What Rich Neighbourhoods in Tokyo are Like

In a previous video I showed what a typical Tokyo neighbourhood looks like. But recently I wondered what I'd find if I visited some of the wealthier areas. If you liked this one, you'll probably like my video • What the Richest Vacat...
My Japanese teacher, Yamamoto Sensei's, online classes are at www.nihongo-pr...
Related Videos:
What a Typical Tokyo Neighbourhood is Like • What a Typical Tokyo N...
Why Japan Looks the Way it Does: Zoning • Why Japan Looks the Wa...
Are Japanese Homes Really Worthless After 30 Years? • Are Japanese Homes Rea...
How an Average Family in Tokyo Can Buy a New Home • How an Average Family ...
Sources:
Seijo Neighbourhood Charter seijo.tokyo/no...
Garden city movement en.wikipedia.o...
Ebenezer Howard en.wikipedia.o...
Denenchofu en.wikipedia.o...
Shibusawa Eiichi en.wikipedia.o...
Denenchofu property rules japanpropertyc... and toyokeizai.net... and www.city.ota.t...
Denenchofu million dollar homes diamond-fudosa...
Denenchofu land values suumo.jp/tochi...
Ginza land values tochidai.info/...
Tokyo land values suumo.jp/tochi...
Shirokanedai land values suumo.jp/tochi...
Seijogakuenmae land values suumo.jp/tochi...
Jiyugaoka land values suumo.jp/tochi...
Denenchofu Neighbourhood Association
Mitsubishi Electric heritage site bunka.nii.ac.j...
Google Earth earth.google.com/
Mizoe Art Gallery goo.gl/maps/X3...
Seijogakuen www.seijogakue...
Tree lined streets in Setagaya www.city.setag... and setagaya339.ne...
Bachelor rental suites www.athome.co.... and
www.athome.co....
Ginza no car hours www.ginza.jp/e...
Tokyo Imperial Palace en.wikipedia.o... and en.wikipedia.o...
Akasaka Palace en.wikipedia.o...
Why Japan is crazy about housing www.archdaily....
Japan reusable housing revolution www.theguardia...
Meiji restoration en.wikipedia.o...
Abolition of the han system en.wikipedia.o...
Class and Contradiction: Merchants and Expression of Wealth in the Tokugawa Period digital.lib.wa...
Putting Japan's coming inheritance windfall to good use www.japantimes...
Why inequality is different in Japan www.weforum.or...
Confronting the truth of gated communities and studying their “possibilities” english-meiji....
Luxury homes in Japan www.luxuryhome...
Additional picture sources:
お金持ち　4.bp.blogspot....
ヤクザ www.irasutoya....
By Tokyo-all-wards.jpg: Abrahamiderivative work: Rudloff (talk) - Tokyo-all-wards.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikime...
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Music by Epidemic Sound www.epidemicso...

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

If you liked this one, you'll probably like my video about What the Richest Vacation Town in Japan is Like kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnWrcp2tfr-ejtU

[@jayesoriano7216]

Hello. I happen to see your video. I wished I saw this before I went to Japan in January 2024. I can't find on the map the sanchome area in oto ward. The subtitle is not accurate in spelling. To make it easier for me to understand as I am planning to go back to Japan, is the Sanchome area near the Imperial Palace which is around Ginza? Or the area is near the Shibuya side? I just got confused so instead o sanchome line, the actual place is Den-en-chofu am I correct?

[@PinkPixie019]

I traveled to Tokyo with a college friend years ago. When we got there I found out her family was not just "Well off" like she had told me. They owned multiple floors in multiple skyscrapers around Tokyo. They had property in other countries with the big houses on them. So from what I gathered in my very culture shocked 19 year old self was the Rich of Japan don't keep their land assets in Japan, probably to the taxes. But you hit the nail on the head about the skyscrapers, they are Japan's gated communities. Many of them have grocery stores, shopping, and spas. There were days we didn't leave the building.

[@shino8854]

Is she single?? Asking for a friend.

[@PinkPixie019]

@@shino8854 sadly she is married to her college sweetheart and they have 4 ridiculously beautiful children. I hate her a little 😂.

[@shino8854]

@@PinkPixie019 I am sure we could make some beautiful children too.

[@PinkPixie019]

@@shino8854 I thought it was for a friend?

[@shino8854]

@@PinkPixie019 It was, I told him she is married, I am asking you now though.

[@0ProXXy0]

these narrow japanese streets always look soooo peacefull. Love it.

[@Dan-gi6tf]

It's amazing that these neighborhoods are designed with PEOPLE in mind, instead of cars.

[@muhilan8540]

No on-street parking

[@Ayveh]

Right!! Makes you wish you could walk them.

[@bingobongo1615]

Yeah the best side effect really is that large cars dont pay off. The less oversized cars on the street the better.

[@resmarted]

@@Dan-gi6tf cars are for people

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

Like most projects, this started simple. Go out for a day and film some of Tokyo's rich areas. It turned out in multiple days of filming and many, many days of research about wealth and properties in Tokyo. I'm working on a video about Christmas and New Year's in Japan. I'm really behind, but hope to get it out before the year is over! Happy Holidays Everyone!

[@banana-bunny]

Remember to rest

[@dreadsupreme]

Enjoy the new year!

[@mfaizsyahmi]

wishing you an early merry christmas. グレグさんのクリスマスはけんたーきーですか？

[@michaelmayhem350]

You're using Google maps to see over walls but I know you have drone cameras

[@s70driver2005]

@@michaelmayhem350 he might not be able to fly it in densely populated areas.

[@EverydayDesigner]

As an architect, i find that japanese architecture modern and traidtional is really amazing. The homes might be cookie cutter, but they are far and beyond more design oriented than anything in any other country.

[@phgnoha500]

Japanese cookie cutter homes are luxurious compared to the cookie cutter homes of American suburbs!

[@rrenkrieg7988]

for real, being able to make use of 100% of the space while still feeling comfortable to live in all while having the extra precaution of being capable of withstanding very strong earthquakes is a marvel of structural design

[@doc-vg9lq]

plus they're made out of paper

[@wangruochuan]

The only thing that prevented Americans to make cool homes is the stupid HOA

[@saltymonke3682]

Japan has the most Pritzker prize architecture per country, so yeah, they're very good.

[@tintinchang2870]

As an architect, this style is considered “Japanese Minimalism”, which is a school of modernism. Tado Ando (安藤忠雄）is the master of such style, as you could see in his work, “ Church of Light” in Osaka, as well as many others. The concrete material is called “fair-faced concrete”, or “打放しコンクリート “ in Japanese. This concrete material is the key to bring a sense of wabi-sabi into the architectural style. However, the process of making perfect fair-faced concrete is expensive.

[@auguste573]

You have an honorable profession.

[@mjay4700]

His name is Tadpoles..

[@beneichinger9566]

to slap an american name on these houses I'd call it "modern/industrial"

[@trappenweisseguy27]

They look like soulless rectangular bricks.

[@junilog]

@@beneichinger9566 Could be modern, surely not industrial. I'd consider it more brutalist for the use of exposed concrete, or as the previous person said "fair-faced concrete". One thing about Japanese architecture though is they like to follow the form of the given space rather than the typical sharp edges of brutalist. It's their own unique approach to localized modern architecture, just like how the Scandinavian has their own style and "hygge" philosophy.

[@srbh41413]

About the coin parking lots - they appear for a reason, not just 'because people have to park somewhere'. The basic driver is that land that is unused is taxed higher than land that is used. So, once a property owner begins the process of rebuilding, they can't leave the land with nothing happening, so a coin parking lot becomes the 'something happening' and it gets taxed at the "being used" rate. I gather there are infinite dramas that occur within families that own property that can take years or more to get resolved.

[@javvyist]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWfZmXt4rKqro7s

[@rabbit251]

Also, in Japan when you buy a car you must show proof that you have a parking space. In my condo a parking space cost 30,000 yen, 5,000 yen to use the bicycle rack (per month). Outside there are some parking lots which I suspect charge more than 30,000 yen. All those lots are full. It is not cheap to own a car in Japan. Any they literally will measure your space and your car to make sure that it can fit, no joking.

[@srbh41413]

@@rabbit251 You are certainly correct. I actually got disqualified for parking in a spot that I'd been registered in for 20+ years because 'someone' complained that the car intruded less than 30cm into the sidewalk. City came over and measured and I had to move. Also, basic parking ticket is equivalent to USD150+ points on license.

[@destituteanddecadent9106]

@@srbh41413 if that ain't the most Japan story I've ever heard 💀

[@CHMichael]

@@srbh41413 sorry it happened to you but I think it's a good thing. Can't stand cars sticking into the bike path.

[@PortlyPete]

so you're telling me with the money it takes to buy a small two bedroom apartment an hour outside vancouver i could buy a giant mansion in denenchoufu?

[@ichiruki9812]

@@drfm16 haha, agree.

[@Slenderman63323]

Vancouver is a rather extreme example but yeah. Probably one of the cities with the most overpriced real estate given the salaries, size and how the city stands globally.

[@Alejandra-cv7rj]

Wait till you have to pay your taxes they country takes more than half of everything you make lol so good luck being rich over there

[@deo8375]

@@Alejandra-cv7rj bro I live in Toronto, with all the rent prices and taxes might aswell be living there man, especially atleast there I can go outside in the winter

[@sirmione905]

I searched actual home prices in Denenchofu out of curiosity. There’s one on sale which is located in the same area on this video, with 515 square meters lot and 450 square meters of home for 750 million yen, which is over 7 million Canadian dollars. If the apartment you mentioned is over 7 million, you can buy.😉

[@user-no2mz9hl4f]

I like that Japan gives more flexibility for people to express themselves through their homes. It’s fun seeing a variety of architectural styles, and differently shaped houses.

[@litamtondy]

Yes, looks like Japan followed Europe's way of building houses.

[@robertnewhart3547]

It gives me anxiety. People are lost in that maze, right? Ya. People are missing.

[@lunix3259]

For people who has money... If not it's the good ole 1 apartment fits all

[@1738-l1j]

@@robertnewhart3547 ohh be quiet u aint in an ex comunist country full of gray brutalism buildings

[@calipo5110]

@@litamtondy only some, most of the houses in Japan look Japanese and most houses have tatami room

[@intreoo]

Fun Fact: The wealth of the Tokyo Imperial Palace is not an overstatement. During the 1980s, the Imperial Palace was worth more than the entire state of California despite being 184,445 times smaller. The 1980s were a crazy time in Japan.

[@aghileshemdani3144]

How much it worth

[@terrafray]

And then the 1991 economic bubble burst happened in Japan, the property price was very speculatuve and non sense at the time.

[@-prestige-]

​@@donbusu last i checked, japans economic output was significantly higher than californias. like, significantly higher.

[@-prestige-]

@@donbusu idk the current numbers, but last i checked, japans economic output is 50% higher than californias. so that would actually be closer to 1.5 tril. japan i think is 5 tril & cali i think is 3.5 tril. so cali has a good bit of catchin up still

[@-prestige-]

@@donbusu i have no idea about germany tho

[@atilamatamoros7499]

Congratulations. Your content about Japan is one, in which English spoken descriptions, delivery are not boring/overwhelming but amusing.

[@Max19_08]

I truely hope there will be a third video, showing the "poor" areas of tokio.

[@jct903]

Ha! Thats where I live. Adachi-ku is pure trash with abandoned homes, boarded up businesses, and the 2nd highest teen pregnancy rate in Japan (outside of Okinawa). Parts of Adachi-ku look like Detroit in the 80s.

[@Lucmüncheow]

@@jct903 damn. How much is the rent there? And do the people there get government assistant financially?

[@jct903]

@@LucmüncheowAsking "How much is rent?" is like asking "How much does a car cost?" You could go anywhere from $400 a month up to... I dunno.. there are some big places in tall buildings here. I'm sure many people get assistance - I know a lot of single moms, and there are a lot of crusty old people here that look homeless. Theres a LOT of government housing as well.

[@bedgegog]

@@jct903 I skimmed around Adachi on Street View and everything looked great, can you please give me some coordinates of bad areas?

[@ynz0_316]

@@bedgegog I mean, it still a very very good area, but I think he meant it's not for Tokyo/Japan standards?

[@nereidsprite]

My family lived across the street from Nabeshima Shoto Park, which you show in the video, in the early 1970s. It was very exciting and fun for a 7 year old boy and I treasure the memories. Thank you for including the area in this video. I still love Japan and studied the language for a few years.

[@honestfeedback]

I lived right around the corner in the 90s! Isn't it lovely to see again? I moved back as an adult and continued enjoying Shoto very much.

[@nereidsprite]

@@honestfeedback I went back in 2018. Everything the same on the block as it was. Amazing. Glad you got to live back there.

[@stavinke]

By far the best content on Japan on KZbin. So refreshing to see videos that are not "Best Sushi in Tokyo" or "Best snacks at Family Mart" Well done!

[@ShaferHart]

you have to go a few years back in the channel's history for that content lol. He has plenty of snack eating videos.

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

@@ShaferHart Really only one snack eating vid 🙂

[@daveh9551]

Japan as a whole is such a calm feeling place. I was in Fukuoka for a few nights and it was almost eerie how quiet it was late at night. If I stood on a rooftop on a tall building and yelled at the top of my lungs at 2am, the majority of the city would hear me.

[@veduci22]

Never heard omnipresent overwhelming sound of cicadas? Ear shattering arcades? Election cars? Bike gangs?

[@xmistaxcashxcoll]

I would smack you! If you did! Rude! 🤣

[@TokyoRebellion]

@@veduci22 I live near a road, so every morning I'm bothered by the sound of bike gangs and police cars.

[@ahnafj416]

I always wondered why Japan has this cute, mystical, mysteriously small but large at the same time look and I realized, it's mostly because they don't have on street parking. It's all to a human size and scale

[@ahnafj416]

@@cmmartti I fully agree with you, I love urbanism. Build things for humans on a human scale.

[@cv5420]

I'm an American living in Yokohama. Here we have Azamino, Eda, and Tamaplaza with big houses for the rich too. Not sure they match the big yen properties of West Tokyo but they are similar in size. I lived in Kobe before and Ashiya is a very rich area. I think more exclusive than Den en Chofu. Very nice to walk around there.

[@azumishimizu1880]

Especially Rokurokusōchō is very beautiful!

[@edwardlawler9487]

How is Yokohoma these days? I use to live in Roppongi Chome while working for the US gov and had to travel there a few times. It was not much out there and very very country side I wonder if they have built up now.

[@RalfAnodin]

Modernism is a very wide movement, and it generally manifests in architecture between the early 20s and the late 70s with the rejection of non-functional ornaments and a focus on functionalism, simple/geometrical shapes, industrial techniques and material and a will to transform society. Brutalist architecture is one of the latest subset of modernist architecture that peaked in the 70s, greatly influenced by Le Corbusier. Brutalist buildings embrace raw concrete (béton brut in French) for its natural qualities and take shape into monumental raw concrete structures. Influential contemporary Japanese architects like Tadao Ando, who use raw concrete extensively in their designs, are certainly influenced by brutalist architecture but their overall approach differs from the transformative political mindset of 20th century modernism.

[@escapetherace1943]

we need to go back to architecture between 300-1000 years ago. except the skills and technology is literally lost brutalism is disgusting and meant to inflict a feeling of oppressive meaninglessness and enforce an even stronger feeling of governmental pressure and control

[@loch157]

@@escapetherace1943 thats not what brutalism is for at all!

[@shindousan]

And brutalist works are usually kind of ugly, while homes in Japan usually are not.

[@levyroth]

Well said.

[@escapetherace1943]

@Safwaan it was actually exactly what the people who pioneered it wanted it to do, it just wasn't publicly said. Thankfully the human mind and spirit is resilient

[@atilamatamoros7499]

Your videos are among the best twenty I have seen. The information, delivery and photography are a joy. Congratulations!

[@undergroundkid8337]

danm I enjoyed this. Tokyo looks clean and peaceful

[@SonnyO]

Some of the Sailor Moon characters lived in these neighborhoods (like Usagi and Ami), so yea, they were loaded.

[@Chakura]

Rei's family is loaded as well. Her dad is a politician if i recall

[@chibimena]

Well she is Princess Serenity after all 💁🏻‍♀️

[@Noisy_Cricket]

I mean yeah, they have all that free time to fight crime, of course they were loaded.

[@kora4185]

Omg I grew up thinking she lived in an average Japanese house 😅

[@jloflo958]

@@kora4185me too!!

[@davveromeliloto4306]

Oh I love videos like this. Showing what lies over the walls and the not so principal streets. I'm quite fond of wandering around to see what history is hiding in the streets I never walked on looking at houses and imagining what kind of people would live in them. I lived in Florence all my life and it's still an adventure! Much love!

[@everythingisiconicifyoumakeit]

Japanese person living in Japan here. The houses showcased here are maybe mildly wealthy at most… a senior at my school is the son of a very wealthy businessman who’s pretty famous for founding one of the biggest companies in Japan. They have several penthouses in Tokyo, with a few mansions here and there spread out in the kanto region. I’ve visited one of their penthouses there(ultra-modern penthouse easily worth million dollars, probably 4 times the size of my relatively large house.) and my senior said that it’s one of the smallest places he’s lived in😂

[@dj_koen1265]

Some people just live in completely different realities lol

[@oldtwinsna8347]

Common in the US too, where "nice neighborhoods" may mean having an income of a doctor or something but that's an entirely different world than the ultra wealthy who have 10k square foot homes where minimum net worth starts in the tens or hundreds of millions. And usually those homes have a caretaker since the owner is seldom there to begin with.

[@SirAuron777]

Life is unfair

[@AnubisFenrir]

Well those need to be shown cause these houses suck

[@AquarianValkari]

Is he single?👀👉👈 Asking for a friend😭

[@DavenH]

The rock wall, 12:16, that is beautiful. Fitted natural stone with such lovely variety in colour. I love it.

[@ciganyweaverandherperiwink6293]

I've been watching your videos since your first started this channel and I just wanted to comment and let you know that you just keep knocking it out of the park with your hard work, creative and educational approach. The visuals, the post-production editing, sound, graphics-- all of it. Soooooo good dude. Much appreciated.

[@ten20onee74]

Architecture student here! the concrete buildings you see are definitely brutalist and modernist inspired. many buildings in japan take inspiration from multiple styles as a result of the freedom when it comes to custom housing. It's all very subjective, but the first building you showed and called a bunker is the most brutalist type I saw. Beautiful buildings and neighborhoods by the way, and very insightful and cool video!

[@peterwinter8028]

Historically, modernism describes an art and architectural epoch with different currents that cannot be precisely delimited from one another in terms of time. The brutalist movement is to be seen as one current of the modernism epoche. Exposed concrete, geometric shapes and sculptural appearance are the main features of Brutalism. In contemporary architecture these influences are being incorporated easily. Therefore a contemporary residential building with a rough concrete apperance is not brutalist, but brutalist inspired (except if it was built before the 1980s). A good example of a real brutalist building is the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno, built by LeCorbusier in 1957. Great Video !!!

[@kengchooamir]

chandigarh's secretariat by le corbusier is the better type of brutalism, compared to other mostly monstrous types

[@jamesfranko1568]

@@peterwinter8028　but it is tho

[@lyingeyes5579]

@@peterwinter8028 I think the style is Bauhaus Architecture. The style favours insanely horizontal/vertical geometry. The style is also referred to as 'function above form'. Hence every part of the architecture has a purpose, and there's no excess decorations. It's not really Brut' or minimalism. As minimalism will reduce both form and function to next to nothing (that's literally the end goal lol). And Brutalist designs has Bauhaus properties, yet does have a lot of decor. In adittion, Bauhaus also turned into a graphic design style. Featuring bold shapes / paths which is mostly used- in conjunction with similar typography -as navigational or balancing devices. Yet no excess decor. Bauhaus is a gorgeous style, if you enjoy function over form. But with a hint of aesthetics.

[@eezyclsmooth9035]

Fascinating. In rural Japan as opposed to the city. There are many old abandoned houses that are locked and fully furnished! Crime in Japan is rare. As a result, the houses remain undisturbed. According to the vlogger, the residents were elderly who passed away and had NO descendants. The houses appear as if the residents went on a trip and never returned. Great Video!

[@Cordycep1]

My friend in Kamakura area living in a very large Edo style home got broken in twice . Thieves only wanted to steal the precious samarai swords.

[@1queijocas]

@Safwaan samurai swords are worth a fortune

[@RussianBot382]

@Safwaan diversity

[@shadowzach00]

@1queijocas I thought they was banned in Japan?

[@AndSoWeLaughed]

Please stop saying crime is rare in Japan. It is common and very real. There is a change in laws between Japan and other countries so they’re technically not crimes in Japan or they’re just not reported on because victims know it will go nowhere. Sexual assault (and it’s range) is actually extremely common in Japan, but it’s rare for victims to come forward. Or maybe be more specific about the crime you’re talking about.

[@MikeinNice]

That was fascinating and fun, really enjoyed the pace and the interesting aspects like checking the houses on Google Earth. Just loved the different styles of houses ... they must be lucky with their zoning restrictions?? Keep it going!

[@mrjean9376]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYilfYahrK2pnKc btw, this is video about most dangerous neighborhood in japan

[@sixuals]

Couldn't agree more, Mark!

[@pole040]

Whoever lives in these cities, bless them. I would never live there, this place is completely cramped, tiny streets, tiny sidewalks, tiny houses. There is comfort living and is crazy expensive.

[@AlisonMiddleton-i3t]

these narrow japanese streets always look soooo peacefull. Love it.. these narrow japanese streets always look soooo peacefull. Love it..

[@rodrigoccruz]

Thanks for the great video! It puzzles me that in a city where the crime rates are so low that there are so many high walls surrounding buildings. Privacy seems to be extremely important in contrast to Belgium where I live or the Netherlands.

[@uhm175]

Why the hell would that puzzles you? & what does the low crime have to do with this? Do you not care about your own privacy at all? It make sense to put some kind of walls if you wanted your own privacy, honestly i would hate it, if my nearby neighbors could hear my talk or even hear what i am playing, i would do the same and put that if i can

[@Dassy_1]

@@uhm175 settle down

[@williamkrause5831]

@@uhm175 That sound you hear as you enter a party is all the fun withering and dying.

[@haruk2312]

@@Dassy_1 gaslighter

[@momogi618]

maybe because in japan you dont want to "show off" or "different" so people more inclusive for their home. didnt want a preacher eyes on their activity because its exhausting for them.

[@windlesSpice]

Absolutely fantastic video. Videos like this fulfill the promise of KZbin as a platform.

[@worldwandering]

[@joehouston2833]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5zFqYCspsSVqqM

[@xinrew]

Ive been waiting for a video exactly like this !! Ever since I found your channel and your "Housing in Japan" series I have always wondered what Rich neighbourhoods looked like in the major cities. I have been fascinated with modern architecture for awhile now, especially in Japan, since they have such a unique aura around them that separates these houses from the others like in Beverly Hills and such, thank you for the video !!

[@smumm]

Loved this episode! Mainly because I love architecture and even more so, landscaping. Which IMO Japan is one of the best places to see micro landscapes in front of and integrated with shops and homes. Exploring those micro gardens would be a great video ;)

[@edwardchester1]

Fascinating to see the Den'Enchofu area. You get so used to the idea of small plots and houses in Japan/Tokyo that just seeing fairly large western-style homes really makes it feel like you're somewhere else.

[@Missmethinksalot1]

Greg I really appreciate how you incorporate numbers and stats and references to legit Japanese laws/legislations in your videos.

[@Jordan-inJapan]

4:31 “…there’ll be huge pressure to conform to the neighborhood standards.” I think that applies to most neighborhoods in Japan. Just the standards are different…

[@wen6519]

I read manga and I've only lived in rural US and urban Venezuela. A common trope is the neighborhood kids that become lovers. Some stories have kids from rich families fall in love kids from working class/middle class; and it always struck me how the not rich kids would be surprised or curious to see where the rich kid lives, as if it was a mystery; because the places where I've lived rich people live with other rich people, and you don't get to mingle with them. This video helped me a little bit to understand, because I've seen the high walls and greenery for privacy also in manga, so your commentary on it was very insightful; also just seeing you walk around and noticing that it is possible to live in the same neighborhood for people of different economic statuses. Thank you for this video! It was insightful and pleasant to watch

[@aishiw7434]

That was very informative

[@TheManMartin]

This is some of the best content I have seen on KZbin. Thank you for the videos!

[@tea-and-biscuits]

Dear Greg, I thoroughly enjoyed this piece especially the analysis at the end, which is insightful and connects the dots across history, geography and socio-politics. Very impressive! It was also well-researched (the amount of footwork and sluething on Google earth is incredible. Thank you for the work that you do. You bring edifying, thoughtful pieces that so many enjoy and benefit from.

[@what.the..6990]

City planners on their way to make the west side of _every_ city incredibly expensive for no apparent reason

[@OllamhDrab]

Actually that often has to do with the prevailing winds: simply put, the west sides of cities get less of the smog and polluted air, generally cause the winds are coming in over more countryside and such rather than from over the city centers.

[@kylespevak6781]

Somewhere has to be wealthy and somewhere has to be poor. Blaming city planners is dumb

[@saal0]

@@kylespevak6781 there is no need to house the extremely wealthy at all

[@ShaferHart]

@Safwaan it was intentional. North and south were each just as racist but in different ways. Research how many "non racist" northeners opposed the integration of their schools with black kids from poorer neighborhoods.

[@kylespevak6781]

@Safwaan I'm American and poor. People have to stop acting like minorites are all poor and white people are all rich. I know plenty of people of every race who are much better off than me, as well as people of every race who are in the same boat as me. Whenever people bring up race when talking about wealth, I assume they don't have much life experience

[@jrtg1990]

I love walking around such neighborhoods! This is the dream I keep on having. Like literal dream when I sleep. Since childhood, I always dream about these streets with these views, turns out I'd find it years later on a KZbin video about Tokyo luxury area !

[@Molloy1951]

I’m moving to Tokyo only to have classes with that lovely teacher.

[@ajayprasher9656]

rich peoples houses are worth seeing for their exquisite architecture and exclusivity. Keep showing other areas too. good work.

[@littlsuprstr]

Please, do a video on traditional houses/inns/etc. that somehow still exist in Tokyo. There's one across the street from the Park Court Toranomon for example.

[@yahshua4928]

I love the simplicity and and aesthetic of the home and neighborhoods

[@DimitriTechOfficial]

As someone who studied and works in architecture/engineering, this was a fantastic video!

[@syed1010]

very wholesome video la tbh, thanks for creating

[@VXLLAIN.MP3]

Insane work brother!

[@jonathanravenhilllloyd2070]

I've loved your vids for a a few years now. Thanks for them. I don't think I'll ever be able to visit Japan, but I can get a flavour thanks to you :D

[@94Aequitas]

I've stayed in a wealthy person's house in Japan and they use every inch of their land. They even house their mother in a separate house within their compound (best word to describe the place). I needn't go into too much more detail, but as an Australian, the biggest shock wasn't the multiple luxury cars, it was that the only grass they had was about the size of a inflatable kids pool.

[@alukuhito]

Grass is generally a waste of space anywhere. Australia, Canada, the USA, etc. love to have big grassy yards, which is a bit of a travesty. Those could be gardens, but it's just homogenous boring suburbia.

[@SSchithFoo]

I haven't travelled much at all but was lucky enough to be in Japan 3 times. I want to visit again and see all the amazing places I wasn't able to see before.

[@shortclips99-w8q]

i love it that it doesn't matter rich or poor area, the surrounding area so clean look liveable Japan look like they still in the 80s 90s vibe i love it, gonna visit Japan one day after my graduation

[@108doublestitches]

Thanks!

[@Haags_hopje_070]

I love how unrestricted rules are about architecture. I imagine walking thru these streets is like visiting a modern art museum. Non of the boring sameness housing with car lined streets found in most of North america and Europe

[@rutabaga69]

There are no real zoning laws here. Maybe the exception being no love hotels within a certain radius of kindergartens. I rented a house in Kyushu for 5 years, it was 50 yards from a hospital in one direction and 50 yards from a truck repair centre and heavy industrial welding factory! Any planning is kept quiet, I know a foreign guy who has a lovely house in rural Japan, one day, a construction team appeared and started to erect a phone mast. He was livid, there was no public consultation, just a note posted where he'd never see it. Apparently a few neighbours knew but neglected to tell him.

[@thuranz2773]

@@rutabaga69 yeah, I think Paolo did a video a few years back talking about differences in Japanese zoning laws to western countries. It's a lot more relaxed what you can do in most areas.

[@mopailothatelo583]

Sameness is a problem in South Africa, wherever you go, it is the same architectural design of tusken roof structure.

[@jonathantan2469]

However, since building values depreciate in Japan as mentioned in this video... many homes are torn down for redevelopment. As a result you won't see many residences even from the mid-century (1950s-1960s). Even many surviving residences from before the Second World War have been demolished & replaced with a more modern building.

[@zuezsz]

your so mean

[@crossraven]

this was fun to watch. ive always wanted to know what mansions looked like and their size in japan given the limited space like tokyo

[@cabbage_cat]

man, having your own garden in the middle of Tokyo is basically a flex this household 9:24 knows what's up

[@takai8358]

Ngl that plot of land gave out sacred/supernatural aura to me.

[@AlwiSetiawan]

The Japanese building style is very distinctive and interesting. 💯

[@bestlifeever4548]

My son lives in Tokyo and grew up 1/2 time in Okinawa where his dad lived and he loves Japan and going to end up staying even though American but makes sense and he knows area and language well. Okinawa is completely different expensive than the city and he told me of some scary situations when he 1st got there. I would love for him to get home there and come stay for a while and see everything. Was happy to see video so I can learn more of where he is at and feel much better.

[@alukuhito]

Uh-oh. Parents split up and living in totally different cities.

[@longiusaescius2537]

marines get away with everything

[@punkinpie2]

Thought Okinawa was on the peaceful side except issues with US military .

[@robertocuevas8584]

Visit Japan, you will never regret it, so many experiences to enjoy.

[@danielm7671]

11:43 That house is owned by Mikitani Hiroshi, founder of Rakuten. He’s among the top 10 richest people in Japan

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

Had no clue.

[@SecretSquirrelFun]

Yay, thanks for sharing this. Much appreciated. This is fascinating so far just seeing the streets with large trees is so different to the usual suburban images one sees in programs about Japan. Thanks again. Happy Christmas to you and your family. 🙂🐿🌈❤️

[@manong_calbo]

Appreciate the neighborhood tour and the effort you placed into it! Good job 👍

[@tasos-sr2wx]

Everything is always on point. Can't get enough!

[@kittynikki000]

The level of detail in this video 😍

[@user-tt5xj5ib1e]

It was nice to see even though the suburbs are fairly high density the volume of green spaces and trees. It still felt like a peaceful space to walk around even though it's in the middle of a busy city :) 😍🌲🌲🌲😍

[@klopakarus]

Concrete buildings like those shown are indeed of contempo brutalism family some of which with an extremely minimal touch well known and popularized by works of Ando Tadao in Japan since '70s and later became popular throughout Asia and worldwide. The style features extensive use of poured concrete as a main subject, combined with glass and seldom other materials in a perfect duet with austere yet thoroughly thought out geometry. Many architectural bureaus in Japan work with this style. Very classy. Love it

[@blindpilot3849]

Thank you for taking us on a walk in Tokyo!

[@javvyist]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWfZmXt4rKqro7s

[@mrjean9376]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYilfYahrK2pnKc btw, this is video about most dangerous neighborhood in japan

[@DeadDancers]

This is precisely the sort of thing I love looking at. So different and interesting,

[@miloscoopy2469]

You are truly the awesome one man geographic channel!

[@michaelspencer6401]

This is great, a look into a part of Tokyo of I have always wondered about but there is not much information on.

[@Narnendil]

If you're interested in fancy Tokyo homes, Tokyo Portfolio might be a channel for you. It tends to be not very informative about the rich's situation, like in this video, but you sure get to see many fancy houses and apartments. Chris "Abroad in Japan" Broad has visited the channel a few times too if you like him.

[@dahamsith6089]

Can you help me please

[@javvyist]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWfZmXt4rKqro7s

[@twincast2005]

I possibly find pseudo-neoclassical houses even tackier in the East than in the West, but on the other hand, every Japanese home that isn't the typical blocky modern style is a welcome change of scenery, and every (more or less accurate) traditional European house a fun little whiplash moment, with the Alpine home at 15:25 taking the cake. And I think the one at 15:40 might be my favorite, as the way it combines traditional Japanese architecture with typical Anglo suburb elements gives off a very cozy feel.

[@rhu2484]

If you think the outsides are tacky, you should see the insides! I’ve seen a few houses that people owned “just for parties” and the amount of red carpeting, random stained glass, and chandeliers you’ll see is insane. Truly feel like “it’s about the money you spend, not the result you get” is the motto of the generation that got rich, and managed to STAY rich, through the 90s bubble.

[@deanfleischer6239]

Thank you for this documentary. So rich, insightful, and pleasant to watch at the same time. I know what you do does not compare with what other KZbinrs in Japan do, but the quality of your documentaries is always so high. You deserve a lot of praise for putting so much effort in choosing the right filming angles, sources or topics. It has probably been asked before, but do you do all the work on your own? Or do you work with a team? Thank you

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

My wife and sister-in-law help part-time and occasionally I collab with other people.

[@pedroorozco5232]

I agree with Dean here, I think LWIF does not get enough praise, his approach, the high quality of the video, the thoughtful intent, the data and research behind... thank you so much.

[@teddyarcher3957]

Interesting and well produced video, something I've been curious about...

[@Davidgon100]

I visited Roppongi Hills when I went to Japan and it was so beautiful. Seeing those beautiful larger homes, with lambos/ferraris on the driveaway, on those narrow Japanese streets.

[@wildwaters8348]

I honestly found the part about being wealthy in Japan interesting, more how they don’t express their wealth through housing, partly because of history. Because as a German, I can say it’s similar here. You will not find many „Beverly hills“ style mansions here, if any, probably for similar reasons, seeing as both countries history has been similar over the past decades (from WW2, to building the economy up from scratch etc.). Just thought it was a cool coincidence/ parallel

[@Darkness251]

Germans don't really show of their wealth like americans, look at the richest 100 of germany, many of them don't even have a picture on the internet. They don't need to show off

[@Trottelkopf911]

In Germany you are already rich when you own a house in a major city 🙄

[@Darkness251]

@@Trottelkopf911 you're rich if you own any house.

[@janeblogs324]

Watch the video about Japan "eating their rich" You don't want to be a target

[@KonekoNaru]

@@janeblogs324 eating the rich is always the target.

[@greeniris17]

Speaking from experience owning 3 properties in Japan, I can say that homes don’t always depreciate here in the eye of the beholder. It’s all about location. Since the average income has been flat for decades despite inflation rates, more and more young families are purchasing and living in used homes these days rather than paying the high cost of demolishing and building new. This is especially common in more desirable areas, and if the home is in relatively good condition, for example built in the past 20 years. The original home owner will likely make a profit on the sale too, albeit not as much as they would in the US or Canada where real estate value doubles every decade.

[@twincherry4958]

You're rich... h a ha

[@LoonaticOrbit]

Pockets of survivors would definitely thrive inside one of those houses with high walls in an event of a zombie apocalypse 😂😂😂

[@TeeBoyd88]

That was my first thought! lol. Especially the long high walled properties.

[@genjutsuASMR]

Glad I'm not the only one who upon seeing that immediately thought of a zombie apocalypse

[@robertnewhart3547]

Japanese zombies can climb walls brUh. UrFucked.

[@Slugbunny]

With over 10 million potential infected, I'm not sure any wall would be high enough to hold back the tide. 😅

[@edwardharley9]

Loved this video and quality of the narration...thanks...

[@JAPJAC]

Near Den-en-chofu train station is frighteningly affluent but literally nowt to do. Jiyugaoka is lush in every way, well maybe not so much in some parts post-11pm on a Friday or Saturday night but overall easily the best 'town' in Tokyo to reside in. Seijogakuen is overrated and is irrelevant anyway as it's miles away from anything decent. Todoroki is nice and having the magical place that is Todoroki Valley really helps. Oyamadai is a nice little underrated town. So are Midorigaoka and Okusawa. Toritsudaigaku is nice too. Yutenji is decent. Oookayama is very pleasant. Musashi-Kosugi will always be awful no matter how much they try and gentrify it and long to be in Tokyo a proper. Musashi-Koyama is an option for anyone that lacks any imagination and values convenience over style. Futako-Tamagawa is an absolute bore to anyone that isn't a 'baba' brand name shopaholic. Azabu10ban is cold, overrated and worryingly close to High Touch Town. Naka Meguro used to be very desirable two decades ago, not so much now. And Shirokanedai has lost much of its status as proved by that real 'Shirokaneze' are a very rare sight indeed these days. Refreshing that Kichijoji and Shimokitazawa were not covered as they are also overrated compared to the best of the aforementioned. Plus I've never met a nice person that lives in either. 'No one' actually lives in Ginza so its inclusion here was misleading. But the hidden gem always not covered by such outsiders is Senzoku (not Kita-, not -ike, just Senzoku desu); Family hometown to Empress Masako no less and it shows. Just my humble opinions after being lucky enough to have been residing a stone's throw from Den-en-chofu for 20 years now. And coincidentally I saw my house in this video but no worries.

[@specialk9999]

I lived in Shiroganedai, Meguro and then Denenchofu in elementary, junior high school and my first year of high school back in the 80s and 90s.

[@Haz-Zzz]

Nice, you gave me a few more areas to look at when i will buy a house in tokyo, after i win the lottery. On a serious note, very informative. Thanks.

[@azabujuban-hito-dake]

I live in Azabujuban and I love it ! 😄

[@JAPJAC]

@@azabujuban-hito-dake Why? Are you an English-speaking female by any chance? Did you grow-up in that area? What's the true appeal of there? Genuinely interested.

[@azabujuban-hito-dake]

@@JAPJAC it's centrally located, with plenty of nice places to hangout. Despite the cosmopolitan vibe and pocketed between the glittery Roppongi and the iconic Tokyo Tower, Azabujuban feels surprisingly laid back and down to earth. It even retains some of the 'old world' feeling with the old shops. And no, I didnt grow up in here. I wish I grew up here! I was born and grew up in Zurich..the most boring city in the world !!

[@TrumanBurbankFE]

I grew up in Meguro, and my grandfather's plot of land with a traditional house was sold and demolished to house six units today. And the wealth was distributed to his children and we moved abroad.

[@improviserfresh8995]

Damn lol

[@Mrlorop]

@jonahwhale9047you give people unreasonable taxes whilst other options exist then people will choose other options

[@AlexKeySmith]

I love this video, it makes me want to live in Tokyo even more! Regarding the brutalist v.s. modernist, I'm no expert, but I often walk around the Barbican in London a famous brutalist building and they remind me of it. However the buildings you show have a kinder softer side. The element which makes brutalism stand out in London is that the concrete is board formed and when you stand close you can see the wood grain imprints, beautiful.

[@dzedienhere7524]

The EFFORTS put to make this video 👏👏👏

[@CarinaCoffee]

I just came from the zoning video. It's so interesting to see all these different residential buildings and areas. As an European it feels quite relatable. One thing my best friend and I like to do is go on walks and during Covid we decided the walks by the rivers or in the woods were quickly getting old so we decided to also go into neighbourhoods, just to explore where we live (neighbouring big cities) and it's been so interesting to see the different decades represented in building styles. If I lived in Japan (especially in a bigger city), visiting different neighbourhoods for walks would definitely be something I'd do. It might be nice to spend a day or two like this on a holiday to Japan, but unless you have family or friends you'd like to meet more often, I think a trip to Japan is a once in a lifetime thing if you're from outside of Asia, so you might not be able to allot much time for this.

[@arjundurbhakula]

I wish there were videos like this for all major cities. That'd be super interesting.

[@Ad_Valorem]

Thank you for your tour of Tokyo's wealthy neighborhoods. I think you might have added the social context in Japan is that Japanese are taught that it's seriously bad form to flaunt wealth, everyone sees himself as middle-class. Thus, you don't see McMansions, flashy jewelry, or yachts as you might see in other countries.

[@abdullahdanish7908]

Now I understand why sunio have home in same neighbourhood as nobita in Doraemon.

[@Yutaro-Yoshii]

Home sweet home. Even though I have lived in Tokyo for close to two decades, there is always a new perspective to be had. Nicely made, and cheers!

[@Nooneherehere]

You heard an earthquake? I hope you are still alive.

[@Lifeinbelize]

That was very interesting. Thank you

[@EngineerDJ_Julius]

Tokyo is "that city" that has everything Truly a destination that everyone should visit

[@Nynke_K]

I love this! I'm an architecture enthusiast and I always look up intriguing houses on Google Maps too - thanks for showing us what you could of the insides! I would love to get house tours of those places with interior courtyards... Also: I feel a bit sad for the families that lose their wealth but the relative equality is probably worth it for society as a whole. Here in the Netherlands we're probably not quite as equal but fortunately, even most fancy mansions are relatively small - I think definitely smaller than the largest Tokyo ones you showed. But of course they tend to be surrounded by large gardens and open to the outside with large windows!

[@littlsuprstr]

It's not exactly Brutalist architecture per se, but perhaps it's closer to the literal spirit of Brutalism which originates from the French phrase beton brut, meaning "raw concrete."

[@opart]

contemporary brutalist ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@Bionickpunk]

Brutalism was mostly the best image when talking about socialism and communism, and as such you would see such architecture in countries that had socialist or communist movements. Japan spearheaded metabolism during the time its economy was at its peak.

[@opart]

@@Bionickpunk metabolism is way weirder and cluttered though?

[@Bionickpunk]

@@opart Not necessarily. Metabolism is orderly in compressed space, like a bee hive, Brutalism can sometimes achieve this but what sets it apart is less inorganic sharp angles and visual appearance. Despite the contrasts, both styles complement each other and take from each others core elements. Brutalism had international spread, while Metabolism was primarily a Japanese architectual movement. There were plans in Yugoslavia to design entire parts of Skoplje in Metabolism-Brutalism architecture mix during the 60s, but that sadly never happened to its full extent.

[@cherylperkins7538]

I am giving thought to taking her class. I love your videos !!!!

[@Ramsi-Berlin]

Very interesting ❣️👌🏼 Love from Berlin 🇩🇪, Ramsi 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@bentosekai]

i’m currently taking a course on sustainability in contemporary japanese architecture at 東大, so it was particularly interesting to see how the 田園都市 concept played out in 調布, i had no idea there was a green city area so close by! i’m living in 駒場 (the northern tip of 目黒) during my exchange here so a lot of the architecture in this video also feels very familiar aha

[@artboymoy]

What a great video. I really liked looking at the different architecture of the house there. I do kinda like the more modern square look with lots of windows and different natural materials. There's just something cool about it, to me. It's fun that you can take a look at those mansions with the high walls to take a peek behind them. Thank you for showing us and giving us some information on it. I am totally surprised that the houses depreciate like autos, because that's not the way we think over here, but maybe it is... I don't know. I've been in my house for over 20 years now and the value of the property of the house and land have doubled. I guess homeowners in the US will remodel to make the house more appealing and therefore, keep the value up.

[@jpbaley2016]

Being in the US, it’s strange to hear how homes depreciate instead of appreciate since real estate is one of the few ways of gathering wealth.

[@andrewvincent9739]

Yup. In the US, government policies (tax incentives, building restrictions, etc.) created a system where housing costs generally increase. Definitely not the natural order of things.

[@jpbaley2016]

@@andrewvincent9739 Or homes are built to last and land gets more expensive. In a much earlier video where he bought a house in Japan, he explained that the construction was not robust as the Japanese know the home would depreciate. Of course, there is a lot of shoddy construction in the US. I inherited my father’s home in a retirement community. It was built in 1985 and is a far cry from the robust construction of my family home built in 1920.

[@TheLarousse89]

The houses that have 3’ overhangs and high cement walls are prairie homes. The architect is Frank Lloyd wright. He made the style and said the house should be of nature. It’s kind of cool seeing it and weird it’s not in the us so much. He was popular in Japan when he was alive.

[@TokyoTaisu]

Yeah he has his own suite in the Imperial Hotel, that's under renovation soon.

[@radomirkulkov6188]

@@TokyoTaisu do you know, that the old lobby of Wright's imperial hotel is reconstructed in outskirts of Nagoya?

[@TokyoTaisu]

@@radomirkulkov6188 heard about it, albeit vaguely. Don't know the details

[@amalaylay]

This is such a great video! I love how you explain these unique aspects of Japan

[@luvusm111]

I have family in the shoto area and its surprising how big some of them are that have walls around them & lots of the houses are gorgeous😊