The Japanese zoning system contains rules about use, floor area ratio, building height, building coverage area and other things. There are 12 zones in total. The maps show the pattern of development of the urban fabric.
30 Oct 2010
29 Oct 2010
constructing landscape - a week of infrastructure
Around the edges of Tokyo Bay[Wikipedia] all land is artificial, if you look at the link you will. This process of constructing an islands and extending land has been going on for a long time, it is used for many different things, Haneda airport, housing, industry and entertainment. But now the end of this process of landfill is in sight. This is the story of island that is supposed to be the last one. This is the sea forest proposed by Tadao Ando, article here.
28 Oct 2010
2 roads: shuto expressway - a week of infrastructure
Shuto Expressway route C2, meets route 4, Shinjuku-line. Above the intersection of Koshu Kaido and Yamate-dori.


The Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway is without doubt the most outstanding and important structure in the fabric of the city. Massive concrete and steel beams support a vast network of roadways that weaves its way through the entire capital, its tentacles stretching as far as the outlying districts of Yokohama, Saitama and Chiba. This traffic roller-coaster flies through and over the cityscape, skimming low-lying rooftops, snaking between towering office blocks and diving into underground tunnels. It adds a further dynamic dimension to the hilly Tokyo landscape, drawing attention to the constantly changing levels and differences between areas, whether industrial, residential or commercial. This three-dimensional, sequential space has no comparison worldwide.
Tajima N. - Tokyo: A Guide To Recent Architecture, 1995.
27 Oct 2010
1 railways - views
Tokyu Toyoko from Linus Yng on Vimeo.
More than just transport and flows, the railways can provide a view of the city in movement. Above a film from Tokyu Toyoko (Tokyo-Yokohama) line by me. Below are pictures from two other lines worth travelling with for the radically different view they provide of the city.
1 railways - a week of infrastructure
0 introduction - a week of infrastructure
Since this blog started in Swedish once upon a time I will review some of the contents in English. It is copying, but I'm copying myself and also revising the posts a little bit. First out, railways later today.
22 Oct 2010
Tour updates 22 Oct
Meguro-ku, 23 Oct, Saturday Cost is ¥1000 or ¥500 for students. Starting point, Segafredo next to Nakameguro station (Google map). 13:00-16:00. Similar but not same as Extra architour. Weather tomorrow seems to be close to perfect, about 20 degrees, sunny and 0% chance of rain. The cycling tour should take about 3 hours from 13:00.
All tours have been reviewed for contents and shortened to provide more a varied experience of the city.More info about future tours here.


19 Oct 2010
Running in the city
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Plot of distances covered since august, scale in km, from myasics. |
There are many theories about running. About where to run, how to run, what to wear, what to eat or drink. All kinds of things. And there many places for learning more about these things. This is about where to run for long slow runs in Tokyo. For intervals, nice parks or tracks are better. For recovery or shorter runs to options are fewer. But with long runs the possibilities open up, as a non practising road cyclist this makes me happy.
Tokyo is going through a running boom at moment and races sell out very quickly.
Since running is for distance is about distance it is possible to do it by running around in a park or the nice loop around the Imperial Palace. But since I don't live or work close it doesn't make sense. For the long slow run I propose the usage of paths following water. I has the following advantages: almost flat, linear, varying landscapes suchs as Danchi areas, houses, parks and so on. If you want to add hills you leave the path for while and come back. The following paths are mostly useful if you live between west of Yamanote-sen in the general areas they occupy. However, both to the north and to the south there are many different paths that can be used. They all are constructed somehow. More reading about some of these paths.
Five linear paths I use for running. Screen shot from Google Earth, Google map here.
- Zenpukuji-gawa 10.4 km, 善福寺川, yellow. Flows from Zenpukuji-koen and joins Kandagawa in the west. A big park along it between Kanpachidori an Kannanadori.
- Kanda-gawa 10.8 km, 神田川, green. Starts from Inokashira-koen and after being joined with Zenpukuji and entering Nakano-ku changes character, here the trail on the map ends. Eventually ends up in the outer imperial moat at Iidabashi.
- Tamagawa-jousui 41.2 km, 玉川上水, red. From Tamagawa in the east to Shinjuku station. Not a river but at all, but a waterway built to supply Edo with water, work started in 1653. While it follows Chuo Expway and sometimes disappears underneath, is is not always that fun. Also nice because it is at the top of the topography, many nice views along the way. Mostly covered from when it joins the Chuo expressway and towards Shinjuku, but still very nice. An open stretch near Sasazuka and when it goes under Keio-main line close to Daitabashi-station.
- Kitazawa-gawa green road 7 km, 北沢川緑道, blue. Very good variety of scenery. A covered river road. Joins with Karusuyamagawa and becomes Meguro-gawa.
- Karasuyama-gawa green road 8.4 km, 烏山川緑道, orange. A covered river road. Joins with Kitazawagawa and becomes Meguro-gawa. Not fully mapped, continues on the other side of Kanpachidori.
Before you follow any of them please check the maps carefully, it is mostly very easy to follow them but there are parts when you have to go around obstacles that aren't that intuitive.
I would like to run the complete Tamagawajosui sometime in late January. Somebody aiming for Tokyo-marathon who wants to join?
Along Kitazawa-gawa green road. |
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Zenpukujigawa |
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Zenpukujigawa |
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Kandagawa |
Tamagawajosui |
18 Oct 2010
17 Oct 2010
in Suginami-ku
Let this be intro for the tour Today.
16 Oct 2010
An Office
15 Oct 2010
A short walk in the dark
No comments really, maybe the stair has more glass than the apartment facade.
A linear park following Tamagawajosui in the dark.
A neighbourhood shop.
A more traditional house. Note the stone at the corner.
14 Oct 2010
13 Oct 2010
12 Oct 2010
10 Oct 2010
the olympics
Yoyogi National Stadium, the classical Olympic arena from the games in 1964 by Kenzo Tange is considered one of the best buildings in Tokyo. Look at drawings at Great Buildings Online, here.
It is the construction of the roof that sets it apart and mirrored plan.
Also take a look at St Mary Cathedral.
8 Oct 2010
Tour updates!
Setagaya-ku Ward Office |
- Setagaya-ku tomorrow is moved to Monday due to 80% rain forecast. New weather forecast says (for Monday): partly cloudy, 20% chance of rain, 19-26 degrees.
- Extra tour on October 14, Thursday.
7 Oct 2010
the centre
6 Oct 2010
chiyoda walk
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