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(I) Gyotoku Station 行徳駅 in 1968 Here’s a phenomenal photo of Gyotoku Station under construction, circa 1968. This is a terrific visualization of the large amount of reclaimed land in the Tokyo Bay area. (Perhaps the most well-known modern example of reclaimed land in Tokyo is Odaiba. Another great example, which is not well known, is Kaihin New Town, in Chiba). This photo was originally…

Fukaya Communication Site 深谷通信所, a military communications site returned to Japan only in 2014 (source). Over the years the urbanization of Kanagawa surrounded the site, revealing an almost perfect circle. Location: halfway between Shonandai and Totsuka, in Kanagawa (map). Links: 深谷通信所 Fukaya Communication Station (Wikipedia) 旧深谷通信所 Former Fukaya Communication Station (Yokohama City…

Posting this excellent summary from Reddit so that I can easily find it later. Will add some additional information later… Cross country skiing in Japan – my intel byu/chessycat808 inxcountryskiing

Wonderful public art on the exterior of the Miyakezaka Building 三宅坂ビル, built in 1965. The building is located in Nagatacho, Tokyo (map) in a government-heavy district, just across the street from the National Diet Library 国立国会図書館 and close to the National Diet Building 国会議事堂 (Kokkai-gijidō). (As a side note, this era of architecture in Japan is among my favorites, another example being the Shin…

A collage of the ultra-retro yokocho on the north side of Keisei Tateishi Station 京成立石駅 in Katsushika-ku (map). Yokocho 横丁 means side street / alley. As for Nonbei / Nonbe (のんべい / 呑んべ), it is “a slang expression from the Edo period (1603-1868) meaning drunkard or person who loves drinking.“ These Google Streetview pics are from circa 2017. As of 2026, this area has been demolished as part of a…

A view of Toneri Park (Toneri Koen) 舎人公園 (map) in Adachi-ku, Tokyo. The vertical line on the left of the photos (1980-2007) is the Nippori-Toneri Liner 日暮里・舎人ライナー, an automated guideway transit (AGT) system. Related posts: Tonerikoen 舎人公園 (from Kawaguchi at dusk 埼玉県 川口市 夕暮れ) End of the line: Nippori-Toneri Liner 日暮里・舎人ライナー Tokyo then-and-now: an anthology

Part I: Welcome back to the danchi Danchi 団地 have been a frequent topic in this and my related blog: the tokyo files: danchi 東京団地萌え Danchi generally refer to the public housing complexes built in Japan during the period of rapid economic growth following World War 2 (高度経済成長). While danchi typically refer to public housing complexes, the concept of danchi is more closely related to architectural…

A time-lapse series of what is potentially the busiest fumikiri 踏切 (level street crossing) in Tokyo: a pedestrian and bike-only crossing just south of Oimachi Station 大井町 (map). Photo taken from the adjacent pedestrian bridge, which makes for great people and train watching. See also: Fumikiri 踏切: Japanese railroad crossings The old fumikiri at Shimokitazawa Station