ELEMENTS OF THE UBRANSCAPE IN TOKYO

Abstract

Tokyo Metropolis (Tōkyō-to) of 13 mln people, crowded, colored, noisy, made of very freely designed buildings, with railway loop line separating the inner center from the outer center – from one side is similar to other large metropolises in Japan, and from another – being a capitol and having the Imperial Palace as its symbolical center, is unique. This article discusses elements of urbanscape, such as transportation infrastructure – roads and railways; junctions and city centers – neighborhoods; urban interiors – streets and squares; border lines and belts – rivers, parks; dominant urban structures, outstanding elements – landmarks, and characteristic sights, that contribute to aesthetic appeal of the landscape of Tokyo. The conclusion is that although both European cities and Tokyo have well-functioning centers, as well as subcenters of the polycentric metropolises, their forms are differing because they reflect local urban planning, aesthetics, and culture.