2025.09.04-09.08 Yonglin Ke + Masashi Kurobe The nights in Honolulu are a diverse blend of resort illumination, residential lights, torches, and night market glows. However, as the city develops, the starry sky is fading, raising concerns about the impact on the local ecosystem. Balancing urban growth with light pollution countermeasures remains a significant challenge. We conducted an on-site night walk survey to explore the balance between the city and nature and to evaluate the current lighting environment. ■Honolulu Honolulu, the capital of the U.S. state of Hawaii, is a prominent tourist destination in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Simultaneously, it serves as the political and economic hub of the state. In this land where the sea, mountains, and urban areas sit in close proximity, the nightscape reveals a variety of expressions depending on the time and location—blending the glow of resort hotels, the soft lights of residences, traditional fire torches, and the vibrant lights of night markets. Furthermore, the combination of intense sunlight and a tropical climate creates a unique character within the city’s lighting environment. On the other hand, urban development and the growth of the tourism industry have negatively impacted the visibility of the starry sky and affected local ecosystems, such as migratory birds and sea turtles. While the state and city have begun implementing measures to reduce light pollution, finding a balance with the tourism industry remains a challenge. During this night walk survey, we investigated…

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 Diversity of Condominium Lighting in the Tokyo Area Condominiums play a leading role in housing for the Tokyo Area. As the city grew, busy shopping, business, and entertainment districts are supported by the residences, which live in densely populated residential areas. As the population density increased so did the proportion of condominiums for housing. According to reality statistics, condominiums account for 70% of the housing within the 23 wards of Tokyo. For this survey we stepped away from the bustle of the big city and investigated 3 relatively large, densely populated condominium complexes. The three areas all have a different history and commuting distances from the center of Tokyo. What can we discover about the lighting environment of these three totally different condominiums and the surrounding residential area? Toyosu Once an industrial area built on reclaimed land, housing redevelopment started in 2003 and the first of several residential blocks was completed in 2006. Toyosu is a “new city”, built from scratch and popular with younger families and couples. The number of condominiums is astounding, but the development is not just large, but a luxurious residential area as well. 　 Color temperature viewed from the condominium windows: Orange: 80% White: 16% Bluish: 4% The tower condominiums are immediately visible upon leaving the station. Relatively close to the center of Tokyo, these tower condominiums were built during a boom in condominium real estate. Each tower has a luxurious entrance lobby and…

A city for the young and young at heart, Shibuya. The area is composed of a mess of streets all with a different atmosphere, including a few main streets connected by narrower alleyways. Each street has developed its own personality and role, including lighting conditions to create the Shibuya night. From the scramble intersection in front of Shibuya Station, 3 distinctive roads, Dogenzaka, Center Gai, and Koen Dori radiate. After dusk, the lights come on and the personality of each street is even more clearly defined. As the title implies, Center Gai is the center of Shibuya geographically and caters to the young as the center for shopping and entertainment. This street is full of light. Each shop seems to be competing for the brightest facade with infinite amounts of luminous signage and advertising, creating a 3-dimensional playground. Dogenzaka is a festive street with a steady flow of pedestrians, but turn down one of the narrow side streets and the atmosphere changes immensely. The facades of many love hotels packed into the area are saturated with color creating a seedy blend of light and young couples prowling the Maruyama-cho area.

In the heart of Tokyo, Nihonbashi River lies hidden under a system of highway overpasses and the Sumida River is wide and commanding and it cuts through the city. With a variety of bridges, both rivers assert their own unique presence in the Tokyo cityscape. On our own river tour, we encountered the particular water and lightscapes surrounding the bridges and shores of each river. The newly built Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower next to the famous Nihonbashi Bridge. This is the first skyscraper in the Nihonbashi area and as the sun sets, the facade detail is elegantly illuminated. At the historical Nihonbashi District, a variety of lighting methods are on parade, but the highway overpasses keep most of the river hidden from view. Rumors of reconstructing the highway system underground would help revive the scenery along the Nihonbashi River. The main structure of the Chuo-Ohbashi Bridge is beautifully illuminated. The many bridges along the Sumida River compete with each other for top beauty marks, as each is illuminated in a multitude of colors.