Born from collaboration between our faculty and the government
Beautiful streetscape of Aoyama Street
2024. 07. 18
One teacher's passion moved the nation
Did you know that Aoyama dori, where students and faculty members who commute to our university's Aoyama campus walk every day, has been rapidly transformed into a beautiful street in the past few years? In the past, Aoyama dori was a road marked by asphalt sidewalks, illegally parked signs and bicycles, and garbage, cigarettes, and empty cans thrown in the shrubbery. Professor Norio Iguchi, who was born and raised near Aoyama campus, began to take action to do something about this situation. He conveyed his thoughts to the residents, lobbied the national government to obtain cooperation, and requested cooperation from the local government, evolving it into a major project to create a beautiful street that could be proud of the world. We spoke to Professor Iguchi and Director Honda of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's Tokyo National Highway Office about their 20-year journey, the present, and the future of Aoyama-dori and Sibuya-Aoyama area.
Norio Iguchi
Professor at Aoyama Gakuin University School of Business and Director of the Center for Social-Academic Collaboration Research, currently Professor School of Cultural and Creative Studies and General Manager Aogaku TV. Born in Tokyo in 1956. After graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1980, he joined the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (formerly the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction). He has been at Aoyama Gakuin University since 1994. His publications include "Aoyama Cultural Studies" (Sendenkaigi, 2011) and "City Building in Post-2020" (Gakugei Publishing, 2017), and his translations include "The Century of the Creative Class" by Florida (Diamond Inc., 2007), "Creative City Theory" (Diamond Inc., 2009), and "New Creative Capital Theory" (Diamond Inc., 2014). He has served as a member of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's Transport Policy Council, Chairman of the Minato Ward Urban Planning Master Plan Review Committee, and other government and local government committee members. He has worked on numerous urban regeneration projects in central Tokyo. His specialties are creative city theory and creative economics. He is Trustee the Japan Association for Cultural Policy Studies, Trustee Cultural Economics, and the Japan Society Trustee Art Management.
Taku Honda
He completed his graduate studies in civil engineering at the University of Tokyo Graduate School and joined the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in April 2003. He has held positions including assistant Manager of Planning Division Division of the Road Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, director of the Nagasaki River and National Highway Office of the Kyushu Regional Development Bureau, planning coordinator in the Planning Department of the Kyushu Regional Development Bureau, and planning specialist in the Evaluation Office of Planning Division of the Road Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, before assuming his current position in April 2024.
*Titles omitted below / Titles etc. as of May 2024
What started as an idea became a billion-yen project
■ It all started with a single pedestrian bridge
--What inspired you to work so hard to create a beautiful Aoyama Street?
Iguchi: Students today probably don't know this, but until around 2005, you had to cross a footbridge to get to Aoyama campus from Sibuya Station. It was like an isolated island on land. At that time, there was only one footbridge in a straight line to the left after leaving Main Gate. Since the footbridge was a long way to go, I thought that if there was a crosswalk that was convenient to cross, students of our university who were likely to be late for their regular exams and students taking entrance exams could pass safely and quickly. At the time, I also used to commute by bicycle from my home behind the United Nations University, and I found it inconvenient to have to make a big detour to get to Main Gate. I think wheelchair users were in the same situation. For these reasons, I felt a strong desire to "do something" not only as a professor at our university, but also as someone who was born and raised in this area.
Professor Iguchi
First of all, what action did you take?
Iguchi: Before I became a professor at the university, I worked for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Because of this, I served on several academic committees for the ministry, and had many opportunities to consult with the Minister, Vice Minister, Director General of the Road Bureau, and others. As a result, one pedestrian bridge was removed and two crosswalks were built in its place, making access to Aoyama Campus smoother. That was my first involvement with Aoyama Street.
Before the pedestrian bridge was removed (2005)
After the pedestrian bridge is removed (2024)
Before the pedestrian bridge was removed (2005)
After the pedestrian bridge is removed (2024)
Honda: When I was appointed Director of the Tokyo National Highway Office, I was deeply impressed by the work that Professor Iguchi has been involved in for the past 20 years to beautify Aoyama Street. When you walk around the area, the scenery around Aoyama is particularly beautiful.
--The Tokyo National Highway Office was instrumental in helping to remove the pedestrian bridge, wasn't it?
Honda: Yes. We need to check the usage of the footbridge and the surrounding crossing facilities, and we need to consult with the relevant authorities such as traffic managers. We also need the consent of the local community as a consensus of the local community. I heard that Professor Iguchi worked hard to gather everyone's opinions.
Iguchi: To put it simply, my driving force is my feelings for the hometown I was born and raised in. I feel that continuing to act as a member of my hometown has ultimately been a good thing.
Aoyama intersection. One pedestrian bridge was removed and two crosswalks were installed in its place.
■ "Policy Framework for Creating a Beautiful Country," "Landscape Law," and Landscape Improvement of Aoyama Street
--How did the removal of one pedestrian bridge lead to a complete renewal of the streetscape of Aoyama-dori (a 2.3 km section)?
The Iguchi-Koizumi Junichiro Cabinet compiled the "Policy Outline for Creating a Beautiful Country," and aimed to enact the "Landscape Law." At the time, I was serving as an academic committee member for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's "Society for Considering Japan's Roads and Streetscapes," and learned of a movement to create model districts to coincide with the enactment of the law. I presumptuously proposed a landscape improvement project for Aoyama-dori. I consulted with then Minister Ishihara Nobuteru, and received a favorable response, leading to the establishment of the "Society for Considering the Landscape of Aoyama-dori and Streetscapes (later the "Aoyama-dori Landscape Design Council")" within the Tokyo National Highway Office, which has jurisdiction over the main national highways in Tokyo. Aoyama-dori became one of the leading model districts in Tokyo and was the subject of consideration for development.
Status of the Landscape Improvement Project for National Route 246 (Aoyama Street)The section targeted for landscape improvement is approximately 2.3 km from Aoyama intersection to Miyamasuzakaue intersection.
Source: "Geographical Survey Institute Map (Digital Land Web)" https://maps.gsi.go.jp/
-What was decided at the meeting within the Tokyo National Highway Office?
Honda: Mainly the direction of landscape development, street design, business scheme, etc. Aiming to create "a beautiful road landscape that Japan and the world can be proud of," the "Aoyama Street Landscape Design Council" decided on a novel design with universal appeal that is characteristic of Aoyama, such as granite for the sidewalks, zelkova for the street trees, and street lights and pedestrian prevention fences.
Iguchi:After that, the business scheme was also considered based on the materials presented at the landscape design conference.
Director Honda
――Aoyama Gakuin staff and Professor Iguchi clean the road in front of the Aoyama campus and remove weeds every day, is this also part of your business scheme?
Iguchi: Yes. Aoyama People who work and live along Aoyama Street make daily efforts to maintain the scenery of Street, which improves the environment in terms of hardware. This project scheme was conceived and applied because Aoyama Street is a model district of the National Development Policy Outline and the Landscape Law, in other words, a "special district". The challenge now is how to continue the local efforts that have enlivened the special district. The NPO Sibuya Shibuya Aoyama Aoyama Landscape Formation Organization (SALF) plays a central role in this effort.
Students picking up litter around Aoyama campus
■ SALF-led "Aoyama Street Streetscape Agreement" and stylish design
--Please tell us how SALF was established.
Iguchi The Landscape Act was one of the foundations for the development of the landscape of Aoyama-dori, and it has four requirements: a "Landscape Administration Body," a "Landscape Plan," a "Public Facility of Landscape Importance," and a "Landscape Development Organization." In order to get the national government to take a positive stance, the prerequisite was that the landscape administration body at the time, namely Tokyo Metropolitan Government, would formulate a landscape plan and designate Aoyama as a public facility of landscape importance (a road of landscape importance), and that a public interest corporation or NPO would be established as the landscape development organization. Therefore, SALF was established in 2005. In 2008, the "Aoyama-dori Streetscape Agreement" was concluded with the agreement of all the neighborhood associations and shopping associations along the 2.3 km section of the road from Sibuya Ward to Minato Ward. In response, Tokyo Metropolitan Government designated Aoyama-dori as a road of landscape importance under the Landscape Act, and SALF as a landscape development organization under the Landscape Act, and preparations were complete. At this stage, the national government also promised to carry out landscape development work on Aoyama-dori.
Honda For reference, the method of landscape development decided by the "Aoyama Street Landscape Design Council" is shown below. Minato Ward and Sibuya Ward have also signed separate agreements to work on maintaining the road's landscape for several decades. SALF, of which Professor Iguchi is Chair, Board of Trustees, plays the role of linking the national government with the roadside communities.
How to proceed with Aoyama Street landscape improvement project
Iguchi: By the way, at the Aoyama Street Landscape Design Conference, SALF proposed a stylish overall design, as well as matching street lights and pedestrian prevention fences, and this was realized. Part of the design was also approved for registration, so this design cannot be used in other places without permission.
Stylish overall design
Design registration certificate for pedestrian prevention fence
Crossing prevention fence
The sidewalk leading from Sibuya Station to Aoyama Campus (left: 2005 / right: 2024)
Sidewalk in front of Aoyama Memorial Hall (left: 2005 / right: 2024)
■ Aoyama Street is the core of the urban regeneration of Sibuya and Aoyama
--When it comes to the streetscape of Aoyama dori, it seems like it would take more than just improving the road.
As
Iguchi says, the regeneration of the entire city will not be complete unless we control the buildings along the roads and even the streets deep inside the blocks. In fact, in my seminar, we have been investigating the actual situation in the back alleys of Sibuya and Aoyama areas for over 30 years, and have taken various measures. For example, in Harajuku's Cat Street, we blocked off the entry of cars, set up a wooden terrace there, and held a concert. This was a social experiment using government subsidies. As a result, we were able to abolish the delineation as a roadway that had been in the city planning map since the 1950s, and acquire a new position as a promenade for people. With a similar idea, SALF is taking the lead in removing the bicycle parking lot that was on the sidewalk at Gaienmae intersection and trying to set up a flower bed and a plaza there. Originally, it was an incentive project with the aim of reducing the number of illegally parked bicycles all at once, but unfortunately, it has not reduced the number, so it seems that a review will be required soon. Activities to improve the landscape need to be continued steadily and persistently, with repeated trial and error. We hope to encourage each and every resident living along the road to always remember that they are responsible for creating a beautiful landscape.
A concert planned and held on Cat Street
Regarding Honda Aoyama Street, the basic premise is that citizens, schools, and businesses along the road will themselves clean the road, pull weeds, and provide guidance on removing illegally parked bicycles and signs. In the future, while taking into account factors such as the aging of residents, we would like to explore how to make the landscape maintenance scheme work in practice and protect this beautiful scenery, while listening to the opinions of local residents.
Iguchi: Not only hard aspects but also soft aspects are important for urban revitalization. For example, the facades and signs of buildings along the road, flags on street lamps, and advertisements at bus stops and taxi stands. When companies and businesses request permission from the Tokyo National Highway Office, SALF provides advice on these soft aspects based on the Aoyama Street Streetscape Agreement, and I think the current situation is well under control.
SALF is also monitoring and advising on advertisements at bus stops and taxi stands.
SALF is also monitoring and advising on advertisements at bus stops and taxi stands.
■ How to protect and create "Aoyama Street" amid large-scale development is an issue
--In recent years, there has been a flurry of large-scale developments, especially around Sibuya Station. The Miyamasuzaka and Konnozaka areas on Aoyama Street are also changing at an incredible pace.
Iguchi: At the very least, large-scale development projects that affect the road land and streetscape of Aoyama Street need to be properly considered at the "Aoyama Street Landscape Design Conference." The developer showed me a future plan the other day, and it had plans that were quite different from the direction of the local landscape development, including the flow and design of the sidewalks, replacement of the pedestrian bridge, and plans for green spaces. I was surprised to see that it even included the removal of several green spaces on Aoyama Street managed by SALF. The site won the "Greening Grand Prize" in 2019. We are currently asking the Tokyo National Highway Office for cooperation in making the developer aware of the activities and rules for protecting the local landscape and greenery.
Honda: We will respond appropriately, taking into account the history and discussions that have taken place at the Aoyama Street Landscape Design Conference to date.
The SALF-managed green space on Miyamasuzaka-ue (top: 2 images) and the SALF-managed green space in front of the Ginkgo Avenue at the Art Museum (bottom: 2 images from the left) were selected for the Greening Grand Prize.
Thank you, Iguchi. We will also return to our original ideas and origins and protect the beautiful streetscape. Large-scale development will continue along Aoyama Street in the future, including the future of the 2 hectares around the United Nations University, including the former Children's Castle and the former Aoyama Hospital site. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, which has cooperated with us so far, understands our intentions, but we would like to actively hold discussions in the local area, including Aoyama, and actively lobby all related parties.
Active learning and social collaboration in School of Cultural and Creative Studies
We spoke to Professor Iguchi about how he has expanded social collaboration, such as the landscaping of Aoyama Street, into student education (active learning), and about his thoughts on the future of Sibuya and Aoyama.
--Please tell us what motivated you to start incorporating social collaboration into your students' learning.
As I mentioned in my talk with Director
Honda Iguchi, I have been involved in the landscape development of Aoyama Street from a personal motivation of wanting to do something for my hometown. These social contribution activities began in the past with the anti-trash incinerator (planned on the current site of the United Nations University), the local consensus building for Omotesando Hills and Harajuku Police Station plans, and even a proposal to improve Sibuya River Promenade (also known as Cat Street), which had a gloomy atmosphere. Sibuya River Promenade was used as a sidewalk by covering Sibuya River, but it was planned to eventually cross Omotesando as a roadway. We wanted to make it a lively space where people could gather, so together with nearby resident Yasuhiro Hamano (responsible for planning and producing Tokyu Hands and Q Front Building), we attracted cutting-edge shops, and as a result, it became the commercial street that is popular with young people today. When I first got involved with Cat Street, my seminar students came to the site and said, "Professor, this sounds interesting, so let us help you," and actually worked with me on research. Students showed interest in my social contribution activities, which I was personally involved in, and they eventually developed into a part of my education. School of Cultural and Creative Studies was founded based on this active learning (lab training). With the advice of Taeko Nagai, then vice president of NHK, we invited NHK to build a studio in the "Aoyama Studio" (named with the help of fellow cultural figures Jun Maki and Katsumi Asaba, who live nearby), which was planned on the site of the former student dormitory, and it became commonplace to see programs planned and produced by students in lab training being broadcast nationwide.
Cat Street (a commercial street developed with the cooperation of students)
These efforts involving students led to the adoption of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Modern Educational Needs Initiative Support Program (Modern GP)" in 2005, and then the "High Quality University Education Promotion Program (Education GP)" in 2008. Many students at our university are interested in Sibuya and Aoyama area, and they seemed happy to be able to conduct fieldwork in their favorite city. Regarding the removal of the bicycle parking lot on the sidewalk at Gaienmae intersection, which we introduced earlier, students conducted fixed-point observations and interviews at the site to investigate the actual situation of illegal bicycle parking. The students made full use of their learning in the area, such as summarizing the results in seminar papers, and went on to find employment at consulting companies such as Accenture.
Gaienmae intersection (before the bicycle parking lot was removed)
Gaienmae intersection (after bicycle parking lot was removed)
--Professor Iguchi, you have also been working hard to bring Taro Okamoto's large mural, "Myth of Tomorrow," to Sibuya Station.
Iguchi: This also comes from my personal relationship with Toshiko Okamoto, who was Taro Okamoto's partner. I was convinced that this would be a suitable and attractive monument to connect Taro and Toshiko's thoughts to the next generation, and to make Sibuya, a town for young people that became famous for Hachiko, known as a town for adults with art and culture. The Sibuya Art Festival was planned after the invitation of "Myths of Tomorrow," and many young artists have been produced. The cooperation of this young generation is essential to maintain the scenery and charm of the town. I hope that not only our students, but also our graduates will take an interest in the future of Sibuya and Aoyama and actively promote the charm of this town. To do this, Aoyama will need to further evolve and deepen its efforts toward contributing to the community and collaborating with society, as well as its practical education. There are many roles that our university must play as a leader in the creative town development and creative city of Sibuya and Aoyama in the future. As Chair, Board of Trustees of SALF, an adviser to Sibuya East District Urban Development Council that I established, and an officer of the neighborhood association, I will continue to be involved in activities to protect and create the future of Sibuya and Aoyama, where large-scale development continues. I will also continue to be proud of the hometown where I was born and raised, and of Aoyama.
Taro Okamoto's large mural "Myth of Tomorrow" invited to Sibuya Station