Transiting tokyo

Timothy D. Anderson, City and Regional Planning ‘20
Swati S.Thomas, Real Estate Practice ‘20
Sushmita Vinod Naik, Real Estate Practice ‘20
RANSITING
OKYO

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T R A N S I T I N G T O K Y O
“The tumult and the stir of Tokyo is unmatched, brimming with unique urban characteristics and modern metropolitan attributes.Tokyo is
a fast paced, constantly developing nucleus of ideas.The ideas and the energy is brought in by the masses.The masses utilize the transpor-
tation network which is the artery of Tokyo. It’s the cause of its pace, the reason why everything is constantly rapidly changing.This report
talks about Tokyo’s mass rapid transit system from two points of views – A development viewpoint where we will discuss the development
of the station and the development around the station.As well as a design viewpoint where we will discuss the design of the station and the
station plaza.”
Figure 1 Authors of this report. From L to R Swati SThomas, SushmitaVinod Naik,Timothy Anderson
A b s t r a c t

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A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s
This report was created by three students of the Pratt Institute, School of Architecture’s Japan Planning and Urbanism (PLAN
820) course during the summer of 2019. This course commenced at the Pratt Manhattan campus during the month of June, and
concluded in Tokyo, Japan in July. The course provided students with an opportunity to select a project and examine the planning
process in Japan and create a written report on their findings.
None of this would be possible without the direction and assistance of Professor Jonathan D. Martin, Ph.D., AICP and Visiting Pro-
fessor Alexa Fabrega. Our group gives sincere thanks to both Professor Martin and Professor Fabrega for their time, knowledge,
insight, translations, and patience. Our experience was quite unique, and would not have been possible without them. We are
additionally grateful to Mrs. Namiko Martin for her support and availability, as well as the support of the School of Architecture at
Pratt Institute. We also thank our fellow students of this course for their feedback and ideas, and those of the Japan Planning and
Urbanism course from the Summer of 2017, whose research we leaned on to continue the conversation around transit in Japan.
Last but most certainly not least, we would like to thank the students and faculty of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Waseda
University, and Kyoto University for all of their hospitality, kindness, and engagement. Additionally, we thank our tour guides,
former Pratt students who gave their time to accompany us and assist us in our research. In turn, we were excited to assist them
in their research as well.
This report was produced by:
Timothy D. Anderson, City and Regional Planning ‘20
Swati S. Thomas, Real Estate Practice ‘20
Sushmita Vinod Naik, Real Estate Practice ‘20

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I n t r o d u c t i o n
The Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) group, as a part of the Japan Planning and Urbanism (PLAN 820) course offered at
Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture in Brooklyn, NY, travelled to Japan from June 27th, 2019 until July 12th, 2019 to conduct
research on TOD around specific train stations in Japan.The group began its travels in Tokyo, moving south via the Shinkansen
to Kyoto and Osaka, before returning to Tokyo.Throughout our travels, we were given multiple opportunities to experience
different train stations and transit hubs, and observe the flow of pedestrians, tourists, and travelers through these spaces.As we
continued throughout the country we observed different designs and real estate growth around certain stations.
Japan is in a very unique situation compared to other nations around the world.The nation experiences more earthquakes than
any other nation on earth. Because of this seismic activity, disaster planning plays a large role in construction, design, and planning.
Tokyo, the largest city and national capital, is incredibly dense and lacks green space.The inhabitants ofTokyo primarily use trains
to get to work, to school, to meet up with friends and family, and so on.They have a population that is currently in decline and an
economy that has remained stagnant for roughly two decades.
We began to focus on two cities,Tokyo and Osaka for our studies which are divided in two folds the first is the study of station
plazas and the second is the study of transit hubs. Our selection of Tokyo was simple, as it is the national capital and largest city
in Japan; it also hosts some of the busiest rail stations in the world which seemed extremely appropriate for the second half of
the study which is transit hub.Tokyo’s unique design is centered on specific stations which serve as major nodes for commerce,
entertainment,history,and more.For the first section of the study – station plazas,there was discussion on whether or not Kyoto
or Osaka should be compared with the busy stations selected inTokyo. It was decided that since Osaka was the larger city of the
two, often in competition with Tokyo, we would observe and document the elements of the larger stations in Osaka.
For this report,photos,observations,and data were collected on five stations,three inTokyo,and two in Osaka.The three stations
inTokyo which will receive the most focus areTokyo Station,Shinjuku Station,and Shibuya Station.Importance was given toTokyo
station and Shibuya station in the transit section of the study due to the density of footfall and development experienced in these
hubs. In Osaka, the group focused on Shin-Osaka Station and Osaka/Umeda Station. Other stations in theTokyo area and beyond
will be referenced for purposes of comparison. Shibuya Station is the primary focus of this report, compared directly with that of
Tokyo Station and to a lesser extent, Shinjuku, Shin-Osaka, Osaka/Umeda and other stations.
Within the TOD group, the two subsections will be analyze, design of plazas at railway stations, and real estate development
around those stations.These subsections were selected based on the areas of study that members of the TOD group are cur-
rently engaged in at Pratt Institute. One student in the City and Regional Planning program is focusing on the design of plazas at
railway stations and two students in the Real Estate Practice program are focusing on real estate development surrounded the
selected stations.

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E x e c u t i v e S u m m a r y
This report will outline and compare transit-oriented development (TOD) from five stations in Japan.The stations selected are
located inTokyo (Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, and Shibuya) and Osaka (Shin-Osaka, and Osaka/Umeda).The main focus of this report
will be on Shibuya Station and its surroundings, comparing it directly with Tokyo Station.This area was selected because of its
planned redevelopment asTokyo prepares to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.WithinTOD, there will be two subtopics that will
be discussed, design of railway station plazas and real estate development around the selected stations.
To complete this comparison, a literature review and methodology will precede the content of this report to discuss design con-
cepts utilized, discussion on the differences between Japanese andWestern design, where influences are stronger and where they
are not and why, and why the TOD group chose specific steps.A qualitative analysis was performed to measure the stations to
see if Shibuya Station and other stations in Japan follow a specific design and development pattern. It is also then compared with
some Western examples to show how uniquely Japanese these stations and their surroundings have become.
Overall, the analysis shows that Japanese railway stations both large and small follow familiar design patterns.These patterns
considerWestern designs, but are uniquely Japanese for their considerations around disaster planning and the volumes of people
who pass through these areas each day.There are opportunities to include more input from people who utilize these spaces as
per the discussions with some stakeholders indicate that their needs to be additional discussion. Finally, Shibuya Station’s plaza
design is not similar toTokyo Station’s because ofTokyo Station’s size, scale, and history, but observations made infer that both of
these station plazas have influenced the design of other subsequent stations.

6 | L I T E R AT U R E R E V I E W
L i t e r a t u r e R e v i e w
Rail in Japan: A Brief History
Rail transport was introduced to Japan during the mid-19th
century as the country was forced to move away from cen-
turies of isolation. When the Americans brought steam tech-
nology to Japan after Commodore Perry’s arrival, the Japanese
embraced the steam engine and thus railroads with open arms.
From that point on, as the country rapidly industrialized, rail
proliferated throughout the country. Western influence over
Japan was well noted and observed in many different facets of
life, from the late-19th century on into the 20th century.Tokyo
became the seat of power for the nation during the Meiji Res-
toration; the first railroads were built in the area.
The first railroad was built between Tokyo and Yokohama in
1872.The railroad originated at Shimbashi Station (just south
of present day Tokyo Station) and made stops at six stations
over in a little under an hour from end to end.British engineers
assisted the Japanese in the construction of their railroads.The
first railroads in Japan were started by public and private enti-
ties who competed with one another for profit and the ability
to select where railroad stations would be built. Private rail-
roads were nationalized into several government run railroads
during the Russo-JapaneseWar beginning in 1905.It was during
this time that the railroads continued to expand across the
islands.
As the expansion continued, the national government contin-
ued to control these rail companies.The end of World War II
also saw the breakup of many different functions of the national
government; the powerful Home Ministry (which controlled
law enforcement, public health, and other vital functions) was
one of the first organizations to be dismantled by the United
States. The state-owned railroads remained until after World
War II when a single public entity (the Japanese National Rail-
ways or JNR) was formed in 1949. In 1987, the national rail
company was divided into several regional rail companies now
known as JR—Japan Railways.These periods of public and pri-
vate ownership were very influential in the development of
railway station design, which will be discussed further shortly.
The destruction brought on byWorldWar II presented anoth-
er opportunity to redesign and rebuild the rail lines that were
damaged. It was through this rebuilding process, the Shinkan-
sen or “new trunk line” began to connect the major cities in
Japan in the 1960s and was showcased for the world during
the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.These high-speed trains
were the most modern the world had seen.The construction
of the Shinkansen, just about 20 years after the end of World
War II, Japan was emerging as a growing economy and indus-
trial powerhouse. With improved financial status, Japan could
begin to build extravagant structures to house rail operations.
Interestingly, this was not a situation unique to Japan as will be
mentioned in the upcoming sections; Japan has quite a history
of ensuring passenger comfort and perfecting even the smallest
details.
Figure 2 C51 locomotive decorated to haul the imperial train, 1940 (SourceWikipedia)

L I T E R AT U R E R E V I E W | 7
Figure 3 After an incendiary bombing, a view of some of the damage inTokyo, Japan in 1945.A strip of residential buildings
remains undamaged, surrounded by ashes and rubble of neighboring structures burned or blasted to the ground. (Source
theatlantic.com)
Figure 4 On Monday,August 6, 1945, a mushroom cloud billows into the sky about one hour after an atomic bomb was
dropped by American B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay, detonating above Hiroshima, Japan. Nearly 80,000 people are believed
to have been killed immediately, with possibly another 60,000 survivors dying of injuries and radiation exposure by 1950.
(Source theatlantic.com)

Figure 5The original plans forTokyo Central Station, 1904, showing the Momoyama-style design by KingoTatsuno as originally envisioned. Emperor Meiji
would famously express his dislike of the original design by remarking,“Stations and like things are best rendered in a foreign style.” (Source oldtokyo.
com)
Figure 6Tokyo Station, platforms, c. 1915. (Source oldtokyo.com)

Japanese architecture borrows heavily from outside concepts
and styles. Even back in its early history, architectural design
was imported from nearby kingdoms in China and Korea.After
adopting some of these protocols, the Japanese (much as they
are known for today) improved upon the design elements until
they created their own unique and distinct style.These designs
are evident around the country, but they are noticeably not
found at their railroad stations. Railroad stations seemed to
have developed their own unique styles, which again, borrows
heavily from outside ideals,and creating something even bolder
than their Western counterparts.
American architects were among some of the first to incor-
porate Western designs into Japanese rail stations.These early
stations were very simple, they were small structures made
of wood, stone, and brick.They offered Japanese citizens with
their first glimpses of Western culture and design, after rele-
gating trade to a small trading post near Nagasaki.These early
stations incorporated Western amenities such as ticket count-
ers, lounges, waiting areas, and shops.When the Great Kanto
Earthquake struck in 1923,these stations were heavily damaged
and presented an opportunity for reconstruction.This disaster
highlighted the fact that Japan is quite vulnerable to devastating
acts of nature, and the ability of the Japanese people to be able
to adapt to a constantly changing environment.The new station
buildings were made of steel and concrete.These elements of
construction along with these types of designs that originated
in Tokyo set the precedent for rail station designs elsewhere
in Japan.
One of the primary goals of station design in Japan was con-
venience for the sake of the passengers.The original railroads
that were constructed focused solely on moving passengers
from one point to another.Though the government often foot
the bill for the construction of railroads, private entities would
push for very creative stations that presented passengers with
many different types of amenities ranging from shops, restau-
rants, hotels, and so forth.This design concept has not dimin-
ished, particularly with the renovations of major rail stations in
Japan such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Shibuya Stations that continue
to provide these amenities and opportunities for additional
types of development around these hubs.
Japan’s Train and Railway System
In 1980, the Japanese National Railway (JNR) faced a long
term debt of ¥1 trillion. The JNR had been running the net-
Figure 7 Aerial view,Tokyo Station, c. 1940.The terminal fronted the Imperial Palace and the Marunouchi business district, with only a small entrance
(seen at center) available to the Nihonbashi-Kyobashi-Ginza commercial neighborhoods, a situation that would not change until after reconstruction
following the PacificWar. (Source oldtokyo.com)

work since the Meiji era. Due to increase in motorization and
construction of air terminals, the company witnessed surplus
railroad equipment that created deficits. Another reason for
the debt to occur was political issues.As the JNR was a public
corporation, it wasn’t allowed to set its own budget due to
political parties from different regions voicing their opinion on
the nationwide uniform fare which seems unfair to them as
it caused unequal cost burdens on different regions. In 1987,
due to increasing financial problems, the JNR was privatized
and divided into 6 regional passenger companies and a nation-
al freight company. (Nakamura, 1996) Privatization played a
vast role in the improvement of the Japan railroad network.
Financial performance improved due to the freedom given to
the regional company in charge. Productivity in terms of labor
(maintenance and operation) as well as usage of the system
increased in various regions. (Okano, 1994)
As a part of its ambitious plans, Japan continues to invest in
various transportation-related infrastructural projects. In Jan-
uary 2015, the government signed a deal to construct two
high-speed lines – MAGLEV.The first part of the project will
connect Shinagawa Station inTokyo to Nagoya in 2027 and will
Top: Figure 8 Tokyo Central Station, shortly after its opening in 1914, with
construction details (e.g.,how many bricks,how much concrete) listed below.
(Source oldtokyo.com)
Bottom: Figure 9 JNR split up of smaller sectors (Source Central Japan
Railway Company)

Figure 10The iconic image of a shinkansen train speeding past majestic Mt. Fuji (Source japanstation.com)
Figure 11Tokyo Station (SourceTeam Photographer)

cover the distance of 177 miles in 40 minutes (instead of 1hour
32 minutes today with the Tokaido Line and accessible with
your Japan Rail Pass.86 percent of the line will be underground.
Later on, the line, called “Linear Chuo Shinkansen,” will be sub-
sequently extended by 94 miles to Osaka. Works conducted
by JR Central started in 2014.The Japanese government is also
considering selling its high-speed rail train system to other
countries. (Experience, 2018)
When a country introduces high speed rail such as the MAG-
LEV, (magnetic levitation) it not only caters to high and consis-
tent passenger demand in dense regions but also plays a role
in time management and productivity in various industries and
business sectors. One also witnesses the city growing due to
better job opportunities and good schooling institutes, attract-
ing the youth to move to Tokyo. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
has called MAGLEV “the crystallization of our most advanced
technologies.” (Rector, 2018 October 27th)
Comparisons with Western Rail Stations
The designs of railroad stations in Japan are quintessentially
Japanese in that they borrow fromWestern architectural styles
and improve upon these concepts. Not without detractors,
some have analyzed the designs of stations in Japan and felt
that they were not actually pleasing to the eye. Japanese train
stations are notoriously overcrowded, which makes sense, as
rail is one of the primary modes of travel for Japanese citizens.
Ewa Maria Kido, Researcher at the Institute for Transport Pol-
icy Studies feels that Japanese railroad station design occurs
presently without context and regard for local design and input
from community members.
Kido outlines several criticisms of the aesthetic aspects of rail-
ways in Japan, and for the purposes of this report, only the
few identified will be noted and debated. She asserts that ele-
vated railroads obstruct the natural and urban environments,
that stations are congested because they incorporate so many
uses and amenities, and that there is a lack of architectural
identity to the physical stations and plazas at station entranc-
es and dimensions are small inside buildings and concourses.
One could easily assume that she would apply all of these crit-
icisms to Shibuya Station in particular. These are interesting
points raised, but the design of these stations were created for
moving people in and out quickly.Additionally, Shibuya Station
is still pushing these design “flaws” that Kido outlines in her
article. Designs that do not necessarily fit with the context of
the neighborhood. However, the argument could be made that
they do fit the context of the neighborhood.Tokyo has gone
through a constant rebuilding process throughout its history
due to all types of calamities,earthquakes and fires chief among
those.
Investigating the designs of Shibuya Station and Tokyo Station
could be considered comparing two completely different sta-
tions. One would be correct in this assumption, as different
services are offered at each station. Shibuya Station was cre-
Figure 12 Shibuya Station (SourceTeam Photographer)

ated because of its location on a major crossing;Tokyo Station
was created due to its location. Shibuya Station lies roughly
four miles south and west ofTokyo Station in Shibuya City, one
of the busiest areas of Tokyo.Tokyo Station is located near the
heart of government in Japan, just steps away from the Impe-
rial Palace and national government offices. Importantly,Tokyo
Station serves the Shinkansen “bullet trains” that reach as far
north as Hakodate in Hokkaido and as far south as Kagoshi-
ma in Kyushu. Both Shibuya and Tokyo Stations were designed
for capacity, handling large volumes of people every day.These
volumes are greater than other cities around the world, only
a handful of which are designed for such a large capacity of
people.
Another aspect that we will research is the real estate devel-
opment of Tokyo’s transportation hubs and the development
around them.Development as a process involves multiple part-
ners who cater to various processes during a project.This liter-
ature review will study these various partners, their duties and
their organizations – e.g. Government bodies, private bodies
or collaboration between the two organizations (Public pri-
vate partnerships). Furthermore, we will be studying the urban
mobility areas in terms of traffic, both vehicular and pedestri-
an. Space planning and design along with the building layout
while creating an efficient multi-functional space which would
decongest the roads through the use of sustainable transpor-
tation techniques and economic development.Lastly we will be
examining the different procurement methods utilized by the
country which are privately as well as publicly owned for public
transportation system.
ATransit Oriented Development (TOD) is successful when the
project positively caters to the citizens that utilize it.Their daily
commute is made more efficient. It does not hamper the road
network, in turn it decongests it.The chief function of a TOD
not only ensures the seamless connection to different and far
off zones in the city but it also creates a multifunctional zone
which hosts different functions such as corporate, residential
and retail.TOD stimulates development around it by efficiently
implementing land use patterns.This in turn helps in creating
a balance between the utilization of automobiles and public
transport. This literature review will be studying how, Tokyo
Station and Shibuya Station have been able to create this bal-
ance and become successful transportation nodes.
Figure 13The high growth economy where people believed that they would be able to become more well-off tomorrow than today – Japans Miracle
(Source ochimusyadrive.com)

Time travel – A journey through the Jap-
anese society through time about their
travel.
Learning about transit in Japan requires an understanding of
Japanese culture and history. Some say Japan is continuous:
it interweaves the tradition of temples with the discovery of
cameras. How do we assess such a culture? Where did the
Japanese come from? Where are they going in the twenty-first
century?And why are they as they are?The Japanese have been
shaped by their environment. From the dawn of their history,
closed communication and an often precarious coexistence
with nature have dominated almost all aspects of the national
character and culture. (Pradyumna, 2005)
Japan is viewed as seamless: A garden. A blossom. A stone. A
brook.The haiku that fuses them together.The wizened figure
in a kimono who recites the haiku, are all exemplary cultural
insights to a great nation. All nations seek greatness, but few
achieve it. During the past half century, Japan has attained this
rare status, a claim that stands despite all of its obvious flaws.
(M. Hirohara, J.D.Alden and M. Cassim, 1988)
Japan’s Economic Miracle is a common name given to the dra-
matic economic growth of Japan between the years 1955 -
1990 that saw the country rise to become the world’s second
biggest economy.
Japan emerged fromWWII as a broken nation with burnt cities
and a collapsed economy.The Americans immediately supplied
aid upon occupying the country and encouraged the export
of goods to America. They stripped the Emperor of power
and gave Japan a new constitution and a viable organization of
government.The earliest Japanese exports after the war with
handicrafts and traditional items. Japan had been a thriving in-
dustrial nation up until the 1930s but the war had gutted the
economy.
The first industrial products out of Japan after the war were
known for their low quality.Although the country was granted
direct access to American markets, it was difficult to match
the quality of American factories at the time. Japan recruited
foreign quality experts such as the acclaimed management con-
sultant Edwards Deming.The country became quality obsessed.
With the help of the government, Japan organized extremely
large companies that offered lifetime employment. Quality im-
proved and with it demand for Japanese products grew. (Row-
en, 1993 December 23rd)
By the 1960s, Japan’s reputation for poor quality products was
increasingly undeserved.In many cases,Japanese products were
beatingAmerican and European offerings both in terms of qual-
ity and price. Japan maintained an artificially low currency that
gave it an edge in world markets. Growth exploded and Japa-
nese cities began to transform into the urban wonders they
are today.
By the 1980s, Japan had achieved a reputation for high quality
products. For example, the resale value of Japanese cars began
to witness growth. GDP per capita passed that of America.The
American government finally tired of Japan’s artificially low cur-
rency and forced it up. Growth slowed but Japan aggressively
cut interest rates to sustain the economy.Large bubbles formed
in Japan’s stock and real estate market.The bubble fueled years
of excess that ended in the early 1990s with a series of mar-
ket crashes. Japan’s economy went into a dreadful stagnation
measured in decades. Nevertheless, the Economic Miracle had
transformed the country into the modern nation with a thriv-
ing middle class that it is today. (Rowen, 1993 December 23rd)
Japan’s post-war generation who were born into the hard-
ships that followed WWII have an incredible work ethic. Japan
recorded the most hours worked per capita of any country
for much of the period from 1960s-1980s.These generations
earned much respect in Japan and are credited with making the
country what it is today.
Figure 14 Japan’s postWorld war ll economy and the economic miracle.
(Source factsanddetails.com)

In early 1992 the burst of Japan’s economic “bubble” had a
dramatic impact on consumer behavior.Traditionally, Japanese
consumers placed overwhelming priority on a product’s qual-
ity and on luxury brand names: Hermes scarves, Prada hand-
bags, Rolex watches, and fashion and leather goods from Louis
Vuitton, Tiffany, Giorgio Armani, and Bvlgari. Since 1996 sales
of luxury goods have declined. Ever since the opulence of the
“bubble” ended, the society became more aware and socially
responsible so much so that frugality started sweeping Japanese
society as it entered the new millennium. Magazines offered
suggestions for saving, telling readers that microwave cooking
is half as expensive as gas-burner cooking and recommending
baths rather than showers or small instead of large televisions.
(Pradyumna, 2005)
The world needs Japan as an ongoing engine for growth. It’s a
powerhouse for resources which all other countries rely on.
The Japanese automobile industry plays a huge impact on the
export of automobile to all other countries.Similarly they bring
multiple technological advances to the world which aids us in
progress.
Growth is by far the best answer to Japan’s government debt
burden and the fiscal consequences of the nation’s rapidly ap-
proaching demographic problems. Most Japanese accept that
change is needed,but there is a lack of determination to imple-
ment any reforms that would cause real pain. It is a kind of so-
cial phenomenon that Japan as a country starts to move when
it is triggered by pessimism. Japan maintains a hope for success
and a sense of crisis as it faces the challenges of the twenty-first
century. (Pradyumna, 2005)
The Japanese are phenomenal at leaving the past behind, learn-
ing from mistakes and recovering from catastrophes. It’s this
very attitude which puts them in a standing position as one of
the fastest growing nations. This undying zest gives them the
ability to innovate and create new technological innovations in
every field which puts them ahead of their time.These innova-
tions can be very easily seen in the transportation sector.Their
public transit system is nothing short of perfect and it con-
tinues to get better. Having the backing of this transportation
facility the Japanese grow their cities around it, this process is
referred to as Smart growth.
Smart Growth – Economic growth of a city which
leads toTransit Oriented Development (TOD)
Transportation and land use patterns are inextricably linked.
Transportation facilities and networks have the power to
shape development, influence property values, and determine a
neighborhood’s character and quality of life. In addition, trans-
portation investments have important consequences for the
environment, including air and water quality, climate change,
and open space preservation. How communities develop also
Figure 15 Components that makeTOD work (source https://www.treehugger.com/urban-design/transit-oriented-development-key-better-cities.html)

affects how convenient and appealing public transportation,
bicycling, and walking are for their residents. Integrated trans-
portation and land use planning gives people more choices for
getting around their town and their region.
The implementation of such intrinsically linked land use pat-
terns is extremely difficult. Monitoring growth in a city where
it occurs organically is rather hard.These lead to issues which
generate from the urban fabric.The balance of resources pro-
vided and the number of people using it is important. If that
balance tips over on either side we experience either a very
congested situation, where there is a paucity of resources or
there is an abundance of resources with no one to utilize it.
Thus it is extremely essential for the government to under-
stand the pattern of utilization and make wise decisions whilst
constructing new infrastructure.
Despite heavy investments on roads and other transportation
facilities, one can witness traffic congestion with an increase
in the use of automobiles. Urban sprawl is one example of a
development pattern that leads to inefficiency and infeasible
public transit leading to dependency on private automobiles.
One specific concept under the general Smart Growth ban-
ner isTransit-Oriented Development (TOD).TOD has become
more popular over the past two decades as an alternative to
weakly controlled,separated and automobile-dependent devel-
opment.
Tokyo’s Urban Development Project
Japan features one of the most modern transportation infra-
structures in the world.Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, aims to
be a competitive global city through its major urban develop-
ment in the city.There are now various on-going developments
in the area that specifically aims to further develop the city.
In Marunouchi there are development projects spearheaded
by Mitsubishi Estate Co., LTD to undertake major renovations
after the“Type 1 City Redevelopment Project” approval.Other
real estate developers such as Sumitomo Realty & Develop-
ment and Mori Building are key players in land development
projects for the 2020 Olympic Games.
To alleviate traffic congestion in the city,infrastructure projects
including the Shinjuku Station south exit, taxi stands, buildings,
bus stops and more have been set up.These projects reduce
travel time and boost efficiency.
In Shibuya, there are three different urban projects being un-
dertaken which include:
• Station Commercial District Development Plan
• Shibuya Station South District Development Project
• Dogenzaka Redevelopment Plan
•
These plans and projects aim to create more commercial of-
fices and facilities, limousine bus terminals and parking lots,
among many others.These will be discussed in detail at a later
section of the report along with Shibuya Station
We would like to address some of the issues surroundingTOD,
including how it can be paid for, the political process and the
stakeholders involved in implementation,and how to transition
from a car-based landscape?
• TOD and Smart Growth have in turn become targets for
much criticism, mainly from the conservative side
• Like many works on TOD, it is very practitioner oriented
and grounded in exemplary case studies that show how
particular problems of traffic or exurban sprawl
• It also contains sections on political processes involved
with coordinating development around transit areas, as
well as market-based arguments for broader TOD imple-
mentation across the country.
TOD is a cardinal trait showcased in city centers of Japanese
cities which are generally rail-based and not intermodal. Rail-
road was a strong entity used in the development of the coun-
try postWorldWar II leading to minimal use of road networks.
(Zachariasa, 2011)
Japan integrated multiple elements in its re-development strat-
egy including density concentration, diversity for station users,
integration for space-saving, connectivity with surroundings,
vibrancy and human scale and low carbon. “There are many
hints that we can apply Japanese TOD to other countries,” Mr.
Wataru Tanaka, Executive Officer and Deputy Head of Project
Development Department of Nikken Sekkei LTD continued,
“but coordination is critical.” The importance of proper de-
marcation and coordination in operation and management, and
proper allocation of initial and operational costs were pointed
out.
To ensure this coordination and success in projects there are
certain tendering frame works created.These are as follows:
Types of Tendering (Request for Proposal)
Procedures in Japan
Open tendering procedure
Open tendering procedures are most commonly used by Jap-
anese governments. The procuring entity (government) puts
forward a tender at the local level and a notice to invite partic-
ipants is issued.The contractor with the best offer is awarded
the tender.The government and the contractor then sign the
agreement while also in some cases negotiate on the pricing
stated in the tender. These types of tenders are found in all

sizes. (Tendering Procedures, 2019)
Selective tendering procedure
This procedure is restricted to a small number of participants
based on the nature and the purpose of the job that needs to
be carried out.The procuring entity qualifies suppliers and con-
tractors considering the most capable to administer the job as
well as the best offer made in terms of the tender price.This is
a rare procedure and usually implemented in public contracts
for complex projects. (Government Procurement Law and Pol-
icy: Japan, 2015)
Limited tendering
Limited tendering takes place without competitive tendering.
When the procuring entity doesn’t receive response from ten-
dered or need exclusive rights protection that do not entertain
competition.Another reason for limited tender would be if the
entity needs the same supplier to work on an existing project
and wants to avoid interchangeability to avoid accidents on site.
(Government Procurement Law and Policy: Japan, 2015)
Open counter
These are small procurement projects proposed by the gov-
ernment. Suppliers with the winning bits are lower. It’s usually
a short term project with the time frame of notification and
bidding being shorter. (Tendering Procedures, 2019)
The Renovation and the regeneration
process for Tokyo Station
Tokyo Station was designed by architect Tatsuno Kingo who
drew from a plan proposed by Franz Balzer.Tokyo Station was
constructed in 1914, just to the north of the first original rail-
road in Japan which connected Shimbashi and Yokohama.The
station proved to be quite durable, largely surviving the de-
struction wrought by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923.
Allied bombing during World War II became the first event
that caused sizable damage to the building. (Ando, 2010).The
heaviest damage that the station faced was from World War II,
occurred on the upper floors of the building, particularly its
domes.The domes were not rebuilt to reflect the initial 1914
in the aftermath of the war (Kawasaki, 2014).
However,Tokyo Station was renovated in 2012, and there was
controversy surrounding this particular design change.Through
a Western lens, one could argue that keeping something as
close to the original as possible is ideal.The renovation of To-
kyo Station completed in 2012 restored the domes and top
floor of the station building to its original design from 1914
(Nakia,2013;Nakata,2012).The controversy comes from pres-
ervationists who argue that the changes made toTokyo Station
after World War II were historic in their own right and should
not have been altered (Martin, 2019).The other side of this is
the Tokyo government always with JR felt the need to restore
Figure 16 Reconstruction ofTokyo Station afterWW II (Source https://
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reconstruction_work_of_Tokyo_station_
Marunouchi_building.jpg)
the station to its previous design (Nakata, 2012).This debate is
quite interesting,what is most important byWestern standards
of preservation is keeping as close to the original design as pos-
sible. In this instance, the Japanese acknowledge that though it
may not be the same as the original, the change itself is original
and should remain.
The planners of the station were at a junction where they were
required to make a staunch decision. They could have either
sustained the post-world war dome or they would have to
revert back to the original character and design of the primary
dome.The planners going ahead with the second choice made
a decision to celebrate the existence of the station along with
its 100th year.Their efforts should be applauded.The planners
wanted to give back to the original design by creating some-
thing iconic and they succeeded in this effort.We should ap-
plaud their efforts, they not only brought in a more sustainable
long lasting structure into play but also revised the old design
format and gave back to the people the original form of the
dome however with new age technology. Creating this balance
is never an easy task. Their attempt has been a successful
one and credit is due.
Tokyo Station City Project
Tokyo station underwent a major regeneration program in
2000.The station is not only a transport hub but also accom-
modates cultural arenas, social, communication and business
hubs. Factors such as operational structure of the station, lo-
cation and physical conditions, neighboring urban spaces and
building complexes help in regenerating the layouts, design and
proposed activities. (Zachariasa, 2011)
The redevelopment includes extension to pedestrian systems,

Figure 17Tokyo City Station redevelopment render (source https://www.jahn-us.com/tokyo-station-yaesu-redevelop-
ment-1)
Figure 18Tokyo City Station render,Yaesu Side (sourcehttps://www.jahn-us.com/tokyo-station-yaesu-redevelopment-1)

the provision of commercial facilities, public leisure spaces, and
high rise office building.The goal of the station companies was
to broaden their horizons in terms of operation under the
Japanese railway system.This was achieved by magnifying com-
mercial functions to attract a large inflow of visitors. (Zacha-
riasa, 2011)
The redevelopment project comprises of several components.
Firstly, to restore the old station built in the early twentieth
century which faced damage during the SecondWorldWar.The
north and the south sides of the historic station (Built in 1914)
had its rotundas restored after getting heavily destroyed during
World War ll. The aim of the restoration was to retain the
original look of the octagonal shaped domes. (Nakata, 2012)
This part of the project includes beautification of the structure
proposing a tree lined boulevard that symmetrically aligns with
the imperial palace. (Zachariasa, 2011) The construction of the
central plaza on the Marunouchi side paved access to the Impe-
rial Palace while also designating space for taxis on the south-
ern and northern ends of the plaza. (Tanaka, 2017)
To the east of the station is theYaesu district that houses large
businesses, industrial and development companies. It is also
associated with everyday business, entertainment and living.
On the Yaesu side of the station, high rise buildings were con-
structed.The first phase of theYaesu side was to construct two
sky-scrappers.The towers are built on two separate land plots
and underwent rezoning.The second phase was to connect the
two towers with the Granroof along with pedestrian passage.
(Kaise, 2010) While the restoration took place, it also helped
promote new development on both the side of the station.The
JR East Company sold vast amounts of land around the sta-
tion to surrounding development companies.This helped them
finance the Tokyo station renovation project. (Tanaka, 2017)
While the development around the station area was strained
to add extra Floor Area due to zoning followed in the district,
it was made possible to add extra floors due to the transfer of
air rights gained from the Tokyo City Station. JR East sold the
airspace above the station which further helped in funding the
renovation of the station. ((ULI), 2003)
Secondly, the pedestrian system underwent major changes.The
first phase of the commercial development also known as the
First Avenue runs parallel to the Shinkansen tracks. It acts as
a passage between the Marunouchi and the Yaesu sides of the
station. (Zachariasa, 2011)
The main neighborhood adjacent to the station is the Marunou-
chi district that houses most of the skyscraper office buildings.
With an increasing population moving in and out of the station,
theTokyo metropolitan government built underground walking
passages that connected all the prestigious office buildings to
the metro station. A major stakeholder of real estate in the
Marunouchi district is the Mitsubishi Company’s headquarters
that facilitated in the development of the underground system.
The benefit of the underground walkway passage was that it
made it easier for commuters to reach their office buildings
without having to step outside on the street level.This helped
in controlling traffic while also creating an opportunity to de-
sign the street with trees and spaces for entertainment. (Zach-
ariasa, 2011)
Study on Shibuya Station Redevelopment
– Tokyo
The scope of the project involves the construction of a com-
mercial arena of three high rise buildings on 1.5 hectares of
land in Shibuya, Tokyo. The project cost US $500 million. It
comprises of parking facilities (840),construction of the station
infrastructure and installation of elevators and various safety
systems. An association formed by Tokyu Corporation (TC),
the East Japan Railway Company (EJRC) and the Tokyo Metro
Co, Ltd (TM) undertook the redevelopment project. (Carpen-
ter, July 2018)
The aim of the project is to remold an old railway station to
a revolutionized railway hub with entertainment attractions
while instilling new values and cultures in the form of com-
merce and social activities.The idea of the development is to
further grow the urban prosperity of Tokyo. (Carpenter, July
2018)
A total of 270,000 m2 will be distributed amongst the three
high rise buildings (Eastern tower, Central tower and Western
tower).This will include a 70,000m2 of commercial space with-
in the complex.The architects hired are Kengo Kuma &Asso-
ciates, Nikken Sekkei Ltd., and SANAA.The Eastern tower will
have 30,000 m2 of commercial area on the first 14 floors, in-
formation exchange space on the 15th floor and the rest of the
floors from 16 to 46 will be for offices. (Carpenter, July 2018)
The project proposals came into existence in 2005 with its
guidelines for the development of the station and the surround-
ing area being constructed in 2010 which was later issued in
March 2011. On July 31st, 2014, the ground breaking ceremony
was held for the Eastern Tower.The construction is scheduled
to complete in 2020.TheWestern tower and the CentralTow-
er are still in the planning stage. (Carpenter, July 2018)
In conclusion the literature review is a brief walk through the
occurrence of rail transit and its progress in Japan. Leading up
to the most recent developments which are Shibuya andTokyo
station planning.The infrastructural growth around it, why this
growth seems to be conglomerated in that specific region.This
report would be addressing the methodology through which
we have gathered this information and further talk about cen-
tral element in Tokyo transit -Yamanote line.And lastly we will
touch base with both the transit nodes discussed above,Tokyo
and Shibuya Station which are hosted by theYamanote line.

Top: Figure 19 North and South Tower,Tokyo City Station (Source https://
www.jahn-us.com/tokyo-station-yaesu-redevelopment-1)
Bottom: Figure 20 Eastern Tower Shibuya Station (Source Team Photogra-
pher)

S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 1 : M E T H O D O O G Y | 21
Section A
Transit Oriented Development and its impact
Chapter 1 - Methodology
Planners and researchers have proposed several definitions for Transit Oriented Development based on different functions and
perspectives. One can defineTOD as a high-density area situated within walking distance of a transportation hub (CTOD, 2010),
while some consider factors like mixed-use features and the distance involved within the area around the transit station. Having
studied the variousTOD nodes, the neighborhood often revolves around center, which is the public transit station.The station is
the most substantial characteristic of a TOD and the neighborhood around the center consists of high density mixed use devel-
opment that includes retail, offices and civic uses.
Three main factors used to study TOD -
• Density of development
• Distance and pathways used to connect to the transit station
• Amalgamation of mixed use functions in and around the transit hub
Data collection -
• Partners and entities
• Planning authority
• Design and Construction Partners
• Stakeholders around the station
• ProjectValue
• Zones and Functions
Tokyo Station and Shibuya Station are the primary focus of the development section of this report.However it would be obscure
to not discuss the sole reason for their existence - The Yamanote Line.The Yamanote line is the primary artery of Tokyo, along
which are all the important nodes of Tokyo city metro, which help usher the people into the city and bringing them to this hub
of progress.
Tourists and spectators often ask and wonder why the people of Tokyo continue to use the metro despite it being so crowded
and clustered.The answer is not simply that the city’s rail system is unrivalled in its speed, efficiency and cleanliness, but that
travelling on the trains is the central shared act of civic life in Tokyo.And nowhere is the Tokyo train system’s excellence and im-
portance better exemplified than the loop line connecting the city’s major centers: theYamanote line. (Prideaux, 2006)
Often referred to as Tokyo’s- “Ring of Steel”.TheYamanote line, its history, the occurrence of the loop, its importance and rele-
vance to the urban fabric are the next topic that we will be addressing before we entirely dwell into Tokyo and Shibuya Station
as the most important transit nodes on theYamanote line.

22 | S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 2 : T H E YA M A N O T E L I N E - T R A N S I T D N A O F T O K Y O
Chapter 2 - The Yamanote Line. Transit DNA of Tokyo.
Tokyo’s Yamanote train line has been at the center of
Japan’s modernization project and continues to define
socio-spatial relations within the city today. Tokyo is
a city that has long been associated with movement.
At one end of the main transportation artery of the
Tokugawa period – the Tōkaidō road – the old city of
Edo was home to the military and political elite of
the premodern period, as well as the start (or end)
of many pre-modern processes of domestic mobility.
At the center of all these modern movements stands
Tokyo’s transit system. The development of mass
transportation systems along with Japan’s Meiji in-
dustrialization process in the late nineteenth century
marked Japan’s entry into the ‘modern’ era, and each
addition to its expansive linkages and loops have sig-
nified Tokyo’s place as a ‘modern’ city. The history of
the Yamanote epitomizes how various separate lines
of movement become entangled, forming phenome-
nologically and symbolically powerful loops and link-
ages. Loop lines, such as those in London and Paris,
were only introduced after widespread developments
of destination-oriented lines and their terminus sta-
tions. (Levy, 2017 )
The Yamanote is no exception. It did not start as a
loop line, but rather as a series of privately-run cargo
lines. Conceived as a means to connect the Tōkaidō
line, which roughly followed the route of the historic
Tōkaidō road west from old Edo, to the Tōhoku line
running north-east of the capital, the original planned
route was to connect Shinagawa in the southwest of
the city to agricultural lands in the northwest, start-
ing with parallel Nihon Tetsudō lines running from
Akabane to Ueno and Shinagawa in the 1880s. In its
production, new urban centers along the western side
of Tokyo were created, such as the founding of Ike-
bukuro in 1903 along with the major business and
shopping districts of Shinjuku and Shibuya. By 1925,
the loop was completed with the opening of the leg
between Akihabara and Tabata stations in the east.
Subsequently, trains on other major lines such as the
Tōhoku or Chūō, were rerouted or stopped at the
Yamanote’s boundaries, creating the loop, while also
opening up spaces to the west for further connectiv-
ity to the heart of the city. (Grescoe, 2012)
Movements within Edo reflected social distinctions
and patterns within the city – a central governmental
hub with encircling grids for different social groups
at the time. The Yamanote line’s name, for example,
comes from the highland areas to the west of Edo’s
center, which was occupied by enclaves of noble fam-
ilies at the time. The traces of these movements and
configurations were also carried into the Meiji pe-
riod. The governing center became the imperial pal-
Figure 21 Evolution of theYamanote Line over time (Source deepjapan.org)

S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 2 : T H E YA M A N O T E L I N E - T R A N S I T D N A O F T O K Y O | 23
ace, which even today encourages the city to develop
as encircling mobility’s around what some have con-
troversially characterized as an ‘empty’ center. The
Meiji move of the formal capital from Kyoto to the
newly named Tokyo alongside the consolidation of a
newly modern conceptualization of the nation also
prompted a further movement of the city to the cen-
ter of the national imaginary, a place it has maintained
throughout Japan’s many changes over the past 150
years (Watson, 2016 )
Tokyo’s humble Yamanote Line, whose pea-green, 11-
car trains link 29 stations over a looping route of 34.5
km, may not have the glamour of Japan’s world-famous
Shinkansen bullet trains, or the allure of the Romance
Car as it heads off to the hills and hot springs in
the shadow of Mount Fuji. Yet for sheer, hardworking
utility, astounding punctuality and frequency and the
connections it makes with other rail routes, there’s
nothing to compare with East Japan Railway Compa-
ny’s Yamanote Line.
The Yamanote was created by the planners of the
new modern city. And yet its historic adjustment also
shows how such plans are never truly completed or
perfected. The history of the Yamanote’s linkages and
loops continue today, suggesting ceaseless develop-
ment in relation to wider processes of mobility in
the city.
The Yamanote is the central thread in Tokyo’s com-
prehensive and sometimes confusing weave of rail-
ways and subways. The historical reason for this is
that, before the War, the Ministry of Railways insisted
that private railway companies terminate their addi-
tional lines at government-run Yamanote stations. As
a result, Yamanote stations like Shinjuku, Shibuya and
Tokyo became major urban centers (seven-hundred
and sixty-thousand passengers now embark or depart
at Shinjuku every day). (Watson, 2016 )
The Yamanote line is used by around 3.7 million peo-
ple every day, roughly the total current population
of Panama or Georgia. We might compare this with
the five million who use the entirety of New York’s
subway lines (all four hundred and sixty-eight sta-
tions) or the 2.7 million who travel on all the Lon-
don Underground twelve lines. At peak times, trains
run every two minutes, and the line becomes a con-
stantly-moving floor that travelers can jump on and
off. Often it takes considerably less time to wait for
the next train than it does to walk from one end
of an individual platform to the other. Traversing the
entire loop of twenty-nine stations takes about fif-
ty-nine minutes by train or around twelve hours by
foot. (Grescoe, 2012)
To further maximize capacity, the carriage of the
model E231-500 trains introduced in 2002 was given
8 cm more width than the predecessor model 205,
boosting the maximum capacity per 11-car train from
1,500 to 1,600 people.
The Yamanote Line — with its cushioned seats a New
Yorker would die for and wide, spacious carriages a
Londoner could only dream of — is an icon of public
transportation the world over. Day in and day out,
it serves as the key transport artery for the greater
Tokyo conurbation and its 20-odd million inhabitants.
“The punctuality, I believe, is the first thing any for-
eigner would notice, especially bearing in mind that
the Yamanote Line serves some of the busiest train
stations in the world,” says Dutch Attache for Trans-
port Michiel de Lijster, who rides the green wonder
several times a week.
The Yamanote is also still being extended: in 2012, the
company that runs it, Japan Railways, announced it
was constructing a new stop named - Takanawa Gate-
way between Shinagawa and Tamachi, is scheduled to
open tentatively in the spring of 2020 ahead of the
Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, with full oper-
ations beginning in 2024. (Levy, 2017 )
Figure 22The construction of theYamanote Line (SourceThinking from the
Yamanote: space, place and mobility inTokyo's past and present)

Figure 23 Yamanote Map along with stations (Source jreast.co.jp)
Figure 24 Yamanote Line (Source japanguide.com)
The station is designed by Kuma Kengo, whose works
include the National Stadium for the 2020 games. The
launch of the new Shinkansen fast train symbolizes
the re-emergence of the new modern state from the
war trains have long functioned alongside these glob-
al events as a means of presenting a vision of a mod-
ern, global Japan to the outside world. Trains function
as a key tool in a narrative of developmental progress.
They are made to express a powerful faith in tech-
nology, the persistent pursuit of material progress,
the state of Japan’s national self-esteem across the
postwar continuum, and the urge to keep pushing Ja-
pan towards its historical destiny. (Japan Today , 2016)
In Tokyo, the transit system also very concretely
structures the ways its inhabitants move through the
city, with commutes following the lines of rails and
roads and most pedestrian movements intersecting
with these stations and the shopping districts that
connect them. Movement around the city is mixed

modal – with typical commuters walking, riding bikes
or catching buses to their nearest station, from
where they traverse the city in commutes of up to
two hours. The train functions as one key means by
which people move from home to work and to the
social spaces of the city. It also connects the com-
muter to larger systems of advertising, telecommuni-
cations, broadcast media and more, which structure
the commuting experience through hand-held devic-
es, suspended advertisements, and live TV broadcasts
on some trains. Consequently, to think from move-
ment allows us to travel between macro and everyday
scales, as well as historical and contemporary experi-
ences. (Baseel, 2018)
The widespread interest in Tokyo has often left its
central loop line as a hidden actor within sociocul-
tural, political, and historical analyses. The Yamanote
does not only reflect or signify modernization and
urbanization, but it also actively reconstitutes these
processes in everyday life.
The Yamanote’s development has not only produced
spaces within the city, but also mediated Tokyo’s cit-
izens’ exposure to capitalism and modernization.
Tokyo’s place as a ‘global city’ is largely structured
by global flows of capital and its government’s will-
ingness to subject its urban spaces and inhabitants
to the logics of these flows of capital. The images
and experience of commuter trains reflects the ways
in which Tokyo’s human mobility, as a form of labor,
relates to the capitalist structuring of the city to-
day states that such commuter systems have served
to produce Tokyo as an ‘abstract space, a space that
reduces everything to serve flexible accumulation.
(Watson, 2016 )
Figure 25 Construction site of theTakanawa Gateway station (Source
housingjapan.com)
Figure 26 Finished Render of theTakanawa Gateway station (Source
housingjapan.com)
The Yamanote line also functions as a replacement
for a more conventional civic center. According to
the French writer and theorist Roland Barthes, Tokyo
is a paradoxical city because it has a ‘sacred “noth-
ing”’ at its center. Barthes argues that, while most
major global capitals are centered around a famous
square (think, for instance, of the National Mall in
Washington D.C., Tiananmen Square in Beijing or Tr-
afalgar Square in London) Tokyo’s national center is
the Imperial Palace, surprisingly modest construction
that is visited infrequently and hidden behind a moat
and the city’s major national cultural and governmen-
tal sites are distributed across different parts of the
city. But Barthes was wrong: Tokyo’s center is not a
hole but a circle. The Yamanote provides the universal
experience that unites all Tokyoites; it is the glue that
holds the city together. (Grescoe, 2012)

Top : Figure 27 Julien Wulff poster on Ikebukuro (Source yamanoteyaman-
ote.com)
Bottom : Figure 28 Julien Mercier poster on Ikebukuro (Source yamanoteya-
manote.com)
YamanoteYamanote is a project initiated in 2016 by
Julien Mercier and Julien Wulff, two Tokyo-based Swiss
graphic designers who decided to create a series of
posters inspired by Tokyo’s iconic Yamanote train line.
For each station, the two designers create two post-
ers that represent their parallel perspectives of the
locations and organize a local small-scale exhibition
in a carefully selected venue.

Top : Figure 29 JulienWulff poster on Shibuya (Source yamanoteyamanote.
com)
Bottom : Figure 30 Julien Mercier poster on Shibuya (Source yamanoteya-
manote.com)

Top : Figure 31 JulienWulff poster on Shinjuku (Source yamanoteyaman-
ote.com)
Bottom : Figure 32 Julien Mercier poster on Shibuya (Source yamanoteya-
manote.com)

Top : Figure 33 Julien Wulff poster on Tokyo Station (Source yamanoteya-
manote.com)
Bottom : Figure 34 Julien Mercier poster on Tokyo Station (Source yaman-
oteyamanote.com)

30 | S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 3 : S H I B U YA S TAT I O N & J U N C T I O N
Chapter 3 – Shibuya Station and Junction
Shibuya, as its name reads in kanji, is a valley, the deepest point
of which lies around the station.The area is made up of craggy
hills, which gives nearby neighborhoods a maze-like appear-
ance. The narrow lanes add to the sense of community, with
a slew of small roadside shops generating an almost festive at-
mosphere.The district, however, didn’t always have this hustle
and bustle.
Mitsuyasu Tahara, curator of the Shibuya Folk and Literary Shi-
rane Memorial Museum, says that Shibuya was, in fact, a subur-
ban area during the Edo Period.The east side of what is now
known as Shibuya Ward was closer to Edo Castle, and so the
area had a few old samurai residences scattered about but not
much else.“Shibuya was basically located on the outskirts of the
city of Edo, consisting largely of farmland, fields and woodland,”
Tahara says. “To be frank, it was rather dull. Shibuya’s unique
location played a major role in how it developed into what it is
today. It acted as a connecting point between the central part
of Edo and other suburban areas (in eastern Tokyo).”
Indeed, Shibuya was left out of Tokyo’s first 15 wards when
the city was first founded in 1889. Rich with land, the district
became known for its tea fields and dairy farms.As Shibuya was
close to the center of the capital, however, the district would
soon be overflowing with factories and shops.
A large number of people began to move into Shibuya, espe-
cially after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, and residential
areas grew. Shibuya officially became part of Tokyo almost a
decade later,in 1932.Train lines continued to expand and when
Shibuya was connected to centralTokyo via the Ginza Line, the
station truly became a terminal,Tahara says.Almost 80 percent
of Shibuya Ward was destroyed in World War II, but even that
failed to slow the district’s growth. “Washington Heights,” a
Figure 35 Shibuya 1979 (Source universal-doll.com)

S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 3 : H I B U YA S TAT I O N & J U N C T I O N | 31
residence complex for U.S. military officials during the Occu-
pation, was constructed on a site encompassing Yoyogi Park,
Yoyogi National Gymnasium, the NHK Broadcasting Center
and other facilities, and Shibuya was thereafter closely linked
to Western culture.
Tokyo’s Shibuya Station handles an average of over 2.4 million
passengers each day.This makes Shibuya Crossing a pedestrian
scramble at the mouth of Shibuya Station’s Hachikō Exit, and
one of the busiest thoroughfares in the world.Approximately
2,500 people are thought to cross it at a time. It’s an icon of
the vibrancy and energy thatTokyo is known for and one of the
city’s most iconic attractions.
With so many subway and bus lines stopping by Shibuya,the lo-
gistical appeal for the average Tokyoite is obvious.After a night
of dancing, drinking, karaoke or dining, friends from all over the
city can easily catch the last train home or wait for the stations
to open again in the morning. (Hornyak, 2019 )
Today,Shibuya Station serves more than eight different lines and
is operated jointly by the JR East, Keio,Tokyu and Tokyo Metro
subway companies.Tokyu Corporation, one of the major oper-
ators of Shibuya Station, is planning a complete refurbishment
of the entire junction to be completed in 2027.The proposed
projects are -Hikarie, Shibuya Station South Area, Dogenzaka
and Sakuragaoka. These new structures will be the tallest in
Shibuya – just one more reason to visit Shibuya Crossing,To-
kyo’s busiest pedestrian thoroughfare. (Takada, 2016)
The important growth factor for Shibuya Station has been sub-
way service. Shibuya is one terminus of the famous Ginza Line,
a portion of which opened in 1927 as the first subway in East
Asia; it was extended to Shibuya in 1939. Now operated by
Tokyo Metro, its yellow-striped cars travel 14 km through cen-
tral Tokyo, including the posh Ginza shopping district, ending
at Asakusa, site of the historic Senso-ji Buddhist temple. (Joy,
2019)
Figure 36 1.Shibuya Hikarie, 2. Shibuya Station Sky-scrapper, 3. Shibuya Stream, 4. Shibuya Station Sakuragaoka, 5. CeruleanTower, 6. New high-rise in
Dogenzaka, 7. Shibuya Mark City; 8. Shibuya Scramble Crossing (Source created by team with reference image fromTokyu Corp)

Redevelopment of Shibuya
The station, a pulsating commuter hub housing a complex
tangle of nine train and subway lines, is set to undergo a ma-
jor revamp that will make it easier for travelers to navigate
the sprawling terminal.The redevelopment of the station area
will improve how people get in and out of Shibuya.The gently
rising Dōgenzaka 1-chōme area near the station, also on the
west side, will be the site of a new low-rise building featuring a
ground-floor bus terminal offering coach service to and from
Haneda and Narita Airports. It will be located closer to the
station than the current terminal, significantly improving access
between rail and road transport.The building will have a vari-
ety of services aimed at travelers, including an area to store
and deliver luggage, a money exchange counter, and a tourism
office. (Corporation, 2013)
Shibuya Station is also getting a makeover that will bolster safe-
ty and improve convenience.As part of remodeling, the Saikyō
Line will be moved north 350 meters so it lies parallel to the
Yamanote Line, while the currently separate platforms of the
latter will be rebuilt as an island with the north- and south-
bound trains arriving on either side. The Tokyo Metro Ginza
Line will also shift 130 meters east from its current location
Left : Figure 37 Shibuya redevelopment project model made byTokyu Corp
(SourceTeam Photographer)
Top Right : Figure 38 Construction occurring at Shibuya Station (Source
Team Photographer)
Bottom Right : Figure 39 Shibuya Stream (SourceTeam Photographer)

above the JR lines, bringing it closer to Shibuya Hikarie, and
ending the sight of the line’s yellow subway carriages plying the
rails above congested Meiji-dōri. (Mellin, 2019)
This shuffling of rail lines will be carried out together with the
construction of a new underground plaza at the east exit of
the station. Once completed, commuters will be able to swift-
ly transfer between the raised JR, Ginza, and Keiō Inokashira
Lines and the Tōkyū Tōyoko, Den’entoshi, Hanzōmon, and Fu-
kutoshin Lines lower down. (Nagata, 2014)
The smooth flow of people will be made possible by an array of
escalators and elevators at the east exit.The Shibuya River,now
little more than a concrete-encased chute, will be redirected
through the area, and a large catchment will be built to protect
the low-lying station area from heavy rainfall.
Such developments represent a turnaround from the dominant
tone when Tokyo last hosted the Olympic Games in 1964.At
that time Japan was in the middle of a period of high economic
growth that saw the metropolis entomb its rivers in concrete
as it rushed to build roads and highways.Aware of this history,
the planners of the redevelopment project have begun to re-
verse the damage and return a water environment to the city.
(Ito, 2015)
Shibuya Hikarie
The first development is already complete: Tokyu’s Shibuya
Hikarie is a 43-story, 183-meter-tall skyscraper with LED lights
on its exterior.Hikarie is overlooks the east side of Shibuya Sta-
tion and is connected to it via underground and aboveground
passageways.The skyscraper houses offices, restaurants, eight
floors of retail space, a venue for conferences and creative
projects, as well as the 11th-floor Tokyu Theatre Orb, which
hosts Broadway musicals and other performances.
Shibuya Station South Area
Also on the east side of the JR Yamanote Line railway is the
Shibuya Station South Area. This zone will make use of land
that was occupied by the Tokyu Toyoko Line railway – which
now goes underground between Shibuya and Daikanyama sta-
tions.The centerpiece of this zone is another skyscraper – 33
floors above ground and 180 meters tall.While it will mostly
be office space, the building will also have a hotel, shops and
space for incubating creative content startups. The structure
will also serve as a bridge between Shibuya Station and the
Shibuya 3-chome area, which is cut off from it by Route 246
and Meiji Dori Street.
Shibuya River
Developer Tokyu also aims to revitalize the little-known
Shibuya River, currently a narrow chute behind buildings that’s
lined with concrete and devoid of any greenery.The river has
been diverted and a large catchment tank has been construct-
ed for heavy rain.In an unusual move forTokyo,the space along
one part of the river will be opened up into a plaza with trees
Figure 40 Shibuya Planned Project Area (SourceTokyu Corp)

Figure 41 Shibuya 2012 (SourceTokyu Corp) & Figure 42 Shibuya 2027 (SourceTokyu Corp)

Top : Figure 43 Shibuya Hikarie (SourceTeam Photographer)
Top Right: Figure 44 Shibuya River (SourceTeam Photographer)
Right :Figure 45 Shibuya River along with public space project byTokyu Corp
(SourceTeam Photographer)

and a walkway for pedestrians.The skyscraper and surrounding
area are slated to be complete in fiscal 2017, which ends in
March 2018.
Observation Deck
This transformation has brought hundreds of thousands of
people through the bowels of Shibuya, another change will
bring them far above the complex terminal. On a multipurpose
skyscraper that will be built over the station by 2019 – just in
time for the Olympics – Tokyu will open an observation deck
at a height of 230 meters.Visitors will be able to see the bus-
tling intersection below as well asTokyoTower,Tokyo SkyTree,
Roppongi Hills and other city landmarks, as well as Mt. Fuji on
clear days. At 3,000 square meters, the rooftop observation
deck will be one of the largest in the country and will also
feature a helipad and interior lounge for enjoying the lights of
the city at night.
Dogenzaka Area
On the southwestern side of Shibuya Station lies hilly Dogen-
zaka, a large shopping and entertainment district distinguished
Figure 46 & 47, Observation deck render (SourceTokyu Corp)

by Shibuya Tokyu 109, a mini-mall specializing in female fashion,
and, in the back streets, the presence of many love hotels as
well as live music venues.Tokyu is also planning to breathe new
life into the neighborhood with a large-scale development at
Dogenzaka 1-chome,located by the existing Shibuya Mark City
complex, which houses shops, offices, a hotel and the terminus
of the Keio Inokashira Line. While few details about it have
been released so far, a new building facing the Shibuya terminal
will be erected in fiscal 2018, which ends in March 2019. It will
be a mixture of commercial and office space, with the project
being led byTokyu Fudosan Holdings,Tokyu Group’s real-estate
arm.
Sakuragaoka Area
Located south of the station and on the west side of the Ya-
manote Line,the Sakuragaoka zone redevelopment will add yet
more high-rise buildings to Shibuya. One will be a 180-meter
tall, 36-story office tower and the other will be a 150-meter
tall, 32-story condominium. Featuring multilingual medical and
childcare facilities, as well as serviced apartments and a startup
incubator, they will be designed to appeal to foreign companies
as part of the move to rebrand Shibuya as an international hub.
Construction begins in 2016 and is scheduled to wrap up in
fiscal 2020, which ends in March 2021. (Hornyak, 2019)
By the end of the decade,Shibuya will have completely changed
into a nearly unrecognizable new town. But if you’re longing
for the past, you might still be able to find Nonbei Yokocho
(Drunkard’s Alley), a collection of tiny postwar bars by the Ya-
manote Line tracks that survives to this day and is proudly
scruffy.The cooperative that runs it is determined to keep the
establishments alive,along with the original community spirit of
Shibuya. (Hornyak, 2019)
Tokyu’s vision for Shibuya is to make it a futuristic city, a mix-
ture of New York’s Times Square and Silicon Valley. Central to
this vision is to turn Shibuya into a business district. In recent
years, companies such as CyberAgent and major communica-
tions and internet companies such as DeNA, KDDI, and LINE
have opened offices in Shibuya.Tokyu wants to encourage this
trend. Plans are to dedicate most of the space in the planned
skyscrapers to office use, thereby attracting more companies
to settle in Shibuya.The thinking is that if Shibuya can become
a business district,workers will also want to live nearby,leading
to the reinvigoration of the surrounding area.
If we were to anticipate what the future of Shibuya may turn
out to be, it’s safe to say that Shibuya would be a bustling vicin-
ity where people would be able to live work and play. Shibuya
would have enough amenities to offer various functional re-
quirements. Namely – A multimodal transit hub, residences, of-
fice space, retail space, tourist attractions as well as open pub-
lic space. Shibuya would essentially become the most thriving
junction of the city. It would then foster infrastructural growth
around it and attract more development.To aid to all of these
functionalities Shibuya would have the most efficient transit
system which would easily bring the footfall within. Ensuring
decongestion of automobiles and encouraging people to use
public transit.All these implementations would make Shibuya a
harmonious space which would be globally recognized as it was
rightly out by the mayor.
ShibuyaWard Mayor Ken Hasebe,who was elected inApril,said
in his first policy speech that he wants to turn the district into
an internationally recognized name.“ShibuyaWard has become
famous for its technological advances,” Hasebe said.“I want to
take it one step further and make Shibuya famous, not just do-
mestically but also internationally. It may sound presumptuous,
but I want people to think of Shibuya in the same way as they
do London, Paris and NewYork.” (Takada, 2016)
Another gripping point made by Kazuhiro Okuno, an official
in charge of urban development in Shibuya. States that “There
are areas that have aged and need to be renovated, but we
must also make sure that we preserve the original culture that
developed in Shibuya through its unique geographical features,”
Okuno says.“We never intended to simply tear down buildings
and replace them with new ones.”
Various spots around Shibuya Station and buildings that are
currently under construction will have vertical structures
called “urban cores,” which will help funnel pedestrians from
the subway station to their desired destination.An example of
such a core is the cylinder-shaped heart of the Hikarie build-
ing, where long escalators inside an atrium-like space guide pe-
destrians from the basement to the street and other rail con-
nections.“We not only want to attract people to the station,
but help them effortlessly explore the outer neighborhoods
of Shibuya,” Okuno says.“The urban core will connect people
from the buildings to the street.”
Redeveloping will not only help sustain its historic charm but
will also prepare it technologically.
It will maintain its diversity by catering to people from all walks
of life.The Urban planning is multifaceted thus it would bring
different age groups and make this project a success. Shibuya is
going to be viewed as a global magnet for its ability to do both.
It is the epicenter for development and progress.
Observations and Conclusion
The TOD group visited Shibuya multiple times, two of these
occasions were guided expeditions the first one with Mr. SEKI-
YA Shingo. Mr. SEKIYA, a former student of Pratt Institute who
participated in Japan Urbanism and Planning course during the
summer of 2017 and planner in Japan. The second one with
Tokyu Corporation the developers of Shibuya station and the
entire region.
Their respective perspectives on the redevelopment project

was from different points of view. Mr. SEKIYA spoke about
Shibuya from the public’s point of view, about the design of the
plaza and why it’s a success. He mentioned that every station
plaza should be a curated individually and involve an emotional
element in order to bring more footfall. Shibuya station plaza
has done exactly that. Shibuya since its existence has just been
growing organically and more people are attracted to it every
day.
Shibuya as a space is exactly what one expects it to be. Its
overflowing with people, there are a lot of retail and enter-
tainment options. An abundant amount of redevelopment is
occurring.And lastly the station brings in a lot of people. Based
on our visit to Shibuya with Mr. Sekiya one can never be sure
if all this development is what Shibuya needs. Should Shibuya
become the global emblem for Tokyo?
The above mentioned question gained a considerable amount
of clarity when we revisited Shibuya station.This time around
the developers from Tokyu Corporation took us around.Their
take on Shibuya as a space is an extremely progressive one.
Shibuya Stream has a large scale deck which connects passen-
gers coming from all 8 lines.The deck serves as a levelling fea-
ture which brings everyone to the same point.As developers
they want to activate and revitalise this space.Their goal is to
manage this space in such a way that it becomes a meetup are-
na for everyone.A destination which reminds everyone of the
history of Shibuya and Japan while promising the future.
The Shibuya Stream daylighting project - restoring the Pride of
Shibuya. Is one promising project which gives everyone a view
to look forward to.The project which is the revival of the river
is an extremely important aspect, the river means a lot to the
people. It’s the focal point of the development. It captures the
history and triggers emotions.The goal is to get all the buildings
facing the river and highlight the river.
Shibuya as a junction is going to be the emblem ofTokyo to the
world. It upholds the values that Japan projects to the world.
Progress, pace and stability.

S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 1 : T O K Y O S TAT I O N | 39
Chapter 4 - Tokyo Station
Tokyo has multiple urban nodes that house major business
hubs. Otemachi- Marunouchi area is a quintessential example.
Tokyo station is located in the heart of this business district.To
celebrate the 100th anniversary and cater to the high and rapid
economic growth, the reconstruction of the old station to its
original design was sanctioned by JR East.
The redevelopment of the Tokyo station has four cardinal
phases -
• Restoring the Marunouchi side of the station to its original
design.
• The GranTokyo twin towers (North and South tower) on
theYaesu side of the station.
• Sepia tower creates a space for education, innovation, in-
cubators, research and development.This tower is located
in Nihonbashi, which is located to the north of the station.
• GranSta is a mall which is part of the station and acts as a
link between the Marunouchi side and theYaesu side. One
will find shops, restaurants, locker rooms and information
counters in this space.
Due to the huge investments that would be required to con-
struct the building, JR East along withTokyo Metropolitan Gov-
ernment agreed on volume transfer (Air rights) to the new
constructions around the station for redevelopment.This pro-
cess armed JR East to earn reconstruction funds from develop-
ers. It was a cost effective situation for the developer as well as
the railway company.While developers received extra FAR to
create a lucrative business, the station could be reconstructed
with capital gained from volume transfer. (Bertolini, 2011)
The station development on the Yaesu side is a joint venture
between the JR East and private development companies and
land owners. Multiple plots of land that belonged to multiple
owners was rezoned into single zone known as the Special
Capacity Ratio Zone.This allowed unused floor area ratio of
the Marunouchi station building to be transferred to theYaesu
side of the station which also comprised of the GranTokyo
twin towers. (Kaise, 2010)
Developing partners
JR EAST
JR East is one of the seven railway companies that was estab-
lished after the privatization of the Japanese National Railway.
The railway company covers the eastern half of Japan’s main
island.The company not only participated in railway operations,
but also invests in real estate,hotels,shopping centers and oth-
er services that can collaborate with railway operations. (Rail-
way, 2013)
Mitsui Fudosan (Developer)
Mitsui Fudosan is a real estate company that was established
in 1941. Its head office is located in Nihonbashi with most of
Figure 48: Tokyo City Station; Redevelopment Render & Figure 49: Old Station Plan vs. Present Plan (Illustration by SushmitaV. Naik, Source: (Kaise,
2010))

40 | S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 4 : T O K Y O S TAT I O N
Figure 50: SouthTower and GranRoof (SourceTeam Photographer, 2019)
its listings in and aroundTokyo city.They are one of the largest
stakeholders in the redevelopment of the Tokyo station with
major contributions made to the construction of underground
pedestrian path that connects the station to their headquar-
ters. (Fudosan, 2019)

KashimaYaesu Development (Construction Company)
Kashima Yaesu Development Corp. along with East Japan Rail-
way Company And Nippon Oil Corp owns the south tower on
the Yaesu side of the station.They are a real estate firm that
owns the surrounding plots around the station. (Railway, 2013)
Kokusai Kanko Kaikan (InternationalTourism Building)
The company owns the north tower along with Mitsui Fudosan
Co. Ltd. and JR East while leasing shops and office spaces to
various corporate firms. They invest in gaming, lodging and
restaurants. (Railway, 2013)
Nippon Oil (Now JX Nippon Oil and Energy Corpora-
tion)
NOEX deals with an extensive range of oil and natural gas
activities in various countries like Japan, the United Kingdom
North Sea, Brazil, South East Asian countries like Vietnam and
Malaysia.They also develop technology for the energy industry.
Their mainstream projects include license blocks, underground
exploration of oil and gas, design and construction of oil and
gas processing, storage facilities and pipeline drilling and pro-
duction wells. (Explorartion, 2019)
Left: Figure 51: New Construction by Mitsubishi Real Estate Corporation opposite to theYaesu Side ofTokyo City Station (SourceTeam Photographer, 2019)
Right : Figure 52Tokyo City station Plaza (SourceTeam Photographer, 2019)

S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 1 : T O K Y O S TAT I O N | 41
small confectionery stores which cater to a niche market
• Confusing pathways due to inadequate signage (under-
ground floors)

The GranRoof
The GranRoof is a connecting passage between the North and
the South tower and gives access to theTokyo station from the
Yaesu side. It is an important component of the new station
building. It is approximately 25 meters high and 230 meters
long (Google Maps).
Observations -
• Moderately crowded
• Easy access to the Marunouchi side of the station
• Plazas and man-made landscapes on a large scale.
• Multimodal with bus station and pickup and drop off points
for cars and cabs.
• Adequate number of signage
GrandSta Ekinaka Facility
GrandSta is retail and a food court that is located between
Twin tower (GranTokyo) building development -
• Site area- 19,600m2
• Total construction area -15,000 m2
• Total floor area - 350,000 m2
• Height- 205 m
• Functions- station, retail and offices
• Parking- 800 cars (Kaise, 2010)
The GranTokyo towers are connected to the station at ground
as well as underground level.The North tower has leased out
the ground floor to the 13th floor to Daimaru department
store. The other floors are leased out to private companies.
The South tower has 4 underground floors which house
restaurants, retail stores, cafes and bars. The chief tenants of
the South Tower are Hitachi chemicals and IGPI (Industrial
Growth Platform, Inc.)
Observation -
• The underground floor at the South tower gets crowded
during lunch hours (12:30 p.m-2:00 p.m.) and gets desert-
ed in the afternoon after 3:00 p.m. due to office hours.
• 80% of the shops have been occupied. Most of them are
Left: Figure 53: NorthTower and Daimru Departmental Store (SourceTeam
Photographer, 2019)
Top: Figure 54: Map of Ginza,Yarukucho station and Shinbashi Station (Re-
trieved from https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3005.html)

42 | S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 4 : T O K Y O S TAT I O N
the ticket counters of the Marunouchi and Yaesu side of the
station. One will find bakeries, convenience stores and cafes.
Every shop has been segregated on the basis of what types of
items are being sold.
Almost every new development around the station is connect-
ed by an underground passage to the station. One of the car-
dinal reasons for underground passages between the station
and the various new buildings was to reduce congestion on the
street level.This makes it easy for daily office goers to reach
their respective workplaces without getting on to the street
level while automobile on the street level could move smooth-
ly without facing much traffic.
Observations
• Minimal Crowd on the Marunouchi side whileYaesu side is
moderately crowded due to the bus services.
• GrandSta is crowded throughout the day as Tokyo Station
is one of the main transit hubs.
Ginza
Ginza is located in the heart of Tokyo City and houses luxuri-
ous western and Japanese fashion brands. Most of these high
end brands are concentrated on the Chuo-Dori Street. Ginza
is a 15 minute walk from the Tokyo City Station and 8 minutes
of you take the Ginza line. On weekends, roads are barricaded
for long hours of the day before for the public to move around
with ease.This kind of pedestrianization is known as Hokousha
Tengoku in Japanese.The land in Ginza is one of the most ex-
pensive real estates in the country with luxury brands from all
around the world investing on the area. (Choo, 2010)
Nihonbashi
Nihonbashi is situated to the north of Ginza and northeast of
Marunouchi and Tokyo station. The district has been a com-
mercial hub over the century with street shops and waterway
networks that fueled the commercial industry of the area. One
will find shops that were founded in the early years of the dis-
trict still operating. There have been redevelopment projects
that’s are restoring the area with new additions like the Core-
do Muromachi complex. The complex has three skyscrapers
featuring shopping and dining along with office spaces. (Japan
guide, 2019)
Top: Figure 56 Mikimoto Showroom (SourceTeam Photographer, 2019)
Bottom: Figure 57 De Beers Ginza Building (Source Team Photographer,
2019)

S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 5 : O T H E R I M P O R TA N T N O D E S O N T H E YA M A N O T E L I N E & T H E I R I M PA C T | 43
Chapter 5 – Other important nodes on the Yamanote Line
and their impact
The Yamanote line has 29 stations on the circular railroad line
while connecting all the major station in the central zone of
the Tokyo city. Some of the major urban nodes/sub centers on
the Yamanote line are Osaki, Shibuya, Sinjuku, Ikebukuro and
Ueno. A sub center can be defined as a network of multiple
lines connecting suburban areas of a city to the central parts
of Tokyo. As these nodes have multiple lines running through
the same station, it makes commuting easier for the thousands,
travelling on a daily basis to change trains. Due to the unique
structure of this network, one can see an organic growth at
these intersections in terms of real estate,businesses,retail and
residential pockets.
Japan’s land use zoning system is primarily classified into resi-
dential, commercial and industrial zones. Majority of the com-
mercial zones are located around the railway stations and road
networks with moderate and aggressive traffic. To encourage
further development in the sub centers, the government has
assigned higher FAR. This creates a positive impact on the
Gross Domestic Product of the city increasing further supply
and demand in construction and development at these nodes.
(Reusser, 2008)
Chief factors that determine a node
• Complexity of the railroad network: With an increasing
number of riders on a daily basis, the frequency of the
vehicle is increased. If a station provides access to multiple
locations,it attracts more riders as it increases the flexibil-
ity for one to transfer to another station.
• Train Categories: Tokyo has a number of private railway
lines, the Japan Railway Network, metro line that provide
local as well as express services. Depending on the train
service and the station, stops are determined. This plays
a direct consequence on the land price around the sta-
tion and its neighborhood. More the number of trains, the
higher the price of the real estate which further creates a
commercial hub in the region. (Bertolini, 2011)
• Accessibility to the CBD- A CBD creates the high-
est number of jobs in the city. This increases the in-
flow of passengers on a regular basis. With commut-
ers travelling from multiple regions of the city, nodes
become an important entity for commuters to reach
their final destination (CBD). The value of the node
is determined based on the accessibility of the node.
Figure 58 Map of Ueno Station (Retrieved from http://www.city.taito.lg.jp/sekaiisan_e/map.html)

44 | S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 5 : O T H E R I M P O R TA N T N O D E S O N T H E YA M A N O T E L I N E & T H E I R I M PA C T
Top: Figure 59 National Museum ofWestern Art (SourceTeam Photogra-
pher, 2019)
Bottom: Figure 60 Police Box at the Museum Complex (SourceTeam
Photographer, 2019)

S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 5 : O T H E R I M P O R TA N T N O D E S O N T H E YA M A N O T E L I N E & T H E I R I M PA C T | 45
Ueno Station
Ueno station is surrounded by various cultural facilities like the
Ueno Zoo,The National Museum Western Art, and Tokyo Na-
tional Museum.The Tokyo University of Fine Arts is located in
close proximity to the station.The station was renovated and
rearranged in 2004 with the addition of 6000 square meters
assigned for commercial use. (Bertolini, 2011) The station is
different from the other nodes in terms of modern and recent
development. For the number of rail routes passing through
the station, the development around the area is considerably
low.This could result in the decrease of the node value even
though the size of the station remains the same.As private rail
companies are increasing their investments on making their re-
spective stations attractive, JR East may find it difficult to keep
up with the competition resulting in the value decrease of the
station.
Shinjuku Station
Shinjuku is one of the busiest stations in the world with an
average passenger flow of 3 million people. It acts as a transfer
gateway for western suburban railways to reach the center of
the city. The station has been categorized as a stressed sta-
tion area due to the maximum usage of the station as well as
its surrounding region. (Bertolini, 2011) It has been utilized to
its maximum potential.The station is crowded throughout the
day.With an addition of a new metro line that connects Shin-
juku, Shibuya and Ikebukuro, there has been less congestion on
the western region of the Yamanote line.The station is shared
by multiple railway line owners due to the shared use of the
tracks. Shinjuku is one of the highest value nodes due to in-
crease in development around the region.
Figure 61 Map of Shinjuku Station (Retrieved from https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3011.html)

46 | S E C T I O N A | C H A P T E R 6 : W E S T E R N C O M PA R I S O N S
Chapter 6 – Western Comparisons
Tokyo and New York share multiple factors that resonate on
the same wave length. Tokyo city and New York City share
common traits and whilst one explores either one of these
cities there is a specific reaction to spaces which allows one to
pinpoint the similarities.Our personal experiences also gave us
the same indication.While walking on the streets of Tokyo we
see a high density of pedestrians and a walking, cycling society
which immediately took us back to New York.The population
mix in Tokyo was definitely not as diverse as NYC however it
had the same effect on us since it was equally dense.
The subway and train system in Tokyo is incomparable and the
most efficient system one has ever witnessed, however the en-
tire process of a metro/subway ride is another binding factor.
Tokyo and New York function predominantly on their subway
and metro lines.The public transportation system is essentially
the artery of these cities. It not only helps people commute
rapidly but also allows an influx of employees to the cities
which fosters growth and development.
The architectural infrastructure in Tokyo like New York has
creations done by celebrated architects. Both the cities have
a paucity for space thus dwell on maximizing their space by
higher density and taller buildings.Tokyo definitely has a more
pure traditional approach than NewYork, which has a new age
modern feel.Tokyo definitely reflects its culture on the façade
and on the structure itself. New York on the other hand has a
diverse mixed cultural approach due to the mix in population.
The similarities between these two cities were constantly felt
during our journey through Tokyo city.As the TOD group we
were able to realize this exact emotion when we were at our
specific sites for our observations namely Tokyo Station and
Shibuya Station.Whilst walking past the Shibuya scramble there
were many instances and spots which reminded us of Times
Square in NYC. Shibuya as a junction is definitely a lot more
crowded and intricate however as an experience Shibuya re-
sembles Times Square to a certain extent. Since they are quite
closely related to one another it’s appropriate to place them
on the same parameters and decipher which trumps the other.
Shibuya Junction compared to Times
Square
Times Square is an important intersection of Manhattan (New
York).It is located at the corner of BroadwayAvenue and Sev-
enthAvenue.TheTimes Square area is formed by the blocks lo-
cated between the Sixth and Eighth avenues that constitute the
western part of the commercial area of downtown Manhattan.
It was previously called Plaza Longacre.He received his current
Figure 62Times Square (SourceTeam Photographer, 2019)

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