# Educate me about Tokyo's Land Reclaimation



## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

I spent 10 days in Tokyo this passed June and I would like to learn about the land reclaimation, processes, issues associated with it, costs?,

but most of all i want to see some *PICTURES* :banana:


i did not get a chance to make it to all of the areas that i wanted to while i was there, and its something im very interested in...


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## Unsing (Apr 15, 2006)

some pics from air.

*Tsukuda, Tsukishima area*

















*Harumi, Kachidoki, Toyosu area*









































*Shibaura area*









*Odaiba area*









*Shinonome, Ariake area*

















*Shinkiba, Yume no Shima area*


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ JoshYent*

Tokyo is, probably, the metropolitan area with the single largest concentration of urbanized land reclamation projects with over 250 square kilometers of reclaimed land along the shores of Tokyo Bay. Other contenders are: Flevoland of the Netherlands, which is a largely rural; Dubai, with its six mega-sized offshore projects, maybe a strong contender. These land reclamation projects house not only dense commercial establishments and high-rise apartments but also: oil depots, oil refineries, power plants, coal-storage areas, electronics factories, car assembly plants, car testing facilities, mid-rise neighborhoods, an amusement resort (Tokyo Disney Resort), large ferris-wheels (i.e. Cosmolock 60), marinas, promenades, and ultra-modern townships.


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## Joev (Jul 29, 2004)

Those are great pictures. A general thread on land reclamation from all over the world, (especially urban), would be a great idea. Even Vancouver, where I live, has large areas of reclaimed land, some of which is built upon with highrises.


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ Joey V*

But Vancouver has no where near as much "urban" land reclamation projects as Tokyo. Tokyo's amount is completely "out-of-this-world"!


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## OtAkAw (Aug 5, 2004)

^^What's amazing is that they're all COMPLETELY built up with all that sheer amount of buildings and structures!!! They must be engineered very well because Tokyo is pretty dangerous when it comes to earthquakes, I read somewhere that reclaimed land is very fragile in earthquakes, but you know the Japanese, there's no earthquake-related problem they cant solve.


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## Kiss the Rain (Apr 2, 2006)

Since japan is so full of mountains and is so open space deprived, it makes sense to fill those mountains into the sea lol.
Btw osaka and kobe metro's amount of reclaimation is also not far behind that of tokyo if not already exceeds.


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## Unsing (Apr 15, 2006)

The shortage of open space is a big problem for Japan. Not only Odaiba, but also Haneda Airport, Tokyo Disney Resort, Minato Mirai 21, Makuhari areas are all built on reclaimed lands.

Another reason is related to the charactristics of the industry of Japan. The country imports material and oil from overseas, produce products out of it, and export them. Port facilities, petrochemical complexes, and shipyards continue along the artificlal coasts.

I don't know what will happen to those reclaimed lands when a big earthquake hits Tokyo. 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake did serious damage to Portland in Kobe.









now 95% of all the coastline of Tokyo is artificial.


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

The Cebuano Exultor said:


> Tokyo is, probably, the metropolitan area with the single largest concentration of urbanized land reclamation projects (Flevoland of the Netherlands is a rural-type reclamation project) (Dubai, with its five mega-sized offshore islands, is also a strong contender) (Rotterdam is yet another contender) with over 250 square kilometers of reclaimed land along the shores of Tokyo Bay. These land reclamation projects house not only dense commercial establishments and high-rise apartments but also: oil depots, oil refineries, power plants, coal-storage areas, electronics factories, car assembly plants, car testing facilities, mid-rise neighborhoods, an amusement resort (Tokyo Disney Resort), large ferris-wheels (i.e. Cosmolock 60), marinas, promenades, regattas, yatch clubs, and new-conceptual ultra-modern townships.





 nice!


i was mostly in the Shinjuku area the entire time i was there

but on my drive to and from Narita airport i could see off in a distance that there were alot of undeveloped areas, which i am assumming are areas that have been reclaimed and they are still either waiting for the land to settle and drain before they added more topsoil prior to construction.


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## SHiRO (Feb 7, 2003)

The Cebuano Exultor said:


> projects (Flevoland of the Netherlands is a rural-type reclamation project)


Except for that the nations largest suburb Almere with 180,000 inhabitants (projected 250,000) and another town Lelystad with 70,000 inhabitants are in Flevoland. 
There are also many more land reclamations in Holland, some new and some very old ones. Together they add up to more then Tokyo has I'm sure.
An example of a newer one is IJburg in Amsterdam.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IJburg


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## Kiss the Rain (Apr 2, 2006)

What they should do is reclaim a big island in the centre of tokyo bay and buid the city's much need grand skyline.


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## samsonyuen (Sep 23, 2003)

Is the Tokyo reclamation similar to the type used in the Netherlands?


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ JoshYent*



> but on my drive to and from Narita airport i could see off in a distance that there were alot of undeveloped areas, which i am assumming are areas that have been reclaimed and they are still either waiting for the land to settle and drain before they added more topsoil prior to construction.


No. Narita is the region in Greater Tokyo where lots of farmlands/rice paddies are located. So, maybe, the large undeveloped areas that you saw were those farmlands/rice paddies and not undeveloped reclamation projects. Almost all (around 85%) of Tokyo's land reclamation projects are already built-up.


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ SHiRO*

Yeah, I knew that all of Holland (The Netherlands) would have more reclaimed lands than Greater Tokyo but that doesn't change the fact that Greater Tokyo has the *greatest concentration of reclaimed land for any single urban region*.

Well, I'm really impressed with these land reclamation projects in the Netherlands because they are really large scale! I wonder where they get all the land fill meterials for these province-sized land reclamation projects when Holland is mainly a flat country (though I never been to Holland to be absolutely sure).


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

The Cebuano Exultor said:


> No. Narita is the region in Greater Tokyo where lots of farmlands/rice paddies are located. So, maybe, the large undeveloped areas that you saw were those farmlands/rice paddies and not undeveloped reclamation projects. Almost all (around 85%) of Tokyo's land reclamation projects are already built-up.




nooo i was talking about when we were nearing downtown (within a few miles) there were large areas that were reclaimed in the city...


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

The Cebuano Exultor said:


> I wonder where they get all the land fill meterials for these province-sized land reclamation projects when Holland is mainly a flat country (though I never been to Holland to be absolutely sure).





The areas that are reclaimed have huge dikes around them that run for miles, and they have canals for the water to be pumped up and out of the reclaimed land into the canal, and towards the sea..... id be scared to live there, because if a big storm comes and they get storm surges large enough to tear the dikes down and entire provinces can be taken out by the sea...

but then they put that huge sea-wall that can be opened/closed during calm/stormy times to block the storm surge.... in near Rotterdam i think, and it blocks off the mouth... i am not positive if that is the correct location...


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

Kiss the Rain said:


> What they should do is reclaim a big island in the centre of tokyo bay and buid the city's much need grand skyline.




they should just go down the coast and create an entire new city, a pre-planned city

they can cut out a huge area and put everything excavated out into the sea to create a straight coast line, for miles, then build a skyline of the greatest sky scrapers ever :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: 


that would be amazing!


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## James Saito (Nov 6, 2002)

Are there any NIMBYs in Tokyo?
It looks like any development is possible in Tokyo.


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

James Saito said:


> Are there any NIMBYs in Tokyo?
> It looks like any development is possible in Tokyo.



i would imagine they have one of those "for the greater good" deals where if its better for everyone then theyre gonna do it no matter what....but thats just what i would think, just because everything is SOOO COOL and they build buildings like one to 3 feet away from eachother in the really dense parts haha


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

does anyone have any more pictures?


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## Harkeb (Oct 12, 2004)

interesting and very mindboggling impressive.


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## castermaild55 (Sep 8, 2005)

http://www.mid-tokyo.com/index.html.en

＃１８ is interesting..


http://www.mid-tokyo.com/18_e/map.html


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ JoshYent Re: Undeveloped Reclaimed Land*

I think you're referring to the huge patch of reclaimed land that's just east of Disney Tokyo Resort.


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ JoshYent Re: The Mobile-type Sea-Gate/Wall*

Yeah, I'm quite positive that it's located at Rotterdam Europort


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

harberk said:


> interesting and very mindboggling impressive.


land is very important!


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

The Cebuano Exultor said:


> I think you're referring to the huge patch of reclaimed land that's just east of Disney Tokyo Resort.





YA!

it was near there?

so are they waiting for all of that to settle before they start to build there?


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

The Cebuano Exultor said:


> Yeah, I'm quite positive that it's located at Rotterdam Europort



ya its a HUGE sea wall its pretty impressive


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ JoshYent*



> so are they waiting for all of that to settle before they start to build there?


Honestly, I really don't know...but if I do give you an answer it would be: no. That area there has long since been reclaimed (like 8-10 yrs. or more). In my opinion, the main reason why buildings aren't sprouting-up in that area is because Tokyo ain't growing as fast as was anticipated anymore (population-wise and economy-wise). Yeah, Tokyo is still growing. But the growth has considerably slowed-down since most of Japan is already experiencing a population decline brought about by very low birthrates. Tokyo has already reached the point of over-building of infrastructure projects relative to it's population's.


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

The Cebuano Exultor said:


> Honestly, I really don't know...but if I do give you an answer it would be: no. That area there has long since been reclaimed (like 8-10 yrs. or more). In my opinion, the main reason why buildings aren't sprouting-up in that area is because Tokyo ain't growing as fast as was anticipated anymore (population-wise and economy-wise). Yeah, Tokyo is still growing. But the growth is, rather, slowing-down since most of Japan is already experiencing a population decline brought about by very low (accross-the-board) birthrates. Tokyo has already reached the point of over-development/building/construction of infrastructure projects relative to it's population's demand for them (the metropolitan region's government is obsessed with over-building, literally).




hmm interesting......8 to 10 years?

that is a long time

there was alot of growth happening when i was there a few months ago, it seemed like it was booming, but im no expert! so i am probably wrong!

but anyways



is there a rather high vacancy rate right now?


and also

do you think that the land could possibly be being held by developers and or the city/government for a future theme park, business park, residential park, airport, seaport, ANYTHING is a possibility, we should investigate into what it is being held for because 8 to 10 years is a REALLY long time you would think they would have developed it already.


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ JoshYent Re: Perceived Tokyo Boom*

Well, since Tokyo is the largest urban concentration of humanity it, naturally, builds thousands of high-rises and mid-rises every year. This construction activity is not a boom per se considering that Tokyo has been doing this ever since the late 1980s. This is simply its "normal" annual construction activity. 

Ok, forgive me if I speculate, but I guess those empty reclaimed land [you saw] would only have the chance of having to be built-on from now until 5-10 years from now. After that, it is close to impossible that these lots will actually be built-up since by 2015 even Greater Tokyo's population (which would have peaked at 36 million--now it's 34 million) will start to decline as well. [Japan has experienced a declining population since 2004--when its population peaked. Tokyo, while still growing because of domestic migration from other parts of Japan, will also start to decline by 2015]


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ JoshYent Re: Vacancy Rates in Tokyo*

Well, I don't live in Tokyo. I've just visited it once (and obssessed about it ever since) so I really don't know. But I can tell you that Greater Tokyo has twice more office space (of all types--Grade: A, B, and C) than New York. Plus, *Tokyo's massive annual construction activity is driven mostly by actual need/demand* rather than mere *speculation that drives Dubai current construction boom*. Furthermore, Tokyo builds conservative but beautiful boxes as skyscrapers rather than the audacious designs of new developments in Chinese cities like Shanghai because land prices are so high (even if it has fallen more than half since the Bubble years of the late 1980s) that they maximize their entire plot of land for the building. That says a lot that Tokyo is in great need of office space.


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ JoshYent Re: Plans for the Undeveloped Reclaimed Lands*

My lurking of the Japanese Forum has given me a whole lot of information on Tokyo's major developments. But, AFAIK, I see no plans whatsoever that would occupy these large undeveloped reclaimed lands [we're talking about]. There are large redevelopment construction going-on here and there in Tokyo (I especially am excited about the New Tokyo Tower at Saitama which is 610 meters high) but none as grand as the ones in Dubai or China.


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## WhiteMagick (May 28, 2006)

I recently read that Japan's births have been increasing the past nine months due to the government's incentives for raising a family. So I do believe that Tokyo's pop may peak at 36 million but i am not sure if it will fall after 2015 if the birth rates do recover. And if they do a fall in tokyo's pop will be recovered after some time and may end up continuing its growth. But all these are speculations. We'll see how things turn out.


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## The Cebuano Exultor (Aug 1, 2005)

*@ WhiteMagick*

^^ I sure hope Japan learns to grow once again because it is very sad to see a country and nation as disciplined/clean/ultra-modern as Japan rot in a greying-societal way.


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## Unsing (Apr 15, 2006)

Here are the satellite images of some sites built on the reclaimed land.

*Haneda Airport*


*Tokyo Disney Resort*


*Odaiba and Ariake district*


*Shinkiba and Yume no Shima district*


*Minato Mirai 21*


*Makuhari commercial district*


*Oi Pier and Tokyo Freight Terminal Station*


*Container terminals at the Port of Yokohama*


*JFE Steel Keihin Works on Ogishima, Kawasaki*


*JFE Steel Chiba Works*


*Nippon Steel Kimitsu Works*


*Nippon Oil Negishi Refinery*


*The group of works and factories in Ichihara*


*Nissan Motor Oihama Factory*


*Outer Central Breakwater Landfill Site*


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

The Cebuano Exultor said:


> As far as my lurking-around-the-Japan-Forum has given me a whole lot of information on Tokyo's major developments I see no plans whatsoever that would occupy these large undeveloped reclaimed lands [we're talking about]. There are large redevelopment construction going-on here in there in Tokyo (I especially am excited about the New Tokyo Tower at Saitama which is 610 meters high) but none as grand as the ones in Dubai or China.




Do you have any photos or renderings of the Ne Tokyo tower?


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

Unsing said:


> Here are the satellite images of some sites built on the reclaimed land.
> 
> *Outer Central Breakwater Landfill Site*






Is that just a garbage dump?

or is it a land fill project where they are disposing of dirt from construction or stuff dredged up from the harbor?

do they plan on developing it in the future?

or will it sit vacant like some of the other properties around Tokyo?


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## Unsing (Apr 15, 2006)

It is a reclamation project by wastes, like Yume no Shima, which has become pretty famous as a "trash island," and is now a spacious area with abundant greenery.

This area will probably be developed as a park like this, but the dispute between Koto ward and Ota ward hinders it.

*The process*
1974








1976








1977








1979








1986








1987








1992








1997








1998








2001


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

GREAT PICTURES UNSING


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## Kiss the Rain (Apr 2, 2006)

According to what i see in google earth, Nagoya metro area also has massive loads of reclamation, maybe even more than that of tokyo if you count the reclamation made by the adjacent cities.


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## Unsing (Apr 15, 2006)

Osaka-Kobe also has extensive reclaimed land.

Three major cities in comparison

Tokyo


Osaka


Nagoya


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## JoshYent (Nov 9, 2006)

crazyness!

they ( as in the Discovery Channel, or the History Channel...) need to make a documentary on the process of land reclaimation!


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## castermaild55 (Sep 8, 2005)

Mt, Kanada

Kanto Plain is　large.
In case of tokyo. there are some mountains in tokyo
The Tokyo Bay has been reclaimed 　by cutting off the mountains.
Tokyo was made to be flattened artificially　by land reclamation.and these soil were used for tokyo bay reclamation

Ieyasu Tokugawa, who gained an overwhelming victory at the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), planned to build Edo castle. However, a vast extent of land was needed to build a port for large vessels carrying building materials as well as many lumberyards. Then, Ieyasu ordered military commanders across the country to level Mount Edo Kanda (Suruga-dai) to fill in part of Edo bay.


and this
https://books.google.co.jp/books?id...wa edo tokyo bay reclamation mt kanda&f=false









http://sea.ap.teacup.com/nikkeif/img/1422762790.gif




















Ochanomizu, Tokyo by Ogiyoshisan, on Flickr

Valley

DSC09549.jpg by ntstnori, on Flickr

Edo, the Original Ecocity
http://www.japanecho.com/sum/2004/310117.html

Japan's First Urban Water Disaster: The Great Kanto Flood of 1742
http://www.gendaishikenkyu.net/最新号-現代史研究-第10号/


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## castermaild55 (Sep 8, 2005)

Edo, the Original Ecocity

http://www.japanecho.com/sum/2004/310117.html

Japan is rice　Paddy field　country
Each feudal clan was competing　for that.
it needed land is level horizontal land
I think all plain land of Japan were made by such land Reclaimation.


Edo, the Original Ecocity

http://www.japanecho.com/sum/2004/310117.html

Japan is rice　Paddy field　country
Each feudal clan was competing　for that.
it needed land is level horizontal land
I think all plain land of Japan were made by such land Reclaimation.


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