Under the Bridge II.

One of my favorite things about Tokyo is the way in which spaces are used: under bridges, highways, expressways - any place an opportunity exists. In most cities, major transit routes effectively create walls or dead zones in the urban fabric. Here, the richness and vitality of Tokyo's urban character is allowed to extend in a relatively continuous fashion as automobiles and trains pass overhead.

Eatery Clinging to Overpass.
Small-scale spaces bring a strong sense of intimacy and humanity to a metropolitan area of nearly 35 million people. Economically, these spaces are more egalitarian. They have relatively lower rents which allow more people to own and run businesses, often in high-profile places.

Ginza 9.
Conversely, even upscale boutiques and restaurants occupy the spaces below expressways and railways - especially in Ginza.

Yamanote Train Line Above, Ameyoko Market Below.
Below these tracks lie some of my favorite haunts, from inexpensive and delicious kaiten-zushi, or conveyor belt sushi restaurants, to yakitoris that serve scrumptious BBQ on skewers, edamame, and tasty cold Sapporo or sake. And let's not forget my favorite noodle place, which serves up piping hot soba, or buckwheat noodles with crispy tempura on top.

Before I get carried away on a culinary track - the importance here is that in Tokyo, highly memorable spaces are created in spaces that are ordinarily ignored by many other cities in the world.

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Ginza Nights.

Sidewalk by Day, Runway by Night.
Tokyo is not among the world's most beautiful cities - that is, during the day. At night, it shines.

Louis Vuitton, Exterior by Jun Aoki.

Revisited: Evening at the International Forum, Designed by Rafael Vinoly.

Mikimoto Store, Toyo Ito

Sony Building, Yoshinobu Ashihara.

Lanvin Boutique, Hiroshi Nakamura.

Glass Brick Facade of Maison Hermes Building, by Renzo Piano.

Advertisment for the Highway Department?
I don't know what this sign is advertising, but I like it.

Revisited: Nakagin Capsule Tower Building, Kisho Kurokawa.

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Futuristic Buildings [From the Past].

Perhaps more than any place in the world, Tokyo creatively exhibits ways to maximize space. Tokyo's Nakagin Capsule Apartment Building by Kisho Kurokawa (1971) was the world's first building to take on capsule living. Each apartment measures approximately three meters by five meters square, meaning that the bed takes up most of the space. Additionaly, each of these detachable capsules can be attached to a concrete core by four high-tension bolts. The capsules are pre-assembled offsite and come with necessary appliances already built-in.

Though extreme to outsiders, this mode of living is more realistic in Tokyo where shopping streets, restaurants, and public places are considered an extension of your living space. Visitors to Tokyo can experience this kind of living by staying at a capsule hotel.

Below is the Shizuoka Press & Broadcasting Building by Kenzo Tange (1967) near Ginza.

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Step Inside the Mothership.

Designed by Rafael Vinoly, the International Forum in Ginza is quite grand. Is this what it feels like to step inside a Mothership?

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Living it up in Ginza.

Home to some of the world's most expensive real estate, Ginza is probably Tokyo's most established upscale district. This tower is particularly striking, given its lightness and simplicity of form. I especially like the tranquil rooftop space that is revealed to passers-by below, drawing the eye towards the sky. Now, if only I could find a way to make it on the rooftop party guest list...