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| Negishi Forest Park near the Port of Yokohama. It’s a place where in 1866 the first European style racetrack was built in Japan. The place is understating, but loved by locals a lot in the middle of downtown. |
During the 1960s and the 70s, Tokyo, Yokohama, and sandwiched Kawasaki are a continuation of megaloplis that was the center of Japanese heavy industry. Mega chemical factories, steel mills etc were once standing side-by-side, encircling Tokyo Bay. 50 years later from Japanese high growth era, it‘s instinctive to imagine the sceneries of Tokyo and Yokohama would be more or less the same, i.e. a desert, or mybe the scenes of Akira before the massive destruction. But now, the difference is apparent. In Yokohama, even in a highly urban ward like Naka, Tsurumi, or Kohoku we have mass of greens. Yeah. Unfortunately the confluence of Yakami and Shibukawa Rivers near Keio Univ. had a high concentration of microplastics (; my post on December 15, 2024). The basin of these rivers is a concreted downtown. Yet, in the south of the convergence point, just in the area of 4km radius, there are 4 Citizen Forests, that are Tsunashima (my post on June 26, 2015), Kumanojinja (ditto for May 29, 2015), Komaoka-Nakagoh (June 5, 2015), and Shishigaya (June 12, 2015), + one prefectural park, Mitsuike Park, and one municipal Park, Okurayama Park (my post for February 4, 2024). Please compare satellite photos of Goole Map for downtowns of Tokyo and Yokohama. Distinction is apparent.
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| Tokyo |
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| Yokohama |
Tokyo has been the center of Japanese politics for more than 400 years. Its downtown must be under developmetal pressure always, for sure. In contrast, Yokohama has only 170 years or so of history as a city. It could be one of the reasons for the difference between the two cities. But in the middle of the 19th century many expats who visited Tokyo, or Edo at that time, including Ernest Mason Satow, wrote Tokyo had lots of green spaces. The length of history as a city won‘t be a definite reason explaining the difference between two cities in the 21st century. During the World War II, both cities were bombarded heavily by Americans. Statistically speaking the amount of bombs Yokohama recieved per square miles was larger than that for Tokyo. In August 1945, the photos of Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama are like vast continuing desert of rubbles and charcoaled houses, similar to today‘s photos from Ukraine and Gaza. Green Parks at that time? Forget about it.
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| Shibuya
Scramble Crossing at the end of 2023. One year later now, the scenery is not observable because the construction site in the left of this photo is now a skyscraper. |
If we consider 1945 was the starging point for urban development of Megalopolis Tokyo, Tokyo and Yokohama stood on the same line. So, the 2025 difference of greeneries in two cities would be due to the difference in environmental planning and management of urban spaces after 1945. Or, I would say it’s because of the difference of usage of 1968 City Planning Act by local civil servant. Hamakko mandarines exploited the national law like a rule of chess. I found it fascinating historical fact. I tell you that next week. If you‘re interested in such things, please stay tuned 😉.
Strategic Planning Division, Green Environment Bureau, City of Yokohama
横浜市みどり環境局戦略企画課
Phone: 045-671-2712
FAX: 045-550-4093
