2024.9.9 Yonglin Ke + Kunzhi Jinag + Linxi Chen
The brightness (luminance) of signage lighting is key to shape the overall lighting of a city. This survey conducted in Akihabara, a globally famous district, focused on the renowned Akihabara Electric Town (Chuo-dori), analyzing the evolution of the city’s lighting composition by comparing it to the survey from 19 years ago.
■Akihabara Electric Town
Akihabara is the heart of electronics in Tokyo and a globally famous hub for otaku culture. While it is bustling with tourists daily, the colors of the signs, filled with anime and game culture, are much more diverse compared to upscale commercial areas like Ginza or other shopping districts. In 2020, Chiyoda Ward released guidelines for outdoor advertising and urban development, leading to changes in Akihabara’s streetscape. This survey investigates the current night view of Akihabara Electric Town, comparing it to a survey conducted 19 years ago. (Kunzhi Jiang)
■What kind of lights shape Akihabara?
The main lighting elements in Akihabara’s key districts include streetlights, signage lighting, building façade lighting, and lighting from store entrances and spillover light.
Compared to the picture from 19 years ago, the most noticeable green and red lights from EDION were not illuminated due to the store’s closure. The ONODEN sign is now an LED screen, and the surrounding lighting has a more subdued feel. Previously, the area behind the bridge was completely dark, but now, with the bright lighting from a drugstore’s interior and signage, the bridge no longer needs uplighting, giving it a well-lit appearance. The game center façade has been renovated in bright red and now features prominent uplighting. Other areas have been replaced with new office buildings, where façade lighting is more modest. The areas that previously had colorful lighting now blend in more subtly with their surroundings.
Overall, the high-rise sections have seen the removal or replacement of neon lighting with LEDs, and the signage has been streamlined and consolidated into LED screens. The lower levels are now brightly lit, resembling daylight with a high density of lighting. (Yonglin Ke)
■The brightness and luminance
In this survey, we took measurements with our luminance meter and camera. On Akihabara’s main street, Electric Town, there was a noticeable contrast between bright and dark advertisements.
The luminance of LAOX’s LED screen reached up to 3000 cd/m², which seemed much brighter compared to the neighboring ONODEN screen.
Downward-facing lighting had a significant impact on the streetscape, with light sources being directly visible to pedestrians, making them quite glaring. The light shining on the store facade was also high luminance, but the difference in brightness compared to the advertisement signs was smaller. Overall, there was no overwhelming glare.
Additionally, the brightness of dynamic advertising screens fluctuated depending on the content being displayed, sometimes appearing very bright. In contrast, streetlights had a luminance of 100 to 300 cd/m², gently illuminating the sidewalks and roadways without excessively disturbing pedestrians. (Kunzhi Jiang)
■Outdoor advertising
Outdoor advertising plays an important role in the advertising industry. Not only do they convey information, but they also serve as decorations and accents.
However, if not managed properly, they can mar a city’s landscape and generate negative reactions.
Taking Akihabara’s Electric Town as a symbolic example, various outdoor advertisements are employed. These include:
・Rooftop billboards
・Banners
・Cantilever signs
・Digital signage
It’s no exaggeration to call it a “battleground for outdoor advertising.” Most of these ads are profit-driven. In the photos, the brightest sign measures approximately 400 cd/m², while the dimmest is around 13 cd/m². Most signs are illuminated within a range of 100-200 cd/m². The advertisements predominantly feature bright colors, reflecting the vibrant atmosphere of the area. This likely contributes to Akihabara’s unique ambiance and leaves a strong impression on visitors. (Linxi Chen)
■Street lighting in Akihabara
The lighting of Akihabara’s main roads primarily relies on streetlights, supplemented by spill light from surrounding stores and illumination from outdoor advertisements. Each streetlight pole features two lamps: one directed toward the roadway (approx. 10 meters high) and the other toward the sidewalk (approx. 6 meters high), with streetlights spaced roughly 17 meters apart.
According to JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards), it is recommended to maintain an illuminance of about 20 lx for outdoor sidewalks with high pedestrian traffic. Our survey found that Akihabara Electric Town clearly meets this standard. However, as many people notice, stepping out of Akihabara’s busiest streets quickly gives the impression of entering a much darker world. Given that the street lighting remains the same, this highlights the significant impact of bright outdoor advertisements on the area’s overall ambiance.
These findings emphasize the vital role of light and advertising in shaping the identity of this district. Through effective lighting and eye-catching advertisements, Akihabara not only attracts tourists but also reinforces its unique appeal as a hub for otaku culture and electronics. Creating such an environment not only enhances the consumer experience but likely generates valuable business opportunities, contributing to the broader economic development of the area. (Linxi Chen)
■Summary
Through this survey, we were able to comprehensively and systematically understand the characteristics of luminance distribution in Akihabara at night. While Akihabara’s signages and LED screens create a strong visual impact, the overall luminance is relatively uniform, with light pollution effectively controlled. As a hub for electronics and anime culture, Akihabara’s lighting design emphasizes individuality and diversity, with rich layers of color and visual effects that bring vibrancy and energy to the district.
Akihabara’s lighting environment should focus on adjusting the brightness of signages and refining the design of commercial building façades. Proper luminance management can not only reduce visual fatigue but also enhance the overall aesthetic of the district. Such design strategies will preserve Akihabara’s unique cultural atmosphere while improving the nighttime experience for both residents and visitors. (Kunzhi Jiang)
