A spatial history of city and land in modern Japan especially in post-war reconstruction period

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25820308
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Architectural history/Design
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Hatsuda Kosei 東京大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (70545780)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 戦災復興 / 大土地所有 / 歌舞伎町 / 戦災復興区画整理 / ニューヨーク / ガーメント・ディストリクト / 財産税 / 峯島家

Outline of Final Research Achievements

One of the origin of present landowning in Japan date back to the dissolution of the latifundism in post-war reconstruction period.Latifundist in urban area gave up their landownership due to Property Tax, Order of financial emergency operation in 1946 and the atmosphere of postwar reform, then the plots were subdivided into small lots. The one who had influence in the formation of urban space in this period was not public sector and private developers, but the general people, especially self-employed individuals in shopping streets especially in Yamanote (uptown), Tokyo. This led the distinctive scenery which is consists of slender buildings called ‘‘Pencil building’’ in postwar Japan. This study clarified the actual condition of this period based on the case study of postwar reconstruction land readjustment in Shinjuku Kabukicho area. Also this study examined the situation in comparison with the process of high-rise building construction in 1920s in N.Y.

Free Research Field

都市史、建築史