The Birth, Evolution, and Future of Tokyo as Seen Through the Eyes of an Urban Developer
A New Tokyo Journey with Developers

Why should we go to Tokyo now? From Tokyo to Paris, New York, London, and even Seoul, competition between cities, not nations, has begun in earnest since the pandemic.
Among them, Tokyo stands out.
Tokyo, which is being reborn as a compact city with recent developments such as the opening of Azabudai Hills, is said to be the solution to overcoming the economic recession through the "Great Tokyo Remodeling."


"Buildings That Changed Tokyo" explores the future and competitiveness of the city of Tokyo through ten must-see areas in Tokyo and the buildings that serve as their central focus.
Why are these buildings at the forefront of lifestyle? How are platforms created where talent, businesses, and capital converge? How do cities become new businesses? This book is the perfect guide for those seeking insights into urban planning and business, and for those who wish to explore Tokyo through the eyes of an urban developer.

Azabudai Hills is the future of Mori Building's long-honed vertical green city model, and is a further step forward from the culmination of its green space plans.
The concept of Azabudai Hills is a square-like neighborhood surrounded by nature that connects people.
To create an environment where the city and nature are in harmony by surrounding it with overwhelming greenery, we organized small, subdivided lots into one large site, as was done with existing hills.
A central plaza was designed as a place for people to gather and disperse, and a seamless landscape was planned to connect this place with the surrounding area.
This is the exact opposite approach to conventional urban development, which places buildings first and then turns the remaining space into green space.

---From "Completion of the 'Hills' Series, a City Model Proposing the Future"

There are several reasons why Roppongi Hills is considered a success, but the main reason was that it had a clear goal and concept from the beginning.
Usually, even if there is a concept, it is often added after completion.
In the end, Ark Hills is more like something that was added after it was completed.
Moreover, large-scale complex development projects involve complex interests and are prone to unexpected variables.
Roppongi Hills is particularly significant in that it has constantly pondered and implemented the question, "How can we become a world-class cultural center?" even amidst the turbulent times.
So how should urban development be conceived to fit the concept of a "cultural city"? Mori Building, in creating Roppongi Hills, thoroughly embraced "collaboration" and implemented it accordingly.
In fact, the city itself is a collaboration of countless people.
Mori Building believed that the process of diverse people with different ideas coming together and interacting would become a trend that would create a good city.
---From "A symbol of Japanese urban development visited by 800 million people over 20 years"

The first reason why Korean visitors rate Tokyo Midtown higher than Roppongi Hills is the comfort provided by the lush greenery.
The actual green space is not much different from Roppongi Hills, but the sense of vastness is different because the existing Hinokicho Park and the green space within the Midtown site are connected as one body.
Additionally, by concentrating all the green space in one place, the actual floor area for construction was reduced, thereby reducing construction costs.
Like the concept of 'Diversity on the Green', it is a complex city built in a large green park that is hard to find in the city center.

---Among the "best urban regeneration flagships with both business and marketability"

"What kind of new stores should be introduced to revitalize Nihonbashi, a declining area filled with only small and medium-sized offices and frequented only by senior citizens?" Mitsui Fudosan succeeded in finding the answer nearby.
Looking around, I saw that the old stores that had grown up in this area with them were like old friends, and in a way, they were the best stores that had all the new values ​​that mature consumers were looking for.
Products and services that reflect the philosophy and sincerity of the creator, consideration for the environment, and the history and individuality of the region.
Although Nihonbashi is said to have declined, it was once the best commercial district in Edo, so there were many old shops that cherished these values.
---From "Reviving a Forgotten City Center with Edo Period Content"

What's the source of creativity? Sitting in an office isn't likely to produce brilliant ideas, and spending all day wandering around doesn't necessarily equate to productive results.
In the past, cities were classified by function according to modern urban planning ideas, but recently, places where people can work, live, and play all in one place are welcomed.
Hamano had noticed this point early on.
He wanted to create a place where people could enjoy themselves, work, and live 24 hours a day by reuniting work, residence, and pleasure.
If this succeeds, I am confident that this area will grow into a sophisticated neighborhood for mature adults, different from the youth-oriented Harajuku.
The building was named 'From First' to convey the meaning of creating a new neighborhood from here.
---From "The small building that created Omotesando, the mecca of fashion culture"

Shibuya has developed into a bustling area and fashion hub boasting the highest daily foot traffic in Japan, with 3.3 million people, and "Tokyu Kids" cannot be left out.
Just as during Korea's period of rapid economic growth, the high-income and middle-class population moved from Gangbuk to Gangnam, Bundang, Pangyo, and other areas, creating and flourishing a new culture, so too in Japan, people who made their living on the Tokyu Railway developed new trends and their own unique culture.
They were called Tokyu Kids, similar to Gangnam Kids, and their center was Shibuya.
---From "Completion of Entertainment City Shibuya"

Building on the success of Ark Hills, Japan's first large-scale mixed-use redevelopment project, Mori Building sought an urban development model suitable for East Asian metropolises, and created the Hills series.
At Roppongi Hills, we sought to find new methodologies, such as creating a city where architecture and the external environment are integrated while connecting with the existing neighborhood, and town management for sustainable revitalization.
Tokyo Midtown was a clever model of a compact city that overcame high land prices, presented by Mitsui Fudosan in a new era of urban regeneration.
In other words, what is more noteworthy in the development projects that have transformed Tokyo is not the hardware itself, but the inner workings of the projects, and the new lifestyles each urban model proposes.

---From the "Epilogue"