Tag: fieldwork

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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. Ensuring that revitalization efforts benefit all residents, including long-standing businesses, is crucial. The final report will suggest poicies 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 procress, 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

2024 Semester Plan

2024 Semester Plan

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 exploreTokyo 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 happen in form of 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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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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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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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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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

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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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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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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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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