From up above Tokyo looks like an overturn jewelry box, the night streets glitter with lights and it a fairly beautiful sight. Once back on ground, the glitter has turned harsh. It is an economically advanced nightscape, an efficient nightscape with needless light and light pollution. An aerial view of Tokyo at night. The dark area in the center of Tokyo, the Emperor`s Palace, is surrounded by clusters of lights that resemble precious stones. From this view it is unclear where Tokyo begins or ends. The Tokyo nightscape is illuminated in bright white light. Mercury lamps and florescent lights in the background of Tokyo Tower control the nightscape of this city. Old-fashioned houseboats gather in the foreground of the Odaiba District and the Rainbow Bridge.

Modern Kagurazaka still conveys the atmosphere of its once flourishing Edo Era streets. Old Japanese restaurants and bars line the narrow alleyways and with softly glowing lantern light and welcome signs to complete the scene, one forgets that this is Shinjuku Ward in the middle of Tokyo. In this historical neighborhood warm lantern light is all but a natural presence. Compared to the white lights of Ikebukuro and Shinjuku glowing brightly in the distance, Kagurazaka is submerged in darkness. Buildings in Kagurazaka are lower and lower color-temperature light also peaks out from the many alleyways. Kagurazaka Street, running down the center of this neighborhood, is the only really bright spot, except for the lights reflecting off the canal along Sotobori Street. A prized neighborhood for shopping and entertainment during the Edo period, the historical Kagurazaka Shopping Street is a 700 meter long living time slip. New and old shops are jumbled together along the street with specially designed, lantern-like street lights placed at intervals along the edge of the sidewalk. From Kaguraza`s main street several narrow alleyways lead to the interior of the neighborhood where the scale of lighting is downsized to human proportions. Outside restaurants on Hyogo Yokocyo, one of the more famous back streets, softly glowing lanterns light the entrance and also reflect of the cobbled street and traditional-style fence for a very old Japanese atmosphere.

2018/09/30-10/08 Shosaku Takahashi + Masafumi Yamamoto Morocco is located on the African continent but retains a strong influence from European countries such as neighboring Spain and France. It can be said that the cities have been formed under the influence of various cultures. This survey started in the major city of Marrakech, crossed the Atlas Mountains to visit the vast Sahara Desert inland, and then continued for ten hours and another 600 kilometers across the continent to reach the blue city of Chefchaouen. We experienced the climate, culture, and lifestyle of this country, which shines on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea while benefiting from the sun, and investigated the relationship between lighting and people’s lives. Djemaa el-Fna Square Many of the Old Town’s paths are covered with sunscreens The souk is bustling with people at night People watching street performers ■Arrival in MarrakechAfter driving four hours from Casablanca Airport, we saw the reddish-clay streetscape of the major city of Marrakech pop up in the middle of the wilderness. The moment we got out of the car in the old town, swarms of flies started hitting our bodies. The smell of rotting fruit and raw fish stung our noses. Crowds of people moved through the narrow alleyways, as motorcycles sped past, honking their horns. The air was thick with dust and exhaust fumes. Flies immediately swarmed the tuna sandwich we bought from a nearby stand for a late lunch. ■Old…

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!

The Television Broadcasting Tower looks down on the orange sodium lamps overflowing from the grid patterned streets of Sapporo. While on assignment in December we were able to view the multi-colored White Illumination set up along Ohdori Park and Sappore Eki Mae Street. Looking towards Ohdori Promenade from the JR Tower. Sapporo is a beautiful city at twilight with orange light from the streets to set off the blue-tinted snow-topped roofs. The tree-lined street, Sapporo Ekimae Avenue is a sight to see with its unique style of looping lights over tree branches. Visitors with cameras and mobile phones converge on the decorated Ohdori Promenade. Sapporo Television Tower, similar to Tokyo Tower and Nagoya Tower, and all designed by the same architect, is also illuminated with the same type of sodium lamp.