Land use transition and built-up areas encircling the central business district in Tokyo: Shinjuku-ku Kagurazaka District

Abstract

This paper discusses the historical context and changes in the urban core of the area encircling the central business district (CBD) in Tokyo. It also provides a detailed analysis of the land use transition over a long span of time. The study area is the Kagurazaka district of Tokyo, because of the availability of many historical data. The Kagurazaka district was home to numerous hatamotoyashiki (manisons of daimyo), in the last years of the Edo period. Currently, although the land use and floor space ratio are almost the same, the internal structure differs greatly. The ryotei (restaurant) district was established after the Sino-Japanese War, and had evolved into a high-density area by 1922. The district comprises low- to medium-rise buildings, following the specifications of the current Building Standards Act. The medium-rise buildings are on narrow plots of land and are used for restaurants, offices, and apartments. Therefore, the character of Ryotei as a restaurant district was intensified. Since this district has become known as a restaurant district, it has gained much popularity. However, narrow-site buildings have a high ratio of vacant space. On the other hand, after World War II, there were many empty spaces for development, which were considered to be low-grade sites. One such site is the district near Iidabashi station, which is an important intersection. This district was developed with large-scale buildings that are used for offices and apartments. The land use in this district resembles that in the CBD.