Date of Issue: April 30,2025
・Activity 1/ City Night Survey: Yokkaichi（2024.11.21-11.22）
・Activity 2/ City Night Survey: Kitakyushu（2025.01.08-01.11）
City Night Survey: Yokkaichi, Mie
2024.11.21-11.22 Shunichi Ikeda + Yuta Shibata
Yokkaichi has developed as an industrial city. The striking contrast between its dazzling factory nightscape and the increasingly organized city center stands out. We conducted a survey of the urban lighting where industry and daily life coexist.
■About Yokkaichi
Yokkaichi has a long history, having developed as a port town facing Ise Bay. During the Edo period, it prospered as a post station along the Tokaido route. The city’s name originates from the markets that were held on days ending in “4.”
After World War II, Yokkaichi grew as an industrial city with the construction of a petrochemical complex during Japan’s period of rapid economic growth. However, air pollutants emitted from the complex caused a serious pollution-related illness known as Yokkaichi asthma.
Today, the city has regained a comfortable living environment. Residential areas, shopping streets, and everyday life now extend right alongside the industrial zones.
■3D Factory Nightscape
Yokkaichi, with its history of industrial development, began drawing attention during the early 2000s factory nightscape boom. The expansive factory nightscape of the Yokkaichi petrochemical complex, which stretches about 10 kilometers north to south, is counted among Japan’s five greatest factory nightscapes.
What makes it especially unique is that the nightscape can be viewed from the sky, land, and sea—earning it the nickname “3D Nightscape.” Particularly photogenic views of the factory nightscape have gained significant popularity. From the perspective of the Lighting Detectives, we conducted a survey of Yokkaichi’s factory nightscape as part of our exploration into lighting in industrial cities.
■Luminaires in the Factory Nightscape
Most factory nightscape photos commonly seen in the media capture entire buildings or cityscapes, but opportunities to closely observe the actual lighting equipment used at factories are rare.
While there is a common image of orange sodium lamps being used, our on-site observations revealed that white LED light sources and fluorescent lamps are actually more prevalent. The lighting equipment lacked any beam control features, likely because safety and work efficiency are prioritized.
Since there’s little consideration for glare or light pollution, the lighting felt extremely intense when viewed up close. When approaching the factories, we found that the lighting fixtures had no optical control, and the white light appeared overwhelmingly bright.
■The “Extraordinary” Becomes Ordinary
Lighting installed throughout the area casts a stark glow over the factories, emphasizing their distinctive shapes and highlighting the unique character of each facility. In photos, these scenes often appear to create a surreal, almost fantastical world. However, seeing the nightscape in person revealed both awe-inspiring views like those captured in photos, and others that felt more like selectively framed scenes designed for visual impact.
Factory nightscapes are often described using words like “fantastical” or “extraordinary,” evoking a sense of wonder far removed from everyday life. Yet in reality, they felt more like part of the ordinary cityscape—seamlessly blending into their surroundings.
of the Shiogama area
is illuminated by spotlights
the factory nightscape
■Let’s Go See the Factory Nightscape!
There are countless visually striking photos of factory nightscapes on the internet and social media, but visiting in person revealed charms that can’t be captured in pictures. One such example is the industrial road Inaba Port Line, which opened in 2018.
The dramatic S-curve of the road and the reflection of the factory nightscape on the water are undeniably photogenic. But what stood out even more was the subtle charm of the blinking red, yellow, and green indicators arranged around the support pillars—their gentle movements had a kind of cuteness that simply doesn’t come across in photos.
■A Glittering Overhead Nightscape
We observed the nightscape from elevated viewpoints at the Yokkaichi Port Building and Tarusaka Park Observatory.
The observation deck of the Yokkaichi Port Building, standing about 100 meters tall, is specially equipped for nightscape viewing—it offers black cloths to prevent reflections for photography and dims its lights ten minutes before closing at 9:00 PM.
In most overhead nightscapes, the brightness typically fades into the distance. However, the factory nightscape in Yokkaichi—stretching across a 10-kilometer-long complex—maintains a continuous glow that extends far into the horizon. Lighting fixtures without beam control cast light in all directions, contributing to glare and light pollution. Ironically though, this kind of lighting, which might be considered uncomfortable up close, creates a stunning nightscape when viewed from above, seemingly captivating all who see it.
From the observatory in Tarusaka Park, we could view both the Yokkaichi petrochemical complex near the sea and the inland city area at the same time. While the view wasn’t as sharp to the naked eye as in photographs, the stark difference in brightness between the complex and the city was unmistakable—clearly demonstrating the sheer intensity of the factory lighting.
What stood out most in Yokkaichi’s overhead nightscape was the horizontal divide of light and shadow, separating the complex from the cityscape.
Each light is intense and stretches for about 10 kilometers
■Lighting Environment in the City Center
We visited the city center around Kintetsu Yokkaichi Station. The area had undergone redevelopment, and along Chuo Center Street, improvements were being made to the bus terminal and circular pedestrian bridge.
When heading west from the station, two rows of streetlights, one for the road and one for the sidewalk, stand in continuity. The color temperature was unified at 3000K, creating a cohesive landscape throughout the space. The lighting was thoughtfully planned, and I was surprised by how a calm lighting environment was maintained around the busy station area, while still ensuring the necessary illumination for the roadway.
On top of the futuristic-looking pole lights, I noticed lights that resembled indicators, glowing green when viewed from the east and purple when viewed from the west. I was unsure of the purpose of these indicators and was slightly concerned that they might be mistaken for traffic signals.
The east side of the station appeared to be still under development. Compared to the well-developed west side, there were more noticeable imperfections. These included streetlights with one bracket not lit, mismatched color temperatures of the streetlights, and a broken shade on one of the lights. I hope these issues will be addressed in future improvements.
■Yokkaichi Ichibangai Shopping Street
We walked through the bustling Yokkaichi Ichibangai shopping street, the liveliest area in the city. When we first visited the main street during the day, it was devoid of people. The soft natural light filtering down from the arcade roof and the vast, empty space gave off an oddly mismatched sense of calm and eeriness. However, when we returned after dark, the street had transformed into a vibrant, almost theme park-like spectacle.
At the far end of the street, I discovered arcade pillars adorned with a variety of lighting—floodlights for color lighting from above, spotlights illuminating the ceiling, spotlights lighting the floor, and bracket lighting. The street, adorned with lights just before Christmas, created a lively and cheerful scene with people bustling about. In the adjacent Suwa Park, an illumination event was taking place. Though imperfect and scattered in places, the lighting truly brought the area to life. (Yuta Shibata)
■Reflection on the Survey
The factory nightscape is the embodiment of the energy released from the industrial area—an array of countless lights, gas flares, and steam, all coming together to create a unique landscape. The factory’s nighttime presence, often seen as a prime example of light pollution, somehow evokes a nostalgic and romantic atmosphere. I had intended to explore the reasons behind this, but before I knew it, I was fully immersed in photographing the nightscape. There’s a saying, “Beauty needs no explanation,” and it seems that people are emotionally captivated by the surreal, almost sci-fi-like scene.
City Night Survey: Kitakyushu
2025.01.08-01.11 Misuzu Nakamura + Sachiko Segawa
Kitakyushu City was finally ranked No.1 in the latest “New Three Great Nightscapes of Japan” by the Night View Tourism Convention Bureau. The city has actively utilized its local assets—such as the industrial landscapes developed from the Yahata Steel Works, historic streetscapes, and a terrain of hills and bays—to enhance its nightscape. Surprisingly, this city had not yet been surveyed by the Lighting Detectives, so we set out to rediscover its unique allure.
■Learning What Makes a Compelling Nightscape
Before beginning our survey, we visited Ms. Miki Matsushita, a lighting designer who has long been involved in Kitakyushu city’s nightscape—from formulating the nightscape guidelines for the Kokura city center to planning lighting for various facilities both in and outside the city. We visited her lighting design office in Fukuoka City, which felt as comfortable and refined as an art museum. There, we had the opportunity to hear a wide range of storie—from the time she spent developing the guidelines to her mindset as a lighting designer.
One thing that left a lasting impression was her comment that guidelines shouldn’t become manuals, but rather serve as guidebooks. It became clear that her approach, rooted in deep empathy for the local community, allowed her to foster unique charm through the application of the guidelines in ways that reflect the distinct character of each area. (Misuzu Nakamura)
■Kokura Station Area: The Gateway to Kitakyushu and a Hub of Activity
The lighting tower was approx. 30m tall.
Our survey began in the area around Kokura Station. Immediately after exiting the ticket gates, we were greeted by a large poster boldly promoting Kitakyushu as “A City of Beautiful Nightscapes,” leaving a strong impression on visitors and raising our expectations for the investigation to come.
While more foot traffic could be found on the Kokura Castle side facing the downtown area, the Shinkansen side of the station also featured an eye-catching lighting plan accented with greenery.
A landmark 30-meter lighting tower stood prominently at the Shinkansen exit, illuminating the station rotary. The overall lighting was not overly bright, but instead struck a balance that conveyed a sense of safety. The pedestrian deck leading to hotels and the exhibition hall featured windows shaped like Shinkansen train cars, softly lit by indirect lighting—an imaginative and playful touch. On the deck, areas with benches were lit only by bench lighting, creating a calm and restful atmosphere. In contrast, busier areas with roofs were well-lit with base lighting, resulting in a space with clear distinctions and thoughtful layering.
After moving to the Kokura Castle Exit and heading south along Heiwa Street, we arrived at a bustling downtown area. A monorail runs down the center of Heiwa Street, with an elevated track structure continuing along the way. The viaduct was lit with soft-colored uplighting, and the road lighting combined powerful fixtures mounted directly under the elevated track with standard pole lights. This resulted in an evenly illuminated space.
Upon reaching Heiwa-dori Station on the monorail line, we found the station building bathed in a
purplish-pink light. However, the actual impression differed from photos we had reviewed beforehand. Upon closer inspection, we noticed a significant layer of dust had accumulated on the lighting fixtures. This likely caused a reduction in brightness and altered the overall appearance.
This experience reaffirmed the importance of regular maintenance and accessibility, especially
when using upward-facing fixtures in areas with heavy traffic.
■A Vibrant Blend of History and Energy in Diverse Shopping Streets
Kitakyushu is home to numerous shopping arcades. Among them, Uomachi Gintengai Street, located west of Heiwa-dori Station, is known as Japan’s first covered shopping arcade. Its arched and high-ceilinged arcade allows ample natural light during the day, and at night, linear lighting and downlights ensure the area remains well-lit. The space felt open and bustling, without any sense of confinement.
A short distance away lies Tanga Market, which has been operating since the Taisho era. Although a major fire struck the area in 2022, many stores continue to operate at a nearby openair market. Tanga Market also has an arcade, but compared to Uomachi Gintengai Street, the ceiling is lower. While the floor illuminance was sufficiently maintained at around 200 lux, the lack of open stores at night made the space feel darker. In contrast, Uomachi Gintengai Street felt more vibrant due to a combination of signage lighting, illumination from open shops, and a brightly colored ceiling that all contributed to a lively atmosphere.
The ceiling is also dim, making the entire space feel dark overall.
■Kokura Castle and Its Surroundings Steeped in History and Elegance
After passing through the shopping arcade, we crossed the Murasaki River. Despite its short length, the river is spanned by as many as ten bridges, and a phased plan to install new lighting on several of them is currently underway. The river serves as a true “nexus of the city,” connecting Kitakyushu’s cultural district with its bustling downtown area. At the time of our visit, remnants of Christmas illuminations were still visible, and there didn’t seem to be a cohesive lighting scheme across the bridges. However, it is hoped that future lighting will highlight the unique character of each bridge, contributing to a more attractive and unified riverfront space.
On the other side of the river stood Kokura Castle, beautifully illuminated. The surrounding lighting followed the theme of “light that evokes historical ambiance,” gently highlighting features such as white plaster walls and traditional namako-style walls. As a landmark, Kokura Castle is brightly lit in pure white, envisioned as “a castle reflected on the water that remains even with eyes closed.” From a distance, the intense light caused some glare, but seeing the castle’s reflection in the moat clarified the purpose of such brightness. The lighting was provided by floodlights mounted across the moat and on adjacent city buildings. The pathway in front of the castle was lit to a minimal level of 3 lux, but the vertical surfaces of the castle and opposite white walls were sufficiently illuminated, ensuring no sense of darkness or insecurity. (Sachiko Segawa)
from across the Murasaki-Gawa River
■Breathtaking Nightscape Spot: Takatozan Mountain Park
Although the weather was unfortunate with a light layer of snow covering the ground, the observation deck still offered a panoramic view stretching from Mount Sarakura to the Hibikinada Sea. The most striking feature in the scenery was the Wakato Bridge, illuminated in a vivid red. It is said that the two main towers are designed to resemble burning torches, and indeed, they conveyed a sense of strength and elegance that emphasized the suspension bridge’s structure. The red hue appeared deeper and more vivid than during the daytime due to the lighting color, leaving a lasting impression of an elegant and dramatic crimson scene unique to the night.
Beyond the city lights of the Tobata and Kokura areas, which we had crossed by boat, rows of smokestacks could be seen. Streetlights along the bay were scattered across the tangled waters between the factories. The deep red Wakato Bridge tied together this somewhat surreal scene where residential lighting and industrial nightscapes coexist side by side. It was a night view full of presence, offering a vivid experience of Kitakyushu’s unique charm, where diverse urban landscapes exist in close proximity.
■Drawn by the Warm Lights of Ogai Street
After returning to central Kokura, we headed toward the eastern side of Heiwa Street. The warm liveliness of Ogai Street welcomed our cold bodies after being chilled at the snow-dusted observation deck. As soon as we entered the street, we noticed that streetlights of a unified design stretched all the way down the road. At a cozy height of around three meters, the lantern-shaped heads emitted a gentle glow, casting light even onto nearby buildings. Together with functional footlights at ground level, the warm-colored lights formed a continuous path that guided people deeper into the street.
Even the shop sign lights and the lights under the eaves, though individually varied, seemed harmoniously integrated into the lively atmosphere, thanks to the continuity of the street lighting. However, in areas where old white security lights — likely installed before the streetlights were upgraded — still shone overhead, the warm ambiance was noticeably disrupted. This highlighted the challenges of phased public lighting improvements.
by shopfront lights and street lamps.
through their lantern-style tops and footlights
■Sakaimachi Park: A Node Connecting the Cityscape
At the end of a narrow alley continuing from Ogai Street, we arrived at the plaza of Sakaimachi Park, which faces a major urban road. From low-positioned lighting such as ground projections and under-bench lights, to illuminated bollards, tree uplighting, and the lit-up surrounding buildings used as borrowed scenery, a layered sense of brightness was achieved, giving the space an expansive feel. It served as a junction connecting areas of the cityscape with varying scales. In contrast to the high color temperature, white streetlights of the adjacent Komonji Street, the park was uniformly lit with warm, incandescent-colored light, creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.
■Well-Designed and Carefully Maintained Street Lighting
On wide multi-lane roads, there was a clear consideration in differentiating the types of streetlights used to separate pedestrian areas from the roadway. In some areas, we observed public streetlights equipped with additional lighting fixtures that illuminated the façades of nearby buildings, revealing an intention to design streetlights not only to light the roads but also to enhance the surrounding spatial environment as a whole.
between the roadway and sidewalk.
intersections feature building facade uplights.
■Romantic Mojiko Retro
On the final day of the survey, we extended our trip slightly from Kokura to the Mojiko Retro District. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the charming retro-style train station, heightening our anticipation. The compact area is lined with historic buildings, with the sea visible nearby. Just a short stroll through the town evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and atmosphere.
At night, a unified lighting design is applied to each building, using warm-toned lights such as incandescent-style lighting and sodium lamps that enhance the brick façades. This created a warm and romantic nightscape that built on the daytime charm of the area.
From the observation deck on the 31st floor, we were able to take in a panoramic view of the Mojiko Retro District stretching to the Kanmon Strait. The townscape below was free from intense upward glare, and the streets were gently illuminated with warm light. The glow along the waterfront reflected off the surface of the water, creating a postcard-perfect night view.
In some areas, certain spots appeared significantly brighter than their surroundings due to signage lighting installed on the upper parts of buildings reaching down to the ground. When we measured the illuminance levels along the streets, we found most areas averaged between 1 to 10 lux, with a maximum of under 20 lux. However, one spot registered approximately 120 lux, which felt overly bright for the ambiance of the area.
Across the Kanmon Strait, the Shimonoseki side, with the sea in the foreground, appeared dimmer due to the distance. Nevertheless, the string of twinkling waterfront lights offered a glimpse into the life on the opposite shore and created a nightscape full of promise and allure. (Misuzu Nakamura)
■Conclusion
Located at the boundary between Honshu and Kyushu, Kitakyushu is a unique city where administrative functions, bustling commercial areas, and cultural sites such as Kokura Castle are compactly integrated.
The nighttime landscape guidelines, jointly developed by the public and private sectors, led to the improvement of approximately 80% of the targeted areas within just three years of their formulation. This demonstrates Kitakyushu City’s strong commitment and proactive efforts to enhance urban development through effective use of its nighttime scenery.
Looking ahead, plans are underway to illuminate the ten bridges spanning the Murasaki River. The nightscape of Kitakyushu is set to evolve even further. We eagerly look forward to returning in a few years to experience the transformation firsthand.
