2024.05.16 – 05.19 Mari Kubota+ Noriko Higashi Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, is one of the world’s major port cities. In recent years, it has also gained fame as a hub for tourism and film. We surveyed the lighting in Busan, which is also a member of LUCI (Lighting Urban Community International). South Korea is a close neighbor, just 1.5 hours from Tokyo by plane, making it a popular destination for quick and affordable trips. Busan, the second-largest city in South Korea, is not only a tourist destination but also a major port and an entertainment center, hosting film festivals. As a member of LUCI, Busan has been focusing on urban lighting as part of its urban planning. In 2015, the city developed an extensive overview of its nightscapes, resulting in the Busan Urban Light Policy for 2030. This policy has been updated several times, reflecting the city’s ongoing efforts in implementation and improvement. The guidelines divide Busan into several zones, each with lighting tailored to its specific characteristics.We traveled to Busan to assess whether the city’s lighting contributes to safety, beauty, attractiveness, and the local economy at night. ■Jagalchi Market Jagalchi Market is South Korea’s largest seafood market, selling both fresh and dried fish. After purchasing seafood on the first floor, visitors can have it cooked and served on the second floor. The market attracts many tourists. White lights are used to illuminate the seafood, making it look as…

The Marunouchi district in the center of Tokyo has been transformed in recent years from a business and financial center to the latest redevelopment to intertwine commercial and office space. Our survey started in Marunouchi, as we closed in on the infamous Tokyo Tower to view the sprawling Tokyo nightscape. Marunouchi Central Street is enclosed on both sides by buildings all at the same height of 31 meters. Facade lighting and streetlights throw an even light over the street, creating a flat nightscape with no rhythm of light and shadow. Quite possibly occupying the staring role in the production of the Tokyo nightscape is the Tokyo Tower. The ironworks structure of this tower is illuminated from underneath, beautifully generating a glowing symbol for the city. At 250 meters, looking down on Tokyo from the tower is a beautiful site. Glare is blinding and there is no visible unified pattern to the lights of Tokyo, but lights twinkle all over the city and continue as far as the horizon. Things always look better from a distance and the Tokyo nightscape is one of them!

2022.10.27　Genki Watanabe+ Chuanyi Liu+ Yuki Ito This Tokyo night walk survey took place in Shimokitazawa, a neighborhood especially popular among young people. Known as one of Tokyo’s most culturally rich districts, the area is filled with vintage clothing shops, eateries, theaters, niche cinemas, and art galleries.The Lighting Detectives previously conducted a survey here in 2009. This time, we examined how the area has changed since the Odakyu Line was relocated underground. We also focused on the newly developed Shimokita Senrogai area, which opened on May 28, 2022, assessing its lighting design and comparing it with the older shopping streets to explore the contrast between new and traditional urban atmospheres. ■Map around Shimokitazawa Station With the Odakyu Line moved underground, a new neighborhood called Shimokita Senrogai was developed between Higashi-Kitazawa Station and Setagaya-Daita Station. Driven by the desire to support the community, redevelopment progressed step-by-step while listening to local residents’ voices. The entire area officially opened on May 28, 2022.Alongside the railway line, new facilities such as daycare centers, a hot spring inn, commercial spaces, student dormitories, and event venues were established. ■Development of Shimokita Senrogai The Shimokita Senrogai area we surveyed is a newly developed space created by moving the Odakyu Line underground. It was designed with the intention of reconnecting the northern and southern parts of the neighborhood that had previously been divided by the railway tracks, resulting in developments that encourage smooth pedestrian circulation throughout. The development features…

Shimokitazawa is a neighborhood of small shopping streets and alleyways, projecting a strange, but comfortable atmosphere, as people crowd the backstreets until late in the night. However, plans to replace this quaint neighborhood with arterial roads and high-rises are underway. The detectives took what maybe a last chance to survey this area before it is “defaced.” The top half and rooftops of most buildings do not have any luminous signage. As a result, a bird’s eye view of this neighborhood is actually fairly dark. The station front plaza is filled with people listening to music from sidewalk acts or looking at street art. The crowds of people naturally overflow into a nearby street. If an arterial road is planned for this area, this atmosphere will be lost forever. Two streets back-to-back, but built to two different scales and with two different demeanors. On the left is Shimokitazawa`s main south entrance shopping street. With many interior decor shops, the lighting is bright and color temperature is high. One street inside and the atmosphere and lighting are more relaxed. Low color temperature, incandescent lamps from restaurants, cafes, and bars are the main source of light.

Under a rush of redevelopment, this is a huge period of transition for the area surrounding Shinjuku. On this survey, we were met by soft light filtering out of tall skyscraper windows, brilliant signage on facades and rooftops, and crowds of people along the streets and alleyways. Shinjuku Station South Entrance is in the middle of a redevelopment project scheduled to be complete in 5 years. A multitude of fluorescent lights line the pedestrian walkways with such an intense brightness that the surrounding scene is almost invisible. Six o`clock in the morning and waiting for the sun to come up on Yasukuni Street. Calm is finally starting to settle over Kabukicho, but still brightly lit signage are but glaring reminders of the nightlife. Brilliant advertising and signage along Yasukuni Street acts as an entrance gate to Kabukicyou. The bight lights entice many, who are aimlessly swallowed up by Kabukicho.