Manufacturing Cities Stadtentwicklung & Beratung

Field Notes: Educational Trip to Japan

Town Factories

Understanding the correct terms is crucial for research. Initially, searching for phrases like "urban manufacturing or town factories" yielded few results. Eventually, a friend recommended the book "Tokyo Totem – A Guide to Tokyo," where the term Machikoba appeared in Fritzi Ponse’s article "Hera Shibori." Machi Koba, or town factories, are widespread across Japan, integrating small-scale production units within urban settings.

Unlike many European cities, these facilities typically include small to medium-sized workshops on the lower floors, administrative and representative areas, and residential spaces on the upper floors. This coexistence is often referred to in studies about "Residence-Combined Factories (RCFs)" by authors like Kevin Canonica and Jorge Almazan.

Shortly after arriving in Tokyo, I encountered my first Machi Koba in Hatagaya, just off the Keio New Line. The building, though not explicitly revealing its functions, hosted industrial activities. By observing signs like balconies and kitchen vents, as discussed in Canonica and Almazan’s work, I could discern its mixed use.

During my stay, I visited Higashi-Osaka, where Toyo Steel Works Company produces toolboxes, and Otaku in Tokyo, to study the architectural integration of these unique spaces. Despite not speaking Japanese, a translation app helped interpret the nameplates on several Machi Kobas, providing insight into the enterprises' focus.

To fully grasp the role and transformation of Machikoba in Japan's economy and their network significance, further visits and discussions with local managers would be necessary.

Manufacturing Cities Stadtentwicklung & Beratung

Neighborhood Creation-Type Logistics Facility

Japan has been experiencing a population decline since 2008, expected to halve to 63 million by 2100. This trend raises significant challenges, including a shrinking workforce, reduced purchasing power, and aging transport infrastructure requiring modernization. Despite these challenges, Japan is seeing a surge in the construction of multistory industrial warehouses, especially in city outskirts. This growth is fueled by escalating land prices and the booming e-commerce sector.

In Osaka, on the man-made Mishima Island near a large sports and recreational area, multi-story warehouses have been developed that accommodate truck traffic up to the eighth floor. For instance, Prologis Park Osaka 2 spans 130,500 square meters and includes not only #logistics spaces but also a restaurant and convenience store. These facilities are built with seismic isolation structures and incorporate sustainable architecture practices.

Tokyo's Itabashi hosts the City's Largest Neighborhood Creation-Type Logistics Facility on a former steel plant site. "MFLP Logifront" extends over 256,150 square meters, providing amenities such as a driver's lounge, a park with a playground, a convenience store, a drone test field, and large-scale photovoltaic panels. Surplus solar power is even distributed to local schools, underscoring the facility's community integration effort.

These developments provoke several important questions:
1. Do these logistics centers create significant local employment opportunities?
2. What is the impact of increased road traffic due to these facilities?
3. How are strategies for the long-term use of these warehouses being formulated, especially in the context of Japan's declining population?
4. Are there limits to public accessibility in these typically private infrastructures?

These queries are crucial for assessing the sustainability and community value of large-scale industrial developments in shrinking societies.

Infrastructure for People – A Japanese Tale

Did you know:

One of the latest public "The Tokyo Toilet" installations is contactless?

Artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who was married to a Japanese woman, signed his artworks as "Hyakusui," meaning hundreds of waters in Japanese?

Yoshio Taniguchi, renowned for the redesign of NYC's #MoMa, also designed the Hiroshima City Naka Incineration Plant?

My journey across Japan taught me that infrastructure here is well-designed, well-maintained, multipurpose, and accessible to the public at no cost. The film Perfect Days highlights the maintenance of 17 public toilets in districts like Shibuya and Ebisu, each uniquely crafted by different teams and feature 24/7 access with thrice daily cleanings. The voice-activated toilet by Kazo Sato in Nanago Dori Park is a testament to innovative public utility designs.

Traveling by bus in Osaka towards the 2025 Kansai Expo site, I passed the Maishima Waste Incineration Plant and Sludge Center—both inspired by Hundertwasser. This industrial yet visitor-friendly site hosts tours that display original sketches, enhancing visitor engagement and community integration. Further along, on Yumeshima Island, the upcoming Expo will showcase the largest plywood structure by Sou Fujimoto, pushing the boundaries of architectural innovation in public spaces.

Even in Hiroshima, a visit to the waste incineration plant, dubbed a 'museum of garbage' by Taniguchi, reveals facilities that blend utility with public service, featuring educational displays and recreational spaces.

Inspired by urban planner Jan Gehl’s lecture on creating cities for people, I'm motivated to share how Japan’s infrastructures like these mentioned above contribute to functional and inviting urban environments.