Tag: tokyo roji

Posted on

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

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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

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

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

The study will have several key goals, such as:

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

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

Posted on

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

Posted on

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

Posted on

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.”

Posted on

Chiyoda-ku – diversity, differences and divisions

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

2022-2044 Next Steps include:

Understanding the local community setup

Interviewing different members of the community

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

Formulating and Suggesting specific approaches for each community

More updates can be found on

Seminar 2022/23 Cities, Culture and Everyday Life

Posted on

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!

Posted on

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

Posted on

New Semester 2022

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

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

Course Environment and Culture

Course Urban Studies Seminar

Research Project: Urban Ethnographies and Narratives of Asian Cities

Research Project: Qualitative Methodology and Interviews with different Community Leader

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

Seminar 2022/23 Cities, Culture and Everyday Life

Posted on

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

Posted on

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。

Posted on

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/

Posted on

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

Posted on

New Reviews

Cover

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

Posted on

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/

Posted on

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

Posted on

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.

Posted on

Sense of Place -Tokyo, Books on Asia featured Tokyo Roji

Books on Asia, run by Amy Chavez, has included Tokyo Roji in their recent issue which introduced books which are essential reading to understand the great capital city of Tokyo. From historical reads and memoirs by English language authors Edward Seidensticker, John Nathan and Ian
Buruma, the issue also included books of contemporary authors as Banana Yoshimoto, Hiromi Kawakami and Haruki Murakami.

For more information:
https://booksonasia.net/issues/four/

Posted on

OAG Talk and Walk 2018 – Tokyo Roji: Tsukajima’s Backlanes between Tradition and Modernity

Dr. Heide Imai gave in April 2018 a lecture at the OAG Tokyo (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Natur- und Völkerkunde Ostasiens/オーアーゲー・ドイツ東洋文化研究協会) with the title “Tokyo Roji – Tsukajima’s Backlanes between Tradition and Modernity”. After an engaging discussion and Q+A session, the group travelled to Tokyo’s bay area to discover the backlanes of Tsukudajima with their own eyes.

After a delicious Monjayaki lunch, the group walked through a maze of green alleyways which are so typical for this historical neighbourhood, yet have fastly disappeared in the last years due to large construction and redevelopment processes.

For more information:
https://oag.jp/events/tokyo-roji-tsukudajimas-hintergassen-zwischen-tradition-und-moderne/

Photograph by Thomas Gittel (2019).