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2025.05.27 Momoe Nomura + Noriko Higashi A follow-up meeting was held to review the night walk survey in Tachikawa conducted in April. Members gathered at the LPA office in Tsukuda and enjoyed lunch boxes while engaging in lively discussion. Plans for future activities were also discussed. A review session was held at the LPA office to reflect on the night walk survey conducted in April 2025 in Tachikawa, Tokyo. Despite all being within walking distance from the same station, each area of Tachikawa revealed its own distinct character, along with unique attractions and challenges. In particular, the large commercial complex GREEN SPRINGS, located on the north side of Tachikawa Station, was noted for its thoughtfully designed spaces. One especially memorable feature was the lighting on the staircase at the main entrance. The blue light, flowing like water down the steps, created an immersive, cave-like atmosphere when viewed from above—evoking a dreamlike ambiance. Participants also praised the pole lights that used RGB lighting to project overlapping colors onto the ground, turning illumination into an experience rather than merely a visual aid. These elements received high marks for their creativity and attention to user experience. However, in some parts of GREEN SPRINGS, it was pointed out that certain shops used bright white lighting, which clashed with the otherwise warm-toned atmosphere of the area.Near GREEN SPRINGS, under the monorail, several issues were also identified. For example, lighting on public artworks was overly intense,…

Night Walk #59: Tokyo Winter Lights Tour Let’s see around winter lights and cityscapes in central Tokyo! December 20, 2017　|　Written by: Yuriko Hagimoto, Shinichi Sakaguchi, Daisuke Miura, and Sho Kato Speaking of winter in Tokyo, variety of holiday lights decorate streetscapes at night. In our City Night Walk this time, we visited major holiday lights locations in central Tokyo and researched the reason why people are attracted by light displays. Green Christmas lights around Yurakucho station Christmas light displays are now established as winter tradition. Every year, variety of tasteful light decorations beautifully color cities up. We look forward to it so much that even TV news broadcasts lighting ceremonies. We the Lighting Detectives have held all sorts of City Walks in the past, but somehow we haven’t done ones that focused on holiday light displays, which is one of the biggest events that many people visit during winter. This time we finally had a City Walk event around Marunouchi and Roppongi districts to find out why people come to see winter light displays and if there were the villains of lighting. Winter light decorations at Tokyo station plaza Marunouchi-Nakadori, themed with champagne gold Existing street lamps utilized for the Christmas decorations ■ Group 1: Tokyo Station + Marunouchi area　 Group 1, composed of five team members with Mende leader, did a research about Christmas lights around the Tokyo station. We first went to Tokyo Station Marunouchi Square, and then…

19 June 2005 “Turn off the lights and take it slow.” The time to turn off the lights and relax by candle night was once again upon us as the Lighting Detectives and Musashi Art University students collaborated with local elementary school students to celebrate another Candle Night on the 2005 summer solstice. Up until now the local event was limited to Harajuku`s Cat Street, but this year we have widen the venue and pulled the June 19th event out into the open of Omotesando. Started by an environmental NPO, this nation-wide event is a slow, relaxing time to reflect on human nature and rethink our positions on the environment, energy conservation, and the modern lifestyle. More then 20,000 venues all over the country participate in this “lighting down” event with 300 of those venues also displaying candle installations. With each biannual celebration the circle of light continues to grow. Children’s Lantern Parade Along with their parents, 50 or so children from the local Jingumae Elementary School and the local Omotesando trash detail crew, Green Bird, started off from the school on a lantern parade that would take them to a rendezvous point at the new Cartier Store construction site and then down to the Oriental Bazaar. Roman candle-shaped lanterns, made by the children, were first carried to the rendezvous point where the Chief of the Lighting Detectives, Kaoru Mende was waiting. The Roman candle lanterns were exchanged for shopping…

2024.11.21-24 Chuanyi Liu + Jiang Kunzhi Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam where history and modernity blend seamlessly. Thanks to its rich cultural heritage, it has established itself as one of Southeast Asia’s premier tourist destinations. In this city where the Old Quarter, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, and Lotte Tower coexist, we explore Hanoi’s nightscape culture through the lens of light. Vietnam, a populous nation of 100 million people, has Hanoi as its capital serving as the political, cultural, and economic center as well as a key transportation hub. In July 2020, the Vietnamese government issued Decision No. 1129, promoting the development of the night economy and designating Hanoi as the pilot city for this initiative. The city’s rich heritage and unique cultural arts provide favorable conditions for the growth of Hanoi’s night tourism. Hanoi’s urban lighting exhibits distinct characteristics depending on the area and function. In the Old Quarter, narrow alleys and historic buildings create a lively atmosphere with bustling night markets. The nighttime lighting here mainly consists of creatively designed decorative lights at individual shops, which enhance the vibrant energy. Around Hoan Kiem Lake, soft lights reflected on the water’s surface and the illumination of the Turtle Tower standing in the lake harmonize to create a calm and serene nightscape. In the new urban area, modern building facades and bright LED lighting present a contemporary and sophisticated city image. Dynamic light displays further emphasize the lively spirit of the area….

City Survey in Qatar/Azerbaijan 2018/02/12-02/17　　Masahiro Iwata + Hikaru Kimura We went to Qatar and Azerbaijan from 12th to 17th February for 6 days for lighting survey. Both of countries are oil producers, and have been developed with oil money. Qatar and Azerbaijan are located on similar longitude, however each urban landscape has been developed in different ways according to their history. Qatar is an emergent country, which benefits from oil money. High-rise buildings has been built on vacant huge desert, and the gulf coast has been developed for attracting wealthy class in around the world. On the other hand, Azerbaijan still faces a problem which a lots of refugees by the past war have hard lives, even it is in bubble boom and it benefits from oil money as much as Qatar. They have redeveloped the old town, which is world heritage. We surveyed lighting in these two countries, where electricity expenses are free by benefit of oil money. Sketch of the road lighting ■Qatar, Capital city Doha Doha used to be described as “the most boring city in the world”, where there were no accommodation and entertainment facilities according to its closed policy. Today luxury hotels and huge shopping malls has been built, and it has become a bustling city. There are lots of buildings painted the current president’s face on the façade. These buildings are by pocket money of president or owned by the government. The buildings along…