Tokyo Challenges Flashcards
Site of Tokyo
Tokyo is sited at the head of Tokyo Bay and lies on the Southern Kanto plain on the pacific coast of the largest Japanese island of Honshu, posistioned approx. in the centre of the Japanese archipelago.
It occupies an area of nearly 2,200 square kilometres, extending approx. 90km east to west and 25km north to south
Site examples of Tokyo (landforms)
A number of rivers run from the mounatins across the Kanto Plain into Tokyo Bay. There are about 120 rivers of various sizes flowing through Tokyo with the main ones including: Tama river, The Sumida river and Ara river
The histroic centre of Tokyo was sited on very low-lying marshy areas around the estuaries of these rivers. These areas have been drained to allow settlement from as far back as the 16th century, but they remain vulnerable to floods, earthquakes and tsunamis
Other parts of the Kanto Plain underlying Tokyo are not low lying and much of the site of the city is upland plains. The Musaino Tableland is the largest and most important upland area. It is a region of alluvial deposits extending westwards about 60km from city centre to the foothills of the mountain
It ranges in height from about 50m to 250m above sea level and in the eastern parts is divided from the low-lying areas by sharp escarpments that extends into the heart of Tokyo
Situation of Tokyo
Tokyo is located on the eastern coast of the main Japanese island of Honshu, on the north-western side of Tokyo Bay
It is situated approx. latitude 35* 40’ N and 139* 45’ E
Approximately 8,000km NE of Perth
Tokyo is situated adjacent to the boundaries where tectonic plates meet: The Eurasian, Pacific and Phillipines plate, resulting in a zone of frequent earthquake activity and associated tsunamis
Situation examples of Tokyo
As Japan is an island nation, sea transport is essential to both domestic and overseas trade that has been vital to its economic growth.
Tokyo’s location beside the protected deep waters of Tokyo Bay has facillitated the development of a large port that is surrounded by an extensive urban populaiton and linked to highly developed land transport systems
In terms of shipping distances, Tokyo is situated approximately 1,160 kilometres east of seoul; 2,100 km east of Beijing
From a tourism perspective, Tokyo is situated approx. 100km to the east of Mt. Fuji, which is visible from the city
External morphology
- The shape of the urban centre formed by the boundary between the built up area and the surrounding rural area or natural features
External Morphology Examples - Shape/Area
Shape
Greater Tokyo has a irregular/stellate shape which is influenced by major site factos such as the Tokyo Bay coastline, the highlands bordering the Kanto plain and the landforms of the Kanto Plain. Urban devleopment extending out along river valleys has also signficantly influenced
Area
Greater Tokyo’s urban area of 13,500 sqkm is relatively compact considering it accomodates over 37 million people at an average population density of around 2600 persons/km2
The compact area is possible because since the 1900s, the city has planned for high density development, based on public transport using railways. Numerous railway stations have been built, servicing a densely operated area that has experienced rapid growth, thus allowing easy access to the rail transport network
As Tokyo has been largely rebuilt three times, it has helped retain a compact shape over time, often rebuilding with tall buildings reducing the need to expand outwards
Internal Morphology
Refers to the patterns within an urban area created by the location of different land uses and transport linkages
Internal Morphology examples - CBD
CBD
Unlike many western cities, Tokyo has more than one Central Buisness District (CBD);
It is best described as a poly centric city that is comprised of six centres that are located in the 23-ward areas of Tokyo which covers an area of 621.98 km2.
These areas are the main transport heart of central Tokyo, the Yamamote line. These centres, are all orientated around the train stations: Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Ikebukuro
Within the central city, square metre land values are amongst the highest in the world and therefore it is intensively built upon. Buildings are mostly multi storied skyscrapers, so vertical growth is much more evident then outward
Public open spaces in the CBD provide relief from the dense high rise buildings, busy roads and crowded footpaths. The large open space in Central tokyo is Hibiya Park, an area of 16 Ha located S of the imperial palace abd NW of Shinbashi district
Internal morphology example - IMZ
IMZ
The IMZ of a city is an area around the CBD. It is characterised by a mixture of commercial, residential, industrial, cultural, entertainment functions
The mixture of functions results from the interaction of several processes. Land use competitions keeps the value of the land high due to the central location and proximity to the CBD
Tokyo’s IMZ comprises parts of the inner-city wards of Arakawa, Taino, Kira and Sumida. Some neighbourhoods in these areas show signs of economic decline.
Manufacturing industries have closed down, there is high unemployment and low levels of business investment. The physical environment and housing conditions are poor due to past neglect and the large concentration of older tenement-style apartment buildings.
In contrast, other parts of these wards feature modern shops and offices, entertainment precincts, stylish new apartment buildings and residents from higher socioeconomic groups
Demographic - Gender
The gender balance in Tokyo’s population is more even, with roughly equal males and females populations.
In the older age groups, there are more females than males because the average life expectancy of women is greater than that of men
According to UN data, in 2022, Japan was ranked number 2 in the world for life expectancy (85 years), with men = 81.9 years, Women = 88.1 years
Currently, women are expected to live around 6.2 years longer then men. Therefore, with declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy, Japan is a super-ageing society whose population is aging at a globally unprecedented rate
While the overall population is aging, Tokyo still has a sizable working-age population (ages 15-64)
due to ongoing internal migration from other parts of Japan.
However, the proportion of young people (ages 0-14) is declining, contributing to future concerns about workforce replenishment and economic sustainability.
The city has a slightly higher proportion of men in the working-age demographic, partly due to labor market dynamics and opportunities in the capital.
Demographic - Socioeconomic distribution**
Socioeconomic characteristics combine both social and economic aspects of a population to establish differences in socioeconomic status or posistion in society
There is little evidence of socioeconomic class segregation into upper, middle and lower-class neighbourhoods within Tokyo. Land value and per capital income have a strong correlation, while occupation and residential segregation do not.
There are three major features of Tokyo’s socioeconomic characterisitcs which contrast with western mega cities:
Socioeconmic distribution major featues
- There is almost an identical mix of occupational groups at each spatial scale and income level. This reflects the even spread of occupational groups within the city where access to public transport affects property values more than proximity to CBD
- Even the highest income areas have a significant proportion of residents working in lower-paid jobs and the poorest income areas have sizeable populations of highly paid professionals and technical workers
Transit Orientated Development (TOD)
The World Bank defines ‘TOD’ as a “planning strategy that consists in promoting urban development that is compact, mixed use, pedestrian and bike friendly, and closely intergated with mass transit by clustering jobs, housing services and amenities around public transport stations
Impacts - Economic
- Geographic Spread: Tokyo’s metropolitan area covers approximately 2,194 square kilometers, accommodating over 14 million residents. The city’s expansive geography contributes to lengthy commute times, with residents spending an average of 92 minutes per day commuting, impacting productivity and work-life balance.
- Economic Impact on Businesses: Tokyo is a major global financial and commercial hub, with key business districts such as Marunouchi and Shibuya. Transportation inefficiencies, including congestion and delays, disrupt supply chains and logistics, leading to increased operational costs and reduced competitiveness in global markets.
- Infrastructure Investment: Tokyo’s transportation network requires significant investment in
maintenance and upgrades. For instance, the Tokyo Metro system, one of the busiest in the world, serves over 6.8 million passengers daily, necessitating continuous infrastructure improvements to ensure safety and efficiency
Impacts - Social
• Geographical Disparities: Tokyo’s metropolitan area spans over 2,194 square kilometers,
creating disparities in transportation access. Residents in outer suburban areas often face
longer commute times and limited public transit options compared to those in central districts.
For instance, some commuters may spend up to 3 hours daily commuting, affecting work-life
balance and accessibility to essential services.
• Transportation Affordability: The cost burden of transportation in Tokyo is significant. On
average, residents spend about 10-15% of their household income on transportation expenses.
High costs relative to income levels pose challenges for low-income households, impacting their
ability to access employment opportunities and essential services.
• Congestion Impact: Tokyo experiences intense rush hour congestion, particularly on its
extensive railway network, affecting community well-being. Over 40% of commuters travel
during peak hours, contributing to stress and discomfort. This congestion not only impacts
productivity but also increases the risk of health issues related to stress and overcrowding.
