It’s that time again! Over the next few months I will be publishing the third installment of The Tokyo Project, a deep look at the city’s extensive transit oriented development and culture of urban commons. Volume 1 used transit as a framework to highlight interesting development. Volume 2 focused more on the business considerations of shōtengai (shopping streets) and their dual role as commercial districts and civic spaces. In this batch, my intent is to take a holistic approach, showing the interplay between transit networks, neighborhood design, commercial activity, and the life that flows through all of them. The topics haven’t really changed, but now that I am able to do more background research in Japanese, I hope to bring to bear more depth and local perspective as I talk about them.

In the past, my urban walks have almost always been solitary affairs, but by both chance and design I ended up together with strolling companions on quite a few occasions for this third batch. You’ll see a few friends, family and fellow explorers, and I’ll talk about how they influence the way I see things on the street.

As before, to follow the project you can either subscribe to the blog directly via RSS or email (right side menu), bookmark this page and check back as the list below becomes a linked table of contents, or connect via Twitter for updates at @mjvito (日本語: @michaelvito_jp).

The Tokyo Project, Volume 3

• Akabane Suzuran-dori Shotengai
• Jujo Ginza Shotengai
• Jujo Fujimi Ginza Shotengai
• Musashikoyama Palm Shotengai, Session 3
• Togoshi Ginza Shotengai, Session 3
• Ni-chome Tsukemen GACHI in Shinjuku
• Arakicho
• Shitamachi Walk
• Tateishi
• Muteppo in Nakano, Session 2
• Kitasenju
• Matador in Kitasenju
• Privately Owned Public Space in Central Tokyo
• Shin-Koiwa Lumiere Shotengai
• Motenashi Kuroki in Kanda-Izumicho
• mAAch ecute (Old Manseibashi Station)
• Shimokitazawa, Session 3
• Omori Ginza Shotengai
• Kamata Nishiguchi Shotengai
• Keikyu Kamata Shotengai Asuto
• Jujo and Higashi-Jujo Shotengai Walk
• Sansanto in Higashi-Jujo

Additional volumes: Volume 1, Volume 2

Preview

Here is a set of highlights to kick things off. These images will all appear again as I complete pieces for each neighborhood or place. Welcome back to The Tokyo Project.