Why Japan Looks the Way it Does: Zoning
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 พ.ค. 2024
- If you've seen my videos about Japan, you may have wondered why it looks the way it does. Today I'm going to explain it through zoning.
Special Thanks to Lisa for her guidance on the topic.
Related Videos:
- What a Typical Tokyo Neighbourhood is Like • What a Typical Tokyo N...
- Tokyo Neighbourhood Tour • Tokyo Neighbourhood To...
- Japan's Housing for the Middle Class • Japan's Housing for th...
- How an Average Family in Tokyo Can Buy a New Home • How an Average Family ...
- Japanese Quality of Life: My Family's Experience in Tokyo • Japanese Quality of Li...
Sources:
- Urban Land Use Planning System in Japan (English): www.mlit.go.jp/common/0010504...
- Urban Land Use Planning System in Japan (日本語): www.mlit.go.jp/common/0002344...
- Urbanchoze Japanese Zoning urbankchoze.blogspot.com/2014/...
- Katsushika Shin-Koiwa Area Zoning Map www.sonicweb-asp.jp/katsushik...
- Tokyo Zoning Map cityzone.mapexpert.net/ZoneMa...
- Kyoto Bankruptcy www.japantimes.co.jp/news/202...
- Kyoto Town Development www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/tokei/cm...
- Kyoto New Height Limits www.japantimes.co.jp/news/200...
- Kyoto City Landscape Policy whc.unesco.org/document/116517
- Burnaby Zoning Map www.burnaby.ca/services-and-p...
- Simcity 1989 archive.org/details/msdos_Sim...
- Government illustration www.irasutoya.com/2021/10/blo...
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From a worldwide perspective it is the US and Canada that are the odd ones when it comes to zoning
*stroad intensifies*
Pretty sure it's because we actually had land in the both countries that hadn't been utilized for how young both countries still are...we're not even close to actually reaching 30-40% utilization and the only places that actually need zone changes are cities. Not even most suburban areas, since, once again, there's still plenty of space in and around them in rural areas to build...people too lazy to work towards purchasing them just love to raise a stink.
Just to validate: the US government has programs to get people to buy undeveloped rural and suburban plots of land at nearly severe cuts via lenders (they pay the rest)...all you need to do is prove you can develop the land, and do so...so anyone with a job enough to save ~$80k-$120k and have something for a down payment could take that land and put a house on it and BAM: 90% towards passing down wealth to their future generations.
Instead they complain they don't have affordable tiny apartments near their friends in the city...
@@DxBlack To be fair, much of the complaints are from people who want something different to/between our apartment or house dichotomy. Not to mention how many people don't like how car ownership is forced onto us because of our zoning laws.
Some people want to live out of a very small house and bike to work, rather than share an apartment with a roommate and fight for parking spots.
I think it might have something to do with the fact that both have an infrastructure(?) that's designed to be (what I believe is called) a 'car-centric' country. The city developers made cities it in such a way that every household or individual MUST own a car to get around.
@@DxBlack Why should people be forced to buy land and live in the middle of nowhere?
Honestly, not being able to dictate what your neighbor does with their land sound so much more free than the HOA and city restrictions in the US.
And people keep saying that *we're* the individualist ones. smh
gotta protect those property values
Land of the free they say
this is true, and i actually like it. The noise, smell and smoke are not desirable.
it can have bad parts too . I live in europe in a place that is supposed to be a single familty residential zone but there are really no regulations and a moron built a 4 floor building behind me obstructing sunlight in my garden and it feels bloody depressing to no see the sunshine.
I find Japanese neighborhoods and towns much more pedestrian (and bike) friendly. While it may look like a overly dense mish-mash in so many ways, It builds a real sense of a close-knit community that I find so lacking in suburban US.
But....
If such city planning were to exist in the USA, would the urban area look or act like a Japanese neighborhood?
@@Menaceblue3 not immediately, and it'd probably take a century or more to adapt. Japanese society is well adapted to dense living.
@@Menaceblue3 Sadly...this is true.
I LOVE Japanese city planning, but I won't kid myself, most people would need to be orderly and socially conscientious of their fellow citizenry to make this desirable.
Our culture would need to change A LOT. We would end up with many more Brazilian-esqe favelas compared to a minority of what we see in Japan if something like this were to be implemented in major American cities.
@@Menaceblue3 Philadelphia is an excellent example of a culturally rich US city that relies on medium density housing.
People fear monger about Philadelphia, but I know people who live there who are actually happy to live there.
I lived in the Shonantakatori neighborhood of Yokosuka for about a year when my father was still in the Navy. It was made up of a mix of houses and mid-rise apartments. While it was situated up in the hills, it was pedestrian and bike friendly as well as having a supermarket and several businesses dotted throughout. Our house was even next door to an English school of all things.
Having more zones makes so much more sense. Its sad in the US and Canada that grocery stores are generally not within walking distance of where you live
The only grocery store within walking distance of me is a super budget one that often doesn't have fresh produce and all the meat sold basically has a bunch of water added to increase the weight. No thanks. And this is even though I live in a small city. On top of that, it is fenced off so instead of being able to walk through the residential area to get to it, I have to walk along a thin sidewalk on the side of a main road
@@maraschwartz6731 The only grocery store in walking distance to me is... none. The only connection is an extremely loud 4-lane highway with no public transport. 10 km of walking in private property is pretty unfeasible, so you have to own a car, or else. The city I live in is the capital city of my country, so it ain't small, it's humongous (about 70 km across, but only has half a million residents).
@@betula2137 ouch
@@maraschwartz6731 mutual ouch
At least New York City is different, as well as some densely populated areas of other cities. I live in Salt Lake City, just a few blocks from several grocery stores. We also have light rail, buses, and bike lanes in many streets. But suburban areas make it difficult to shop without driving.
Real estate company employee here with a *minor* correction:
As of 2018, there are actually 13 different zoning types. A new zone type (田園住居地域) specifically for farming and agriculture-focused communities was added, which isn't reflected in the English-language materials you had in the video (presumably because the gov't just hasn't gotten around to updating them yet). On the chart featured at about 2:51, the missing zone would fit in 3rd from the left. The zone is effectively the same as a Cat. 2 low-rise residential zone but with special building size exceptions for stores and restaurants that sell/buy/use (hopefully local) agricultural products.
Like the game has just been updated :D
As a translation, maybe something like 田園 pastoro- 住居 residential 地域 zone.
I am a dog
The more I learn about Tokyo's zoning, the angrier I get at Canada's zoning laws.
_"The more I learn about Tokyo's zoning, the angrier I get at Canada's zoning laws."_ If that gets you angry, then you definitely don't want to learn about zoning in Holland. That will drive you over the edge. Be sure to stay away from the "Not Just Bikes" TH-cam channel. th-cam.com/users/NotJustBikes
You’ve apparently never dealt with the HOA.
@@OfTheGaps mind to recommend a nice and easy video introducing Dutch zoning system? Heaps of thanks!
Isnt that good?
@@lutfiprayogi2 _"recommend a nice and easy video introducing Dutch zoning system?"_ Actually, instead of one video, I would recommend this ”Streets & Cities” playlist from the "Not Just Bikes" channel: th-cam.com/video/F4kmDxcfR48/w-d-xo.html
And I guess I should point out that the channel is more about *urban planning* in general, rather than zoning in particular, though it does often focus on the negative effects of single-use zoning in North America vs. mixed-use zoning found in Holland and elsewhere.
I personally like the "randomness" that you feel when walking around in Japan and looking at buildings (i like to do that, never gets boring) and I get the feeling that no house like another.
Like those are in INDIA?
I absolutely LOVED that when in Japan. I would just go "urban exploring" sometimes and run into the most interesting spots!
@@rakeshhh829 india's randomness would be beautiful if it was clean, and uncongested (without car centric zoning)
It also makes things more livelier. People live in neighborhoods where they can actually do things nearby
I'm Japanese, and I know an interesting story about floor-area ratio (FAR).
The building with the highest FAR in Japan is the Shin-Marunouchi Building (新丸の内ビルディング). Its FAR is 1760%.
However, this video (7:27) shows that it is at most 1300%. So why was it possible to build such a building?
The answer is that the Shin-Marunouchi Building uses the air rights of the nearby Tokyo Station.
Air rights mean that the excess FAR of one building can be transferred to another building.
Tokyo Station was once destroyed by an air raid in World War II, and was simply repaired and continued to operate.
A large amount of money was needed to restore it. (The cost was said to be about 50 billion JPY ≈ 439 million USD)
Therefore, East Japan Railway Company (JR East), the administrator of Tokyo Station, sold the FAR of it to Mitsubishi Estate, the owner of the land.
The FAR of Tokyo Station was left over because it's the historical building and it wasn't necessary to replace it with a skyscraper.
As a result, JR East was able to restore Tokyo Station and Mitsubishi Estate was able to build the further taller building in a prime location.
This case is known as "the station that was restored by selling air".
Fascinating!
wow pretty interesting
Singapore hv the best land use and management in the world.
Singapore government pass law to own all the land after left Malaysia Federation to become fully independent in 1965. This is the most important changes in Singapore. Those land taken over are land with no buildings and no ownership.
By owning all the land, Singapore can manage the land use very efficiently for industrialisation and residential use.
You can check out the video how nice and next Singapore buildings are managed.
th-cam.com/video/OigUfr2BNG4/w-d-xo.html
Singapore have higher denstiy population than Japan. 8000 per km2 vs 300 per km2 (Japan).
If Japan copy Singapore land management Japan land zoning will not be messy, weird, too congested or crowed in some places, etc. Why Japan leaders who took over from America occupier did not think about taking over all the land that are not owned by anyone ?
that's really interesting, thank you for sharing!
How were they able to sell the air rights? I would've thought land titles would be indivisible
Train stations are the nourishing centers of life in Japanese cities. I love how you literally recognize when you get closer to a train station as the number of shops and general life increase.
Like all train stations everywhere on Earth!
@@colors6692 Not everywhere. Sometimes they are dull and neglected.
@@colors6692 Lol no, not in the country that I currently live in.
Yep. Many major stations are like shopping malls. I love it.
One thing I thought was so clever about Japanese zoning was how the flood plains of rivers were assigned to sports grounds. Soccer, baseball etc. You're not likely to need them when the rivers are flooding, and it means there's still room for nature to do its thing with flood plains. Thank you for explaining how the 12 different zones have made such an impact!
Singapore was also quite shrewd in placing its golf courses in areas with limited other development potential e.g. beside a legally protected forest, beneath an airport runway approach
dang , good points
I never realised zoning laws made such a difference until I started looking into why I was able to afford to purchase a home in Tokyo, something I couldn't do in major Canadian cities. Do you think Japanese zoning would work where you live?
yep but i think on a smaller scale tho
The Japanese housing market is currently very deflated due to low population growth, low immigration, slow economic growth, and a lack of speculation. I think zoning will only account for a small part of the equation.
I wonder how much we have changed, destroyed nature because we went against it due to our housing. Some work around nature, but I wonder.. How much biodiversity, topography is lost in our process to inhabit a certain area.
@@jeansibelius8045 Yes, I was wondering how much is due to zoning and how much is due to other factors, like you mentioned. Japan did have that whole property value bubble crisis a few decades ago!
@@aimandaniel708 I was also thinking this. How much nature do you take away when building denser vs. sprawling out?
I’ve always loved Japan’s street scape. I find it so charming and lively. I think the strict zoning laws in North America is how people end up so out of touch and not feeling connected to the community.
A bit strange for US and canada tbh, I’d figured you know your neighbours a lot more if you’re in a huge area filled only with houses, but alas
zoning in america is so Not human friendly. Its totally focused on vehicle infrstructure
@@comradekenobi6908 you would, if you had any reason to leave your house or garden by anything other than car. Just having a dog helps as you'd stroll around the neighborhood but it shouldn't be this way.
@@GregVidua strange, very different from my country, do US or Canada have some kind of community events?
@@comradekenobi6908 if we're talking about American suburbs they certainly happen but I feel that they are rarity - exception, rather than the rule.
This explains why I enjoyed my time in the suburbs outside Tokyo so much more than the suburbs I've lived in in the US. Little businesses on the bottom floors, and interesting stores all over instead of being forced into single use commercial zones. It felt so much more alive.
I feel so lucky that I moved to Japan. My life quality increased exponentially. I have a ramen shop, park, train station, convenience store, clinics, etc. outside my doorstep. And I live in a small town!
As someone who likes photographic skylines/streets, this is a big reason why Japan is so interesting to me. Zoning that's similar to Europe but with many more modern buildings + fewer restrictions on what you can do in each zone, as well as generally having less space which results in creative uses of land (that very thin house at 11:40 is a great example) creates some very unique neighbourhoods. Great video!
Bro, you play roblox chill.
The champion, last I heard, bought a 200 square foot parcel (about a parking space of land) in Tokyo and built a 3 story house.
@@eatinsomtin9984 Don’t criticise people for playing Roblox, especially if you are being quite hypocritical about it!
@@eatinsomtin9984 How is that relevant
Japan is amazing due to the walkability of their cities, compared to car-centric societies like here in Canada, or the USA. You can literally get everything done within walking distance of your neighborhood since they actually implement sensible zoning laws that benefits that Japanese sense of "community" more. Great video as always!
You also have to consider that Japan is an island
bruh, laughing in lisbon, milan, praha
@@richard35791 *laughs in Netherlands*
@@imojado7294
What is your point?
@@babyblooddistilleriesinc3131 People love space
Japanese shopping trip: 15 minute walk both ways
American shopping trip: see "Mad Max"
And if you live in places like DC, be prepared to hit the floor when guns go off.
Always wondered why housing and commercial space looks the way it does in Japan. Thanks for posting this. Answers lots of questions.
you north americans really have no idea how living civilization looks, do you?
@@fex144 Lmfao right? Like how naïve can someone be.
I really love the idea of having homes , multi-level apartments (not 20 level high rise though) with shops, stores, schools, shrines clinics etc. It gives a a good communal vibe and really good for people to have interaction with their neighbours and local shops owners etc. Also, having a shop and a home is a really neat idea for local business.
Great informative video greg. Thanks.
Exactly. I feel that the community feels more cohesive. I know since I lived in the Philippines where its residential area functions fairly similar. Here in NA, I don't even know the name of my neighbors.
One of the reasons we chose to put down roots in our neighborhood in Kobe is the shotengai (streets with mom-and-pop shops) and mix of low-rise residential from the very affordable to the expensive. Even when we're old and frail we'll be able to walk from our house to the shops downtown, walk the dog in the mountain, and chat with our neighbors in the middle of the street.
Yes This seems much more efficient than in my country ( Germany ). You need a lot of documents to do anything here and if you want to start a small business. Lets say you want to make and sell your own marmalade. You can't just put a small stand in front of your house to sell it.
@@blablup1214 You can't do that here in Japan, either, although it is relatively easy to start a business here and taxes on small businesses are relatively low compared to Europe.
@@ichifish Oh it sounded so easy. Selling stuff from the lower level of you house :D
I have always liked the "all cramped" "all mixed up" style of Japanese cities. It looks like more spontaneous and you can find shops, restaurants in corners, narrow alleys...it just feels you are in a place built by people for people. You don't need to take the car and ride 15 minutes to get to a restaurant like in the US: you just get out of your house and et voilà, shops, restaurants popping up as mushrooms everywhere. So nice!
I’ll say! It cuts down commuting time to almost nothing. Who wouldn’t like to just walk to anywhere without worrying about parking?
All these shops and restaurants below apartments severely harm the character of Tokyo's neighbourhoods. They should separate everything by land use and build parking lots everywhere like the cities of North America.
@@xaraxen On top of that, Paid parking! 😭
@@carfreeneoliberalgeorgisty5102 oooh the sarcasm 🤣🤣🤣🤣
The worst thing about anglophone north American zoning; is that even if somewhere is only 300m or 400m away a stroad bisect it and will make it nigh on impossible to walk across it, so you'd have to make the trip by car.
As I've mentioned before in your previous videos, this sort of zoning/building use mix is not dissimilar to most European cities. I live in a mid rise apartment block- right next to us is a church, a music venue, an office block and a multi storey car park. I think though that Japan does a much better job of providing green space in it's city planning, and that in turn benefits pedestrian walking and cycling.
In Japan's case this mixed use zoning helps keep down housing prices, is it similar for Europe? Because my impression is the European cities are much more expensive than even NA cities in addition to have smaller residences too.
What I don't like about a lot of European cities is the obsession with historic preservation. It's what's made cities like Paris impossible to develop in and thus one of the most unaffordable cities in the world.
@@MA-go7ee Japan doesn't consider buildings as investment opportunities though. In fact, with the changing requirements for earthquake proofing, older properties can become a financial liability, which is why they tend to depreciate in value. It's the total opposite of the Western world.
Historic centres is what makes European cities unique. What I don't like in so many cities around the World is how they all look the same. Quite boring. Besides, destroying beautiful historic centres to build ugly skyscrapers Is not "development", just an assault on culture and aesthetics.
@@Southpaw128 That is not true, Central Paris is expensive, the rest is very cheap.
If someone had told me just few years ago that I'd be interested in zoning, I'd call them crazy... Now I've learned about zoning in US, Netherlands and today Japan...
Are you also a fellow subscriber to Not Just Bikes, by any chance?
@@C6BD I guess so beacuse he is the only one who compares both of these countries.
One hundred years ago (before automobiles) mixed use zoning was more common place in North America and people lived closer to where they worked, with more mass transit In metropolises to get people to where they had to be.
My own Capitol city (Winnipeg) was like this. In many places, electric street car lines still exist buried beneath city streets. Manufacturing was amongst apartment blocks, single family neighborhoods etc. Old World standards that may make a comeback.
Make a comeback because of?
@@comradekenobi6908 because they make life easier.
Yeah, the rigid "car nation" mentality of mid-20th century USA and Canada destroyed so much for perceived progress, and it's doubly infuriating how difficult it is to reform "suburbia" to a sensible form.
It's crazy to look at old aerial photos of places like Kansas City, Atlanta, or Cincinatti, and see how much more like rest-of-the-world cities they looked, less than a lifetime ago. The transformation of American cities (not for the better, I must say) in the latter half of the 20th century was really staggering.
Ford Model T went into production in 1908, 116 years ago. But of course car-centric city design didn't really take off until at least the 50's
I lived in japan for half a year in 2016. I loved the feel of japanese cities. As someone that doesn't like to drive, the fact everything I needed was within walking distance was so nice
Apparently Japan is the country most accurately guessed on Geoguessr. So it defo looks unique.
It helps that they have a unique form of writing, one a lot of people have been exposed to through manga and anime. I'm also guessing many people mistake Korea or Taiwan for Japan (both of which have similar neighborhoods, but with street parking... maybe normal since both used to be Japanese colonies), which bolsters Japan's accuracy score but lowers Korea's and Taiwan's.
These flexible zoning certainly helps pedestrians and public transportation. It also makes it easier to feel more like part of the community this way, too. I like it 👍
I didn't really talk about it in this video, but yes, I think it does. I still think it kind of weird how I know so many more people in my local community in Tokyo than I do in Canada. There's a few reasons like our local neighbourhood associations and our garbage/recycling group, but I do think the proximity of everything and everyone contributes, as does the fact that a lot of people are commuting and shopping by foot or bike. The chances I'll bump into someone I know close to our home is quite high.
@@LifeWhereImFrom Could you make a video where you talk a little more about the local community, like the associations and groups? I know you've mentioned those sorts of things in other videos, but it would be awesome to get a picture of what the neighbourhood community and culture is like. Unless that's already been a video that I've missed :P
@@LifeWhereImFrom You could've mentioned other aspects like the level of violence dropping because people are closer together, noise pollution being lower because there are fewer cars, how much more efficient it is for the municipality to distribute water, gas, electricity and other utilities when everything is closer together. Great video nonetheless!
@Tesla-Effect No its called not having braindead and nimbyist type of zoning like Canada or the USA.
@Tesla-Effect Ah yes, the ethno-nationalist argument
“I’m personally a fan of this kind of parking set up, since the cost to park your car is covered by the car owners, not everyone’s taxes.”
Me too. Me too. *sigh in American suburbia”
You are free to move to an city and exist in a wage cage where that "dream" is already true, but you know people are fleeing those places for a reason.
@@churblesfurbles suburbs don't have to be car-dependent
And how do you expect the brave men and woman of the UAW to keep their petals to the metal when ^selfish^ like you walk to the store for your vitals? \s
@@theodiscusgaming3909 That's absolutely true, but since so many American suburbs are based on the Whitworth model, the word "suburbia" is essentially shorthand for that specific (awful) car dependent model.
@@churblesfurbles US cities are typically as poorly designed as typical modern US suburbs, these days. That's why I'm thinking of moving to Germany, or at least some suburb in the US that was built up before the insanity began.
I love how Japan manages zoning. Though, to be fair, it makes some neighborhoods look like a hodgepodge of various construction styles.
Still, so much better for walkability and accessibility than many places in North America.
The organic random mix of stuff looks much more aesthetically pleasing than copy pasted mcmansions from horizon to horizon
Exactly. Its a jumble.
@@fcw2bom Yeah, I think it's very subjective. Sure it looks so random but at the same time, there is a charm of that neighbourhood seems more "alive" and "organic". You can tell the character of the person who build/designed it. An interesting show of mixing individualistic taste to a socialistic sense of society.
There are actually some similar themes among the Japanese structures though, it just alot more broad. Certainly not a western standard of aesthetics though.
much better a "hodgepodge" as you call it than sterile lifeless car dependent suburbia that is standard across the US and Canada
I’d much rather have a mix of building styles together it makes the world more interesting than a sterile, boring and “safe” place
Having visited Japan twice and having fallen in love with things there, it now makes a lot of sense because of how the zoning works. I enjoyed just walking around small areas because there was so much going on in any little space. Houses, shops, arcades, cafes... so many things all in the same area. The walkability in a lot of areas in Japan is so amazing. We never had a need for a car one time while staying there for 2 weeks. The station was a very short walk away from our hotel, and from there we could travel all around Japan. Every time we exited a station we had countless shops and entertainment within blocks of the station. We even traveled farther south using their Shinkansen (bullet train) which was pretty much no different from taking the other trains, only it costs a bit more and the journey was longer. But again, once we arrive at our destination and leave the station, everything is within a short walk's distance.
I love how there are random vending machines literally everywhere. You have vending machines scattered through neighborhoods so you could grab a snack on your morning walk to the station. Then the stations are like mini cities in themselves, with shops and restaurants, locker storage, etc. I honestly wish I could live there... it's just such a nice quality of life compared to living in a US city.
I mean don't get me wrong... where I currently live has amazing food and it's only a 10 minute walk to our "downtown" area with lots of shops and things to do. But the amount of cars, busy roads, and just how separated everything is makes it really unpleasant. Just leaving our house we have to gross a busy 4 lane road.
That vending machine detail sounds like a nice little passive income…
I was going to get one so I could make a video about what running a vending machine was like but my wife wouldn't let me ☹
@@LifeWhereImFrom The competition seems fierce. You'd need a spot with a good flow of passing people to be really profitable, I imagine. Those things must be fairly power-hungry.
@@LifeWhereImFrom happy wife, happy life.
@@LifeWhereImFrom potential for vandalism is high i suppose
Might be ok in Japan but in other countries it would just attract people, noise and vandalism.
This presentation is very interesting and timely for a Californian whose state just changed zoning restrictions on single home properties to allow the construction of more than one dwelling and the city of San Diego just increased density on such parcels even more. Still can't mix commercial with housing, but single family zoning in California is a thing of the past and lots of homeowners here are having a meltdown. I like the zoning in Japan as described here. It seems to make sense and make the cities more liveable. Thank you for this presentation.
None of those changes affects HOA neighborhoods.
@@GUITARTIME2024 the more i learn i learn about North American HOA, the more it seems like dime store fascism.
@@ANTSEMUT1 plusses and minuses.
creating multiple dwelling isn't that great as someone who lives in NYC.
@@mk17173n can you elaborate?
There's a growing issue with the cost of renting or purchasing homes and apartments in North America. I often wonder if this kind of approach would help solve that, at least in the urban areas. That said, reliance on cars and love of the suburbs is also a huge part of the problem here.
Very few people actually love the suberbs. We just don't have any other choice. The people who defend the suberbs have either never lived in other places or trying to justify their mortgage.
@@mahedul Suburbs were basically forced on most of North America, before that, america had many more affordable multi-family housing options but that has mostly become scarce, with 60-70% of land being designated for only single family homes which drove down supply.
@@mahedul That depends. I hate the suburbs personally, but I know people with kids, or who grew up in suburbs, and insist on having their own kids there. There's also a lot of pressure to be a home owner, which also drives the single detached dwelling boom. That's fading a bit, especially as housing prices get ridiculously high in most large to medium sized cities, but it's still a big factor.
@@mahedul when i watch Not Just Bikes videos there's always Americans defending suburbia in the comments saying they want their huge space and yard and don't want to live in "tiny little boxes" ... I think it is also a cultural factor. A lot of Americans are used to the idea of a single detached home with a wide driveway as the idea of a normal house.
@@mahedul This 100%. Suburban zoning restrictions often dictate just how much lot space must be dedicated to residential space only as well as for parking. It's a recipe for urban sprawl.
Japan's zoning not only allows you to build whatever you want (Given that you are in the accurate zone), but it also helps people not to waste money in large cars to go shopping 10 km away from their homes, like in North America
because the country is small, doing this in large countries is a waste of space.
@@nathan_408 National land area is irrelevant to city planning.
Remember, this video is talking about municipal level planning and zoning. The land area of a country will affect how quickly travel between different cities could be achieved, but has no bearing on how well a city will function internally.
In other words, the size of a country affects travel times between City A and City B. Regardless of country size, people who live in areas with a municipal government will have virtually the same needs regardless of location. Residents need access to food, housing, employment, health services, emergency services, cultural events / other amenities, and so on. Depending on the need in particular, people can live easier if these are within a certain distance. Food generally should be very close by no matter where you are. Same goes for housing, obviously, and places to pick up over the counter medicine, or be seen by a medical professional should still be easily accessible in a short amount of time.
Building these reasonably dense living spaces maximizes tax revenue for a municipal government, while minimizing the infrastructure maintenance that same government is responsible for keeping intact. This min-maxing is especially important to keeping a municipal government financially stable, thus not completely reliant on constantly growing.
@@somecrazdude2412 Despite there are people who like it, making cities denser affects the quality of life, unless for necessity (it's a small country with a lot of people) I don't see any reason to force population density.
@@nathan_408 denser cities with more mixed-use developments and transit hubs have better quality of life, to be honest.
@@ianhomerpura8937 not for a family, Single-family homes are much better than apartments, no wonder there is a greater demand.
Switzerland has a similar approach to zoning, but there are some differences. First and foremost, there is a stricter separation between residential and industrial zones. These two uses together are more strictly regulated and are only common in agricultural areas. However, residential and non-polluting business uses in the same zone are possible. Secondly, there is a minimum distance between buildings, but it is significantly less than in North America. Thirdly, roads are usually a bit wider than in Japan. All in all, it feels a little less cramped but the advantages are mostly the same.
Yup, my apartment 3 story building has a restaurant in the ground floor and their owners in the apartment right above it
8:00 Heard neighbouring houses have gaps between them also so that if one collapses in an earthquake, it doesn't pull down the neighbouring houses together with it too. But I imagine those gaps are more difficult to clean & can also be places for criminals to hide in
The zoning system seems very smart, it encourages people to walk, use public transport and to avoid driving. those tiny roads are difficult to drive through compared to the large suburban streets that encourage driving.
I never thought I'd enjoy a video about zoning so much 😂😂
I think the zoning is what gives the city it's charm with all the back alleys that beg to be explored! Nobody is being forced to live in a certain area! With my luck, I would end up next to an Izakaya that grilled yummy smelling foods and would never be able to sleep because of my growling stomach🤤
The back alleys are there before zoning. Many of the back alley properties are not up to current code as the streets are too narrow (under 2.8 meters).
Residential areas built after zoning are much more like US (but still VERY different): mostly grid streets that are 4.0 meters wide, and are more homogeneous with much fewer commercial property.
Great explanation of zoning! One of the things that keeps the sense of community strong here is mixed housing. In my neighborhood of Kobe, which is exclusively low-rise due to natural disaster restrictions and temple ownership of much of the land, you can find everything from $300/month hole-in-the-wall rentals (I wouldn't recommend them, lol), to new houses in the 2-400K range, to 4-8 unit buildings renting at 1-1.5K a month, to a few million-dollar homes. Some people drive k-cars, some Benz's, and lots don't drive at all.
One problem with zoning not mentioned here is the very limited restrictions placed on advertising and signage. There appears to be extremely limited control of what you can display, and a lot of businesses have enormous illuminated signs that are ugly during the day and pollute the night views. There's a -loan shark- I mean bank about 1.5K from us whose neon yellow light illuminates the entire sky, and the Aeon Department store at the center of town has huge ugly displays all around its fifth floor, turning what would be a European-esq residential hillside into an eye-sore of stock photo models. Aesthetics-related zoning like Kyoto has is extremely rare (and on a side note, Kyoto's tax woes aren't related to the aesthetics laws, they're a result of poor management of the tourist dollars those laws bring in).
re: socialism vs. capitalism
I don't think either of those terms are applicable to zoning restrictions, as they're too broad, baggage-laden, and imply more intent than I believe exists. Japan's zoning would more accurately be described as laissez-faire, while North American zoning is exclusive (excluding certain usages in the legal sense, although also excluding certain types of people).
Interesting that Kobe was able to rebuild fully even after it was totally devastated by the 1995 quake.
@@ianhomerpura8937 Yes, it was quite an accomplishment. Unfortunately, however, a lot of rebuilding (run by massive construction firms) ruined old districts and human-scale living. A few of the new areas are well designed, but a lot of them cater to cars (four lane roads) and malls. The area that I live in, with it's wonderful mix of buildings, wasn't rebuilt from the ground up.
I am envious of Japan's sensibility with zoning.
The quality of your videos is _startlingly_ good. Please never stop making them!
And I found this one in particular to be extra fascinating. I've always loved the way Japan looks (I'm a huge fan of those channels that just have a walk through an area, nothing but ambient sounds), and it's awesome to find out why it looks the way it does. Thank you.
I still remember when street view first came out for Japan. I spent hours wandering the streets admiring how there was a little smattering of everything. I live in a suburban neighborhood in southern california. It's great if you want to see a lot of houses with the same 3-4 housing blueprints (mirrored for extra "variation") and nothing else.
As someone who is studying city planning at Uni, this video could not have come at a better time. This video was enlightening. Thank you!
Theres something I want to ask, by studying city planning and being a city planner, are you focused on studying existing rules and how to follow them? Or is there room to learn about
making new rules and new ways of planning?
the video does not talk about the problems of dense cities, it is biased
Another thing I love is how many low-rise apartments there are in Japan. In my old neighborhood it felt like an oasis from the rest of the city. Plus there were cafes, a laundry mat, and some offices just within the inside streets. Once you’re inside you forget Meiji dori was near by
Great video! The comparisons to the neighbourhoods in the US & Canada were very interesting too. I've browsed areas of North America on google maps out of curiosity and couldn't help but notice that there were often no local amenities for miles, just huge areas that were solely residential. Seems like it'd be impossible to live in such places if you don't have a car! Even if you do, it looks a bit isolating. In contrast, multi-use zoning in Japan seems extremely convenient. If you ever need anything last minute, there'll probably be somewhere local you can go.
@@ChaosSwissroIl It's not like malls don't exist in Japan as well. The population density that this form of zoning induces seems to allow people to support both malls around the train stations and small business in their local community.
@@ChaosSwissroIl not sure what your point is. in most parts of Japan, you can get to a konbini in less than 5-10 minutes, walking. And also it's not like the US isn't addicted to Amazon delivery and ubereats
@@ChaosSwissroIl says the guy who has never been to japan
@@ChaosSwissroIl that was my way of saying that your "doubts" are wrong. What's so bad about "religious use of delivery and konbinis"? always having a konbini within a 10-minute walk is objectively more convenient than a grocery store miles away. Many people living in a small area is not a problem, it's the most energy-efficient way to live. Spreading people out into suburbs means every trip requires driving (instead of walking), and requires extra funding to maintain all the roads/infrastructure associated with low density development, funding that comes from tax dollars generated in dense cities.
@@ChaosSwissroIl Commercial areas exist in Japan as well, it's just that they allow free market forces to develop the most efficient solutions. In Canada, the excessive zoning is extremely inconvenient, and as such has killed many local cultural and business institutions, like say bakeries. Nobody is going to go for a 40 minute car commute to get a daily loaf of bread.
Despite of huge land mass, Australian houses are insanely expensive, largely due to their stupid zoning (and taxation) regulations. I like the zoning and how it looks in Japan, more lively and interesting place to live.
Very true, and it is quite sad since each generation it seems like the housing affordability is getting worse. This actually leads to more suburbia further out the city just to get new piece of land for relatively affordable than the existing ones.
This sounds already unsustainable due to urban sprawl and public transport is practically too expensive to operate running through low-density residential areas, thus cars are necessities which will clog the road. I like cars and tinkering with it, but even me this is starting to get out of hand.
Throughout the video, I was thinking to myself, "And why is this notable? Isn't this just normal?".
Then I read the comments and apparently in the US and Canada it's not like that. Interesting.
I'm Indonesian and there's a bunch of convenience stores, a doctor setting up practice at their own home, small restaurants and laundries, a private tutor service for students (also set up from a house), all within 200 meters radius of my home.
Interestingly, there's been some new housing zones built by some Indonesian housing developers who are clearly imitating American housing styles. As in, they made rows and rows of houses in one big zone, and you need to drive a few kilometers to reach the nearest convenience store or restaurant. Clear cut zoning. It might suit people who want a safer, quieter living environment, but personally I think it will be a hassle to live in that kind of place.
Then there’s the komplek type of neighbourhood
Oh lordy. And here I was eyeing Indonesia as a possible place to go when I inevitably want to leave the US. I sincerely hope you all don't shift over to a US style of development permanently, it'd be a shame to see more places end up like the same dreary anytown that I'm trying to leave.
@@dandarr5035 wait you want to move to Indonesia? That’s rare, may ask why?
Don’t worry our style development won’t change much, but it depends on the region
So don’t expect rukos (Rumah kios, or house stores) to be gone in the near future
@@dandarr5035 The new zones I was talking about are mostly being built in semi rural areas (but still somewhat near to a big city) and are clearly marketed to upper middle class people.
They're built like a gated community for people who are tired of living in a cramped community, where you can smell the fumes of your neighbor's motorcycle every morning wafting into your bedroom. Or hearing a bunch of children screaming every afternoon because there's a private tutor opening their business next to your house.
Trust me, each zoning style has its own advantages and disadvantages.
@@comradekenobi6908 My reasons for considering a move to Indonesia may sound odd, but please hear me out. Also, one thing to note, is that Indonesia is not the only choice I am considering. The other three are Kenya, Germany, and Japan, each for their own reasons. I'll elaborate on some of those in a bit.
1. Career opportunity: I'm currently studying to be a pilot (still yet to decide between Airline and Commercial), and I have heard that Indonesia has a potentially huge domestic Aviation market due to a growing middle class who can better afford travel, as well as the sheer size of the country + the fact that most of the country consists of islands, making long-distance high-speed train travel less of an option. Provided that Indonesia's domestic aviation market goes big, I could have a relatively secure career there that pays really well once I reach a certain level of tenure. Indonesia is a more attractive option in this aspect since Germany and Japan are both far more oriented towards high-speed train travel, so having a career as a pilot in either of those two countries would carry far more risk with a marginal difference in reward. I also have interest in Transportation as a whole, as well as Linguistics and Urban Planning (hence why I was watching the video whose comment section we're in), so I do have backup options.
2*. Culture (as pertains to social politics): the limited information that I have so far on Indonesia's culture gives me a somewhat good impression of being warm (no pun intended I swear), welcoming, and diverse. While I have heard a little bit about how religion is handled there (only source being a Wikipedia page, so I'm not really relying entirely on that), I generally don't have enough information to properly make a decision on this. When it comes to moving someplace where I like the culture better, I do have the option of moving to Kenya, since I am half Kenyan by birth, and I would have little to no problems there myself (while being of mixed race and having been born abroad, I am still a part of one of the larger, more influential tribes in the country, so I would have nothing to worry about socially). I still want to explore my options, though.
There's a bit more I can discuss, but I am afraid that I am a bit short on time at the moment. If there is anything that you would like to comment on, feel free. I apologize for my reply taking so long.
Great video! I am from British Columbia and spent many years dealing with poorly zoned areas causing environmental/social issues for residents and local business as I was an environmental inspector for the province. When I went to Japan a decade ago, I got the feeling there is a lot more sense of community and good will between neighbours despite the diverse land use choices available for it's residents. I spent about 2 weeks in a condo in a small town in Hyogo right beside a scissor factory and although it was noisy during business hours it really did not take away from the neighbourhood's charm, just had to be up before 8 am before the factory started up. Always amazed at how orderly and clean alley ways and side streets are in Tokyo. Keep making amazing content!
I really like Japanese zoning. Tokyo is so much more interesting than my home town because it's so mixed.
Wooo. Urban planning content!
NotJustBikes army, assemble!
Zoning is the number one issue in the west when it comes to housing costs.
Zoning is also the main issue why homes in the west are so expensive.
not true for the Netherlands: here it's because of the tax system (and scarcity)
@@Nynke_K True, but zoning very well induces the said scarcity so it might not be so different.
@@Nynke_K Changing zoning allows for denser housing and more varied housing and thus increases supply and lowers house prices. It takes decades for housing policy to kick in though purely due to the amount of time it takes to rebuild and renovate neighbourhoods in line with the new policies.
I'm an architect in San Francisco, CA and am completely enamored with zoning in Japan. My neighbors would lose it if they couldn't tell me what to do with my house lol.
Thank you for sharing, I love your channel!
Why be enamored with this zoning? My city in india has same zoning word for word and its nothing special. The road where my house is at has the following things, Photo Studio,Dentist,Hair Salon,Pharmacy, Supermarket,Mobile Service shops and the next road has a Bus Terminus which connects to every part of the city. Asia is just built different but the downside is the crowd. I think Asian Cities wouldnt be so dirty if it werent for the crowd but my city is relatively clean ( Trashless in residential neighbourhoods but dirty in city centers)
One of his last lines sums up this video: In Japan you can say "Not in my backyard" cannot say "Not in my neighbor's backyard."
It would be really neat to learn about Japan's system of disability benefits for the elderly and people with permanent disabilities.
I have a few videos related to this:
- Japanese Nursing Home th-cam.com/video/Lf-OBn8Nwko/w-d-xo.html
- Living in Japan with a Physical Disability th-cam.com/video/KKrLQDNuMpI/w-d-xo.html
- Travelling With a Physical Disability in Japan th-cam.com/video/xycecbwpIzE/w-d-xo.html
@Tesla-Effect so thankful for this content!
I suspect the issues for disability may be less the zoning than the way public transportation is implemented. In Tokyo, last time I visited, most train stations required users to walk up and down big stairways. In the rare stations that had an elevator, it was inconveniently located and difficult to find. Bus riding seemed to be only for the able bodied. I sure hope there are resources to help people navigate this! If not, I don’t think I can ever visit there again. The shortage of parking means you can’t drive in most urban areas, unless you can walk pretty long distances. Not sure that many taxis can handle anything bigger than a light push wheelchair (which my Japanese mother-in-law uses). In urban residential and suburban areas I have seen, there often are no sidewalks, and pedestrians are expected to be able to quickly make way for cars driving through the narrow streets. 😥 Smaller Japanese towns and rural areas may be a lot more livable for wheelchair users. To be fair, life for my wheelchair using mother was quite difficult in west Los Angeles too.
I can't speak for the disabled, but when I visited Japan, I noticed everywhere that there was this path on the floor with lots of small bumps in it. My friend told me it was for the blind. And by everywhere, I mean they're everywhere: walkways, malls, alleys, bathrooms, elevators and even temples.
Japanese as a culture does not want to be a bother to anyone which is why I believe their engineers made sure the blind can get around without trouble.
@@asbaran yes, I saw those when I lived in Japan way back in 1979-1981. Yet I don’t think I ever saw a blind person. When my Japanese in-laws visited us in Seattle, they were very surprised to see me help guide a blind man who was walking into a dangerous situation in an intersection. Almost as if they had never seen such a thing. 🧐
I was encouraged to learn that there are 2 severely disabled members of the Diet, speaking out on disabled issues. Hope they make an impact, even though they are from a tiny party (Reiwa Shinsengumi).
Hey I'm right on time. I wish the US had some zoning laws like this. I'd love to live in a single family home in a city but be able to walk out and visit a small shop a few feet away.
They have that
That literally exists in every city but most of those areas have become ghettos.
@@RAZGR1Z Mostly downtown.
We have that.
In Europe we have that, we are lucky
Urban kchoze is such a treasure trove of urban planning information. Guy unsurprisingly loves Japan.
Lovely shots, very well produced, informative and makes me leaving wanting more. Always an enjoyable adventure with life where i'm from.
Just wanted to say that your videos are well done. Thank you!
I’m from Canada too where the bulk of land is so car dependent that you’d need one to shop for basic necessities. I think it’s so awful and wastes space. Even if our zoning were even a smidge more like Japan’s zoning flexibility, we’d have more character in more cities, and less travelling from suburbia into the big city to get to anywhere relevant. I’m sure Japan’s lax zoning is strongly responsible for why different prefectures and cities have so much going on for themselves, and why in-country travel is so common amongst Japanese people/residents.
Just going back to rewatch these. I love the urban planning-focused videos!
Greg, as usual you're digging into topics I haven't seen anyone cover, and you do it with solid research and clear, concise videos. Fantastic work.
I'm thinking the reason such freedom is granted to Japanese people is because they are generally considerate enough to not do things too disturbing.
That's a great point
only in the usa and canada is this 'freedom' not granted, this is normal from an international perspective
@@theodiscusgaming3909 not true. I lived in Europe. They don't just allow anything to be built wherever. Varies by country, of course.
@@GUITARTIME2024 same in Japan, there are still zoning laws, but not as ridiculous as in USA and Canada. I don't think there is any other country that mandates an area to only have single family housing.
Sounds like a great way to do things.
This was very illuminating. Thanks for making a video about this topic!
I always look forward to your videos Greg. Thank you for uploading 😀
Japanese cities look very pleasant to me. They are hugh, but still feel like a village for the most part. Pretty relaxed since there is a lot of greenery, too.
OMG! You made my day by featuring my secret favorite town 'Shinkoiwa' in Tokyo☺️✨
And you're sharing us informations like the person from city hall😝
Thank you for such an informative content of Japamm🇯🇵
Great Video as always. Keep up the great work 👍😊👏👏.
Great journalism dude ! Love quirky knowledge like this .
This is an amazing video. As a person who has an interest in city planning, your video gives me more understanding of how Japan planned and built its cities.
I love your videos so much even a zoning episode has me captivated 😂 keep up the great work and cheers to your continued success!❤️
I'm an urban planner who loves your videos. Suffice to say, I geeked out when I saw this upload!
What a great topic, thanks for the effort !
I just want to say I am extremely happy to see so many content creators making videos about urban planning terms and concepts. I rarely used to see this type of content, especially from such a diverse number of creators, 10 or even 5 years ago. It's so important for people to know the regulations and tools that cities use to control the built environment, and I hope videos that show how built environments around the world are created keep getting more popular!
Never have ratios and numbers been so interesting. Great job Greg!
Great Video Greg 👍🏻
I enjoyed it from start to finish.
Very well explained (chef's kiss)👌🏻
This was such a different, cool and informative video! I'm blown away! First time watching your videos again after a while and I'm sold! More content like this!
Really interesting video. After living in Japan and biking everywhere moving back to LA and having to be totally car dependent is terrible.
I love japan and their people. What japan is now is not a miracle it's the people's hardwork with amazing brians 🙏💜
There are a lot of amazing brians in US also........Brian Scalabrine to name one.
Thank you, Brians of the world for giving us the Japan that we know today
Just wanna say thank you so much for taking the time to research and make these videos. They’re so cool! and often the topics are things I wouldn’t even think about normally but I find them so interesting nonetheless. Excited to travel to Japan hopefully when the word starts opening up a bit more 🙌🏽
This was awesome! I'm really impressed by the research and how clearly you presented the information.
Ibaraki here! I think our zoning is great with this exception:
I'm an advocate for a "forced demolition law" if a building has been standing for 10 or 15 years with no occupants it should be demolished. with the exception of being able to postpone it if the owner or company pays a fee to do so. There are a lot of buildings here that are eyesores and limit potential growth/new business since no one wants to buy that land and a building just to demolish it and buy a new building.
There is a big culture in north america of diy restoring/rennovating buildings instead of demolishing them. (House flipping) Though people usually do it because they know they can sell the building for a huge profit since property values go up easily, but I hear there's no chance of property value increasing for most homes in Japan, so maybe no one wants to bother with fixing a building up.
Lol I'm starting my master thesis on this topic soon, thanks so much for providing links to sources!
This is brilliant, helpful and super informative. Thanks so much for making this video. You must be an architect with this much knowledge of zoning laws and regulations.
Great video Greg! Answers so many of the questions I've wondered about.
Excellent video! Having just moved to Vancouver, BC for a year from Singapore, I've come to realise the importance of urban planning that I've taken for granted when I was in Singapore for 11 years. Here in North America, cities are addicted to car dependency. It shocks me that I can't walk 800m to the nearest walmart because there's no footpath for pedestrians.
YES I HAVE NOT WATCHED THE VIDEO BUT I CAN TELL ITS GONNA BE A GOOD ONE
Thanks for making this Greg! Really interesting to learn. Cheers 🙏
Always excited for a new video. Thanks for such amazing videos and all the hard work!
I have always been a fan of Japanese city design, so this video almost feels like it was made for me! You did an absolutely phenomenal job, beautiful shots of cities, diagrams and great explanations. The zoning laws used across Metro Vancouver cities are simply incompatible with having such limited land available to build on once you factor in the ALR, Crown land and geographical restrictions.
You didn't address this; but I see that this method makes it possible to build neighborhoods with all amenities much closer to the users, thus reducing travel time and energy used. I think this makes WAY more sense than our zoning, which pretty much requires cars to get around.
Fantastic video!! I love urban planning and Japan, so this was very entertaining content!
That is some serious research work you did. Well done. Bravo! よく頑張った!
The value of well defined and well regulated mixed use zoning cannot be underestimated.
I'm a town planner in New South Wales. This type of zoning is unheard of here. My guess is that the zoning rules have been driven by the population intensity.
Having said that, I really like the diversity it brings to the urban makeup. Go, Nippon !
Love your shots of the streets. It looks so clean, pleasant and lively yet calm
This is fascinating and very well researched. Thank you!
Why Japan looks the way it does: zoning done right.
Why the US looks the way it does: zoning done wrong.
Japanese zoning laws seem to be virtually identical to Indian zoning laws, the only difference being that the streets are cleaner and the buildings prettier.
Yeah it’s easier to do this stuff with US aid
@@comradekenobi6908 "Yeah[,] it's easier to do this stuff with U.S. aid."
I beg your pardon?!? ....Who is receiving U.S. aid? Japan?!?
I'm pretty sure that whatever aid Japan got from the USA after World War II, was ended at the end of the occupation in 1952.
@@MrJm323 are you trolling? S
all third world countries have zoning laws "permissive", which made cities very ugly, in japan not because they are rich.
well explained, really well done as usual
great content, as usual... and great presentation
that's why it's over of my favorite channels