'We wanted a new vibe': the Japanese town that outlawed sprawl
By Richard Vize
On the shore of eastern Japan a wrecked police station lies on its side, ripped from the ground by the tsunami that devastated the country in 2011.
“We are going to keep that building as a reminder of the disaster,” says Yoshinori Taura, assistant director of the town of Onagawa’s recovery promotion division. “To make sure the memories are passed to the next generation.”
[...]
How could the town not merely rebuild after the worst disaster in Japan since the atomic bombings, but somehow also stay active and bustling?
The solution Onagawa lit upon is bold: a near-total ban on any non-residential facilities in any of the housing settlements. In effect, Onagawa is forcing people to come into the town centre to do anything – to work, shop, go to school or use public services. Onagawa has outlawed sprawl.
The aim is to build what the municipality calls a “bustling centre” in the commercial district in front of the new railway station. The idea is that even if the population declines, the town centre will still be buzzing.
“This town planning takes into account the population decrease,” says Taura. “By having these facilities in the centre of town we hope that we will be able to attract a new energy and a new vibe.”
[...]