再開発と街の記憶

Feature | 2024.12.13


再開発で生まれるものとなくなるもの、という話。

Let’s explore what redevelopment creates
and what it takes away.

Walk around Tokyo, and you’ll see many cranes—
sometimes several in one area.
Such areas are usually redevelopment project sites that will
spawn new districts with the promise of a better future.
But lately, the term “redevelopment” stirs unease—is it
truly the right path? This issue of yoff examines three
Tokyo sites, inviting reflection on urban planning.

東京をはじめ、日本の各都市で再開発が進んでいる。
建物やインフラの強化、防災機能の充実などといった理由があり、多くの事業者は異口同音に「にぎわいの創出」や「潤いある街づくり」をうたい、駅前には高層ビルが建ち、住民が増え、活気ある街へと変貌するという。それって本当?と思いながら、再開発の現場を歩いてみた。

Redevelopment is advancing rapidly across Tokyo and elsewhere in Japan,
with promises of stronger infrastructure,
disaster resilience, and vibrant communities.
Skyscrapers rise around stations, attracting residents and activity—
but do such redevelopments truly deliver? With this question, I visited several sites.

Tokyo is amid an unprecedented redevelopment boom, with major projects in Toranomon, Azabudai, Yaesu, and Shibuya. Shibuya, in particular, is undergoing a “once in a century” transformation. The station is now encircled by skyscrapers, almost suffocating Hachiko and leaving even locals disoriented. Having worked in Shibuya for years and loved the city, I now find it overwhelming—crowded and unrecognizable.
Developing a new district is vastly different from redeveloping an area with a rich history and community. Redevelopment transforms places where people once lived, worked, laughed, cried, and made memories. The spot where you held hands with someone special, the streets you walked with your child, the corner where you laughed and drank with friends, the paths you took daily—these cherished places often disappear with redevelopment. This feels like losing a cherished photograph from the past.
Development inspires hope, but redevelopment often feels like loss. Am I alone in thinking this? Yet, examples of “happy redevelopment” exist, and Shimokitazawa is a prime example.
With this in mind, I visited three redevelopment sites: the urban oasis of Jingu Gaien, Tateishi’s beloved drinking district, and the newly transformed Shimokitazawa. While their redevelopment goals are detailed online, districts must be experienced firsthand to be truly understood.

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再開発と街の記憶

yoff

VOL.12

再開発と街の記憶

再開発で生まれるものとなくなるもの、という話。

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