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How Tokyo builds urban appeal

Published: 24 Nov. 2025, 00:04

Kim Dong-ho

The author is an editorial writer at the JoongAng Ilbo.

Tokyo’s urban landscape continues to reveal new faces. After years of stagnation following the collapse of the bubble economy, the city began a full-scale transformation in the 2000s and is now seen as a model of urban regeneration. Azabudai Hills, which reaches 325.19 meters, has become the symbol of that change. Rising in the heart of the city, the complex integrates skyscrapers, forests and public parks, combining global companies, residential units, an international school and a museum. What stands out is the effort to create walkable neighborhoods tailored to local characteristics. It is the latest iteration of Tokyo’s two-decade strategy of mixed-use development.

Japan's tallest building, Mori JP Tower, left, is seen next to Tokyo Tower, the country's second tallest structure, in Tokyo on Aug. 8, 2023. Japanese developer Mori Building announced on that day that the construction of Azabudai Hills, a complex that includes Mori JP Tower, had been completed, with its opening scheduled for Nov. 24, 2023. [EPA/YONHAP]

Another site of change is the Tsukiji Market. Long a symbol of Japan's seafood trade, the aging market faced redevelopment beginning in 2018 due to safety and structural issues. Merchants opposed the plans, citing disruption to their livelihoods. Eventually, part of the district was preserved for historical continuity, becoming a major attraction for foreign visitors, while the surrounding areas are undergoing large-scale redevelopment. The district has become a site where past and future coexist.

A major turning point came with the enactment of the Special Act on Urban Regeneration in 2002. The law enabled the continuous renewal of aging districts for more than 20 years. Loosened floor-area restrictions allowed large-scale mixed-use projects combining commercial, residential, cultural, and office functions, while transit-oriented development significantly improved accessibility. Private-sector-led redevelopment gained momentum and revitalized the construction industry. These projects take time; Roppongi Hills, considered the first of Tokyo’s major mixed-use developments, took 17 years to complete. As more large projects finish, the city feels dramatically different every four or five years.

The area around Hamarikyu Gardens, close to Ginza, offers a vivid example. Once valued for its open seaside views on land that served as a hunting ground for the Tokugawa shogunate, the area is now lined with skyscrapers that block much of the waterfront panorama. The juxtaposition of traditional scenery and modern high-rises reveals both the merits and drawbacks of redevelopment.

These layers of redevelopment have infused Tokyo’s streets with energy. Foreign tourists filled nearly every neighborhood throughout the day. Japan welcomed 36.87 million foreign visitors last year. The weak yen played a role, but so did the city’s appeal, considered the strongest in Asia. Safe streets, walkable design, and the natural integration of traditional and modern elements combine with Japan's omotenashi, or wholehearted hospitality, to create a compelling tourism product. Regulatory flexibility has further boosted tourism; discount retailer Don Quijote now operates 24 hours in part to serve travelers. The benefits of redevelopment feed into tourism and consumption, forming a virtuous cycle.

By contrast, Seoul’s urban regeneration continues to stall amid political disputes. The ongoing debate over redevelopment around Sewoon Arcade is one example. Critics say new high-rises could intrude on sightlines to Jongmyo, a Unesco World Heritage site. Development in historic city centers is contentious everywhere, but in Korea, it is becoming politically charged ahead of next year’s elections, raising concerns.

When politics leads urban redevelopment, long-term goals are easily lost. Short-term political incentives undermine long-term planning. Cities must be designed not over years but over decades. Tokyo’s success in urban renewal stems from a structure that keeps politics at arm’s length while allowing developers, residents and experts to negotiate plans consistently.

Visitors walk through Jongmyo in Jongno District, Seoul, on Nov. 18, as rival political parties continue to clash over redevelopment plans near the royal shrine. [YONHAP]

Sewoon Arcade represents memories of Seoul’s industrial era and remains the foundation of livelihoods for property owners. Yet the aging district needs new vitality that aligns with its surroundings. Clear standards are needed to balance preservation and redevelopment and to define Seoul’s urban identity and future spatial direction. Long-term strategy must take priority.

Tokyo’s example offers several lessons: how to harmonize tradition and modernity, how to design walkable urban living, and how to balance tourism, business and residential needs. Tokyo demonstrates that cities can build environments where people want to stay. Though Japan’s broader economy has stagnated, Tokyo has cemented its status as the leading global city in Asia, and Osaka’s redevelopment has also reshaped its urban landscape. Seoul, too, must continue evolving into a city that draws people in.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.