
Tokyo Roji
The Diversity and Versatility of Alleys in a City in Transition
Heide Imai(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 21. November 2017
Book
Hardback
196 pages
978-1-138-94910-2 (ISBN)
Description
The Japanese urban alleyway, which was once part of people's personal spatial sphere and everyday life has been transformed by diverse and competing interests. Marginalised through the emergence of new forms of housing and public spaces, re-appropriated by different fields, and re-invented by the contemporary urban design discourse, the social meaning attached to the roji is being re-interpreted by individuals, subcultures and new social movements. The book will introduce and discuss examples of urban practices which take place within the dynamic urban landscape of contemporary Tokyo to portray the life cycle of an urban form being rediscovered, commodified and lost as physical space.
Reviews / Votes
"Heide Imai evokes the subtle complexity of Tokyo's traditional back streets in a way that resonates with all cities struggling to be simultaneously local, global, and modern. This book is tremendously useful for shaping a deeper understanding of, and better tools for, historic preservation and community planning in Asia and throughout the world."Sharon Zukin, author, Naked City: The Death and Life of Authentic Urban Places
'By emphasizing on the importance of the sense of place and the ordinariness, this book takes the readers to the roji of contemporary Tokyo. Using multiple insightful urban narratives, Heide Imai skilfully unfolds the various facets of neighbourhoods of these hidden urban spaces.'
Davisi Boontharm, International Program of Architecture and Urban Design, Meiji University, Japan
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
9 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder, 20 s/w Zeichnungen, 1 s/w Tabelle
1 Tables, black and white; 20 Line drawings, black and white; 9 Halftones, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
493 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-138-94910-2 (9781138949102)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
01/2019
1st Edition
Routledge
€71.20
Shipment within 15-20 days

E-Book
11/2017
Routledge
€64.49
Available for download

E-Book
11/2017
Routledge
€64.49
Available for download
Person
Heide Imai is Visiting Associate Professor in the Department of Global Interdisciplinary Studies (GIS) at Hosei University and Research Associate at Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. Licensed as an architect, her research, teaching and practice focus is urban resistance, resilience and the future of vernacular landscapes in global cities.
Content
Foreword Hidenobu Jinnai
Acknowledgment
Introduction
1. Tokyo and its Alleys
2. The Roji
3. The Yin and Yang of Tokyo - Nezu , Yanaka and The Mixed Used Roji
4. Between Geisha Town and Petit Paris - Kagurazaka and The Commercial(ized) Roji
5. Between Old Row Houses and Skyscrapers - Tsukudajima and the Residential Roji
Conclusion
Acknowledgment
Introduction
1. Tokyo and its Alleys
2. The Roji
3. The Yin and Yang of Tokyo - Nezu , Yanaka and The Mixed Used Roji
4. Between Geisha Town and Petit Paris - Kagurazaka and The Commercial(ized) Roji
5. Between Old Row Houses and Skyscrapers - Tsukudajima and the Residential Roji
Conclusion