*This article is based on information as of December 2025.

1. Jane Jacobs's Will and the "Death" of Cities

Modern urban planning brings about a "boring hell"

Let's turn back the clock to the 1960s. At the time, the mainstream of urban planning around the world was the idea of the "shining city," as represented by Le Corbusier. Specifically, this was an approach that viewed cities as machines. The plan called for clearly defined zoning (division) into "places to live," "places to work," and "places to play," and for these to be efficiently connected by highways.

At first glance, this seems like a rational and hygienic plan, but Jane Jacobs took a firm stance against it. In fact, the arguments she made in her classic book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, completely overturned the common sense of the time.

"Beneath the city's seemingly chaotic landscape lies a strange yet surprisingly strong order: a complex and interwoven order that maintains the city's safety and freedom."

The fatal risks of a "clean city"

She further analyzed that a "clean city" with its purified functions would become deserted at certain times of the day, and as a result, residents would no longer be able to keep an eye on it, warning that it could become a breeding ground for crime.

On the other hand, what about cities with a mix of uses? People come and go there day and night. He argued that this would result in a "living city" where natural surveillance (street eyes) would function. In other words, he argued that the most safe places are the diverse streets that appear chaotic at first glance.

Japan's affinity with the "four conditions" that create vitality

Jacobs then listed the following four conditions as necessary for a city to maintain its vitality. Surprisingly, these appear to accurately describe the urban structure of modern Japan.

As you can see, the "diversity" that Jacobs envisioned is not something that can be easily created through planning. However, Japanese cities somehow manage to meet this condition spontaneously. The secret to this lies in their unique legal system, which will be explained in the next chapter.

2. Comparative Analysis: The Crucial Differences Between Japanese and American Zoning Structures

There are two main approaches to zoning (land use regulation) in the world. One is "exclusionary zoning" in the West, and the other is "cumulative zoning" in Japan. It is impossible to discuss Japanese cityscapes without understanding this difference.

Contrasting Western and Japanese approaches

The two approaches are fundamentally different, so take a look at the comparison chart below.

Why is Japan "lax"? History since 1919

There is a historical inevitability behind Japan's lenient zoning. Specifically, when the first City Planning Act was enacted in 1919 (Taisho 8), the "combined work and home" lifestyle in row houses and home-based handicraft industries were already well established in Japanese cities.

What would have happened if Japan had implemented strict separations like those in Europe and the United States at the time? Economic activity in Japan would likely have come to a halt. Therefore, this realism of "accepting the status quo" became the DNA of Japan's cumulative zoning. It also served as a flexible mechanism for accommodating rapid urbanization during the postwar period of rapid economic growth.

3. Toyako Town's Challenge: "Overwriting and Saving" the Landscape

The negative effects of "building anything"

However, there is always a flip side to everything. In Japan, the "freedom to build anything" is synonymous with the "risk of destroying the scenery" in tourist areas. For example, if a beautiful lakeside is overrun with impersonal signs, it will lose its value as a tourist resource.

Toyako Town, Hokkaido. This international tourist destination, with its beautiful caldera lake and views of Mount Usu and Mount Yotei, is currently using a highly sophisticated legal technique to compensate for the weaknesses of Japan's loose zoning system. This is an "overlay" strategy, which places the local government's own regulations on top of the City Planning Act.

Introduction of the "Munsell value" to limit color numerically

The most distinctive feature of Toyako Town's landscape plan is its thorough "color control." This is because subjective standards such as "no flashy colors" would cause trouble with developers. Therefore, regulations based on the "Munsell value," which quantifies color, were introduced.

For example, even nationwide chain convenience stores and gas stations are no exception. Specifically, the following strict standards are applied:

In this way, the flexibility of "what to do (use)" - a benefit of the Japanese legal system - is preserved. On the other hand, "how it looks (form)" is strictly bound by local rules. In conclusion, this is the optimal solution that Toyako Town has found.

4. Revitalizing vacant houses and the "200m² wall"

Modern challenges facing the "old buildings" beloved by Jacobs

Jacobs once said, "We need old buildings." This is because new buildings have high rents and can only accommodate national chains, whereas old buildings can accommodate the challenges of young people and small businesses.

Japan's regional cities are overflowing with these very resources (vacant houses and stores). However, even here, there are legal obstacles. These are the hurdles to "changing the use" under the Building Standards Act.

This "200-square-meter wall" (previously 100 square meters, but relaxed in 2019) remains the biggest obstacle to renovation and urban development in rural areas. Therefore, in order to revitalize areas like Toyako Town, it is important for the local government to respond flexibly to this hurdle by "partially changing the use of land" or "creating zoning arrangements."

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