 people without power and heavy thunderstorms make the restoration work very difficult, so that some are afraid that the electricity will just be back at the end of the month in some places.

Apart from the lack of power, running water (which is urgently needed to cool down as temperatures still reached 36 degree on 10 september) and food (most stores in Chiba stayed closed due to damage and a lack of power) many people complain about the lack of information and guidance from the government. These adds extra stress to the already severe situation which hits especially elderly, young children and other marginalized members of the society very hard.

With the start of new semester next week, I am currently reworking the content of the course “Sociology of Disaster” to see what can we learn from the disaster and how we can be better prepared.

For more information, please check:

http://tiny.cc/1ckncz

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Coming soon – Book on Asian Alleyways

IIAS

The book “Asian Alleyways – An Urban Vernacular in Times of Globalisation”, authored by Marie Gibert-Flutre and Heide Imai, was recently introduced at the International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS), taking place fron 16-19 July 2019 in Leiden, as part of a session entitled “Taking stock of the IIAS Book Series published by Amsterdam University Press”. We will keep you updated when the book is available in stores and online. Many thanks to Marie Gibert-Flutre and Paul Rabé (head of the AUP series on Asian Cities) for the chance to promote the book.

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Boundless – 100 Faces of Yokohama

Boundless Yokohama

On saturday, 6th July Heide Imai had the chance to talk with Dennis Chia, CEO of Boundless International and Sosei Partner (a learning and empowerment platform for the international community to contribute to Japan’s regional revitalization) about her image of Yokohama.

The interview was conducted as part of the Boundless – 100 Faces of Yokohama project, which is supported by the Yokohama City Government and aims to portray 100 international residents and their perspective on the city. The interview took place in the new Boundless Office and next to the interesting aspects as the history, social mix and attractive points of Yokohama, also points of improvement and new ideas for future living in Yokohama were discussed.

The outcomes of the project look very promising and for updates on new publications, events and workshops in relation to this project, please check the Boundless 100 Faces of Yokohama website.

http://boundless.international/projects/100facesofyokohama

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Update Research Projects 2019

Kiyosumi Shirakawa

The second half of 2019 is already in full swing and next to existing research projects which will be out in print soon (update follows) new research projects focus on alternative lifestyles and new social entrepreneurs in areas as for example Koenji, Kyojima or Kiyosumi Shirakwa.

In a recent fieldnote about Kiyosumi Shirakawa:
“Many similar cafes have popped up in the last year, turning Kiyosumi Shirakawa more and more into Tokyo coffee paradise, a trend the neighbourhood is already known for. Shop owners offer you happily something to try, the tofu store is crowded with locals who look for healthy and cheap products just before dinner time, and hip places like the Artichoke chocolate store or the newest shop Cheese no Koe, a cheeseshop specializing in cheese from Hokkaido, blend in a unique way into the local neighbourhood. Nevertheless, some locals fear that also this neighbourhood becomes a burgeoning place in which hip and new alternatives settle, causing a new wave of gentrification.” (19th June 2019)

For more updates, please check the research project site: https://heideimai.com/portfolio/gentrifying-japan/

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Cultural Typhoon Conference 2019

Cultural Typhoon 2n June 2019

Heide Imai was presenting together with Florian Purkarthoefer (University Vienna) the paper Gentrification, Revitalization or what: Changing Scapes, Spaces and Places in Japan at the Cultural Typhoon Conference 2019, taking at Keio University from 1st-2nd June, as a first result of an ongoing research project called Gentrifying Japan.

The presentation attracted a wider audience and people from the field of interdisciplinary Asian and cultural studies including visual anthropology, critical social and community studies. The main questions which were raised during the presentation were 1) who is not included/not profiting and in what way people resist, protest or find other ways to make their voices against the ongoing processes heard, 2) what role do artists play in the process, as these often do not want to be part of differen tcreative policies, yet also need spaces and means to make a living, and 3) how our paper is contributing to the wider, global debate which we critized for being too general to be cover the diversity and complexity of different cases, especially of the existing variety of urban spheres in East Asia. With this feedback in mind, we will finalize our data set and prepare our paper for publication.

For more information and updates, please refer to https://www.researchgate.net/project/Gentrifying-Japan

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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

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Urban and Rural Contestation in Vietnam, Fieldwork 2019

Hanoi

In early May 2019 Dr. Heide Imai was able to visit Vietnam (Hanoi and Ninb Binh) to compare urban and rural landscape of contestation. The fieldwork was conducted with the help of students from different local universities, who would like to compare Vietnams urban and rural contestation with the case of Japan. At the end of the year a visit in Japan (Tokyo and Chiba) is planned, during which the students will compare the case of Hanoi and Tokyo, trying to figuring out what both can learn from each other. A joint conference and journal paper will be published in 2020.

More information will follow soon on the research website.

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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

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Presentation IPHS Conference 2018

IPHS 2018 (1)

The 18th biannual International Planning History Society (IPHS) conference took place 15–19 July 2018, in Yokohama, Japan. Themed ‘Looking at the World History of Planning’, the conference asked to enhance and promote the diversity of perspectives and narratives existing in the research of
cities and their planning history (select full papers and abstracts are available for public access from the IPHS website: https://journals.library.tudelft.nl/index.php/iphs/issue/archive). The conference consisted of diverse events.

In the panel entitled Planning Community without Planners, chaired by Nancy Kwak Dr. Heide Imai gave a presentation entitled “Urban Ordinaries – Vernacular Landscapes as Places of Diversity, Difference and Displacement”. The presentation was given as part of the Global Urban History Project (GUHP) which aims to encourage the study of cities as creations and creators of large-scale or global historical phenomena.

For more information:
http://www.globalurbanhistory.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=803980&module_id=305237

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Paperback Tokyo Roji (2018)

Paperback Tokyo Roji (2018)

With great pleasure I can announce that Routledge is satisfied with the sales numbers for 2018 and decided to bring out the paperback much earlier, already one year after the hardcover (normal are 18-24months). Imai, Heide (2018) Tokyo Roji: The Diversity and Versatility of Alleys in a City in Transition https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781317363651

Paperback: 9780367140991 Hardback: 9781138949102

ABOUT THIS BOOK The Japanese urban alleyway, which was once part of people’s personal spatial sphere and everyday life has been transformed by diverse and competing interests. Marginalised through the emergence of new forms of housing and public spaces, re-appropriated by different fields, and re-invented by the contemporary urban design discourse, the social meaning attached to the roji is being re-interpreted by individuals, subcultures and new social movements. The book will introduce and discuss examples of urban practices which take place within the dynamic urban landscape of contemporary Tokyo to portray the life cycle of an urban form being rediscovered, commodified and lost as physical space.

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Visit to Soongsil University, Korea 21-23 March 2019

Visiting Seoul Fishmarket

Recently, Dr. Heide Imai was invited to Soongsil University, Seoul by Prof. Jung In Kim (Department of Architecture) to give a lecture about the Olympic Games taking in 2020 in Tokyo, talking about rapid urban change, social stratification and other issues, especially related to the destruction of old structures like the Tsukiji Fish Market which was replaced with a new generic structure, located in Toyosu. Visiting among many other rapidly changing places as Gangnam, Euljiro and Hongdae, the Noryangjin Fish Market in Seoul, the researcher was able to compare both places which underwent almost identical transformation processes.

As both cities, Tokyo and Seoul, face similar challenges as an aging society, shrinking birthrate, hidden poverty and changing social values, it is important to focus on the human perspective and how people experience those cities to create spaces which are open for all. Accordingly, Dr. Imai
discussed with the students new ideas and concepts for public spaces, housing and equal work spaces which they will integrate in their final design and thesis projects. In May 2019 Prof. Jung In Kim and students from Soongsil University will visit Hosei University to discuss their projects with GIS Students, planning to exchange new ideas and compare urban life in both cities.

Working with Prof. Jung In Kim's tudents at different design projects
Working with Prof. Jung In Kim’s tudents at different design projects
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Conference Cultural Typhoon 2019

Dr. Heide Imai will present together with Florian Purkarthoefer (University Vienna) at the Cultural Typhoon Conference in June 2019 results of the ongoing research project Gentrifying Japan. Entitled Gentrification, Revitalization or what: Changing Scapes, Spaces and Places in Japan, the
paper will move beyond the general concept of gentrification to ask how the ambiguity of urban change can be understood. Being rich in data coming from different urban spheres in Japan, which experienced decline, failure but also rebirth and revival, the case studies presented will allow the reader to develop a deeper understanding for the ongoing restructuring processes which happen around us, yet cannot be fully understand until we know how they affect the everyday life of the ordinary residents, users and visitors (often in contrasting ways).

Cultural Typhoon Conference, Mita Campus, Keio University, Tokyo, from June 1–2, 2019.

For more information:
http://cultural-typhoon.com/act/en/2018/11/call-for-papers-2019/