3 sides of Tokyo's rising eastside

[imomus]

Artists Love Eastside Tokyo is an interesting article on Pingmag about the shitamachi district of Mukojima, by the Sumida River. The piece, lavishly illustrated on the page and on Pingmag's Flickr, celebrates small domestic factories manned by the elderly and the presence of a creative class represented by the shy Mr Furuhashi (we see him peeping between the sliding doors of his funky tatami-and-wood event space), "the best representation of the wonderful relationship between the traditional terraced houses and today’s artists".



The article ends by noting that a new Tokyo Tower (610 metres tall) is due to be built by the Sumida River, and that Eastern Tokyo is sure to redevelop as a result.

"Rising East", trumpets the Tokyo Tower website. Put that together with Pingmag's "funky shitamachi" angle and you get a fairly classic case of urban redevelopment -- the two-pronged fork of property development and creative class "urban pioneers" adding value and driving prices up in a previously neglected district, with mixed consequences. But there's a third prong to the fork -- one much less common in Tokyo, and therefore rather more interesting. That's immigration, and the transformation of an area by economic migrants. It's happening in East Tokyo too, and I thought I'd report on it today.



Cross the Sumida River on the Tozai line and the first station you'll reach is Nishi-Kasai. Built on low-lying land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay, this unglamorous district is home to just under a thousand Indian immigrants, many living in high-density government housing like Kasai Clean Town. Nishi-Kasai currently houses about a sixth of Tokyo's total Indian population (5,883, according to the metropolitan government), but it's the fastest-growing community, housing 70% of new arrivals.

Hisae and I planned to visit Nishi-Kasai in June, but didn't get around to it, so the information here comes from two articles, one in Nihon Kairali News (Indian community thriving in East Tokyo), the other in Japan Times (Tokyo's Indians "home from home").

The first Indians arrived in Japan in the 19th century, at Yokohama, where ad hoc Sikh, Jain and Hindu temples can still be found operating in apartments run by merchants' associations.

"We call Japan 'Ram Rajya', or world of heaven,'' one immigrant tells Kairali News. Just like heaven, Japan is difficult to get into (and the official welcome is "anaemic"), but "Indians praise the law-abiding nature of the Japanese and the resultant safety". It's a theme echoed by Hari Hara Krishnan, Nishi-Kasai's longest-standing Indian resident, interviewed by the Japan Times:

"Most of my friends who studied IT with me wanted to go to the United States, but I think Japan is a much better country. There are so many good things here -- like convenience, safety and a satisfying job."

Nishi-Kasai's immigrant Indian community is the missing third prong of Tokyo's "rising eastside" story. Who knows, maybe it'll play as big a part in that urban revival as Brick Lane plays in London's Shoreditch, where a creative class rubs shoulders with financial service workers and Bangladeshis.

Comments

[kumakouji.livejournal.com]

The part of London I'm from has a large Japanese community. On my streets we have Japanese salons, book stores and cafes, and at the heart of it is the now slightly run-down "oriental city" (which used to be Yoahan Plaza when it was owned by them)

During its peak, Yoahan Plaza used to house the largest Japanese book shop in Europe, as well as 500 yen stores and a Japanese crockery shop. And the Sushi bar there was very cheap and probably the best and most authentic I've eaten at... they used to buy all their fish fresh from the oriental supermarket right nextdoor. They also had a sega arcade that used to get new games in on a regular basis. Yoahan plaza was one of the main reasons I developed an interest in Japanese culture as a kid... I used to go there during my lunchtimes when I was in Highschool to check out the magazines and books in the book shop, and eat in the kissa next door.

Unfortunately, They over-estimated the profitibility of such a place, and the book shop has closed down, as well as the sushi bar, infact, most of the decent, original Japanese shops have gone. Now, it's a pretty sad place, full of tat shops selling counterfit goods from Hong Kong. Its due to be knocked down because my area is being rennovated... in its place theyre building a new school and flats and possibly a DIY centre...

Its really sad. I know London needs more housing and schools, but I feel sad that the immigrant community's contrubution to my area has been wiped clean, especially when it's had such a massive impact on who I am today.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

I know Yaohan really well, in fact when the Museum of London did a photo exhibition on lesser-known London "diversity hotspots" you could see me and then-girlfriend Shizu in one of the pictures! (Not this one, but one like it.)



I was sad, on my last visit there last year, to see the bookstore gone. I used to buy Studio Voice and Cutie and Relax there -- much cheaper than at the Japasen.

Interesting to hear Yaohan was so formative for you. So they're demolishing it soon? Shame -- I still really like the foodcourt there. It stages this Asian density and vitality inside a warehouse in a fairly godforsaken corner of Colindale.

[kumakouji.livejournal.com]

I was born and grew up in NW London, so I have fond memories of it and I'll always refer to it as my area of London no matter where I live. Though you're right, Colindale is an utter shithole. but hey, my parents didnt move there for the nightlife and attractions, it's a suburb to bring a family up in.

As for the demolition of the place, I think theyre gonna make a smaller mall for the shops that are still going, but a lot of them say they dont expect to be able to last the 2 or 3 years the renovation will take, so that might not even happen. We'll see, I havent been there in a while.

Last time I was there the small Japanese book shop just outside Yaohan was open and I managed to buy some stuff (http://kumakouji.blogspot.com/2007/07/love-songs-yun-kouga.html). You could always go there and see if it's still open next time you're in Colindale.

Speaking of areas; You and I are Londoners (well, you were one) so It's easy for us to look at somewhere like Colindale and see a shithole... somewhere like Tokyo's Eastside is pretty run down and undeveloped too but it's pretty charming and quaint to us, and there in lies the appeal.
Maybe someone from another part of the world would find that same charm in the Edwardian semi-dettached housing of London's suburbs that we find in Tokyo's eastside... or maybe not.

[kumakouji.livejournal.com]

Also, do you remember the giant komainu statues outside? I took a photo of one of them a few years back for a graphic design project... I hope those two get to stay...

[imomus.livejournal.com]

It does always puzzle me, the places expat Japanese choose to colonize. Colindale in London, Astoria in New York. Although I guess you get different zones -- cheap dormitory zones like Colindale, funky creative class zones like Whitechapel / Williamsburg, and posh upmarket zones like Haymarket / Lower Regent Street (corresponding to the Opera area in Paris, or Rockefeller Centre in NY). So maybe Japanese create microcosms of Japanese cities in foreign capitals, zoning them for utility, conviviality and prestige.

[(Anonymous)]

A group of artists should get together, pool their monies, and find a run down immigrant neighborhood to purchase (instead of rent) properties in. Live there for 5-10 years, promote the area's revitilisation and then cash out. Move to a new area and repeat.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

A modest proposal indeed!

[bricology.livejournal.com]

I'm fortunate that my neighborhood (the "upper Tenderloin") has become the main settlement of young Japanese expats in San Francisco. I'm not sure why they chose this area, but regardless, they've had a positive effect on it in many ways. Unfortunately, our 100 year-old Japantown district hasn't fared well; it's just been sold to an Iranian family from Beverly Hills. In a stupendously bad example of governance, our Mayor and Board of Supervisors didn't manage to negotiate a single covenant on the 3 square block main section that was sold, so we can look forward to the area being redeveloped into whatever image the new owners prefer (and I doubt it's going to be Japanocentric). Sic transit gloria something or other.

[akabe.livejournal.com]

comming back from berlin i was blown by the fact that all the new tall and fat buildings on the other side of the river were finished. those are rather nasty but there is also lots of very sensible residential buildings by sanaa, kengo kuma etc then the yurikamome link to toyosu , there's enough infrastructure there for 50 years and it looks and feels as fresh as jiyugaoka or nakano broadway would have 40 years ago. east tokyo is happening indeed.

there used to be a great little indiatown right in the heart of kabukichou. whatever happened to it ??

[(Anonymous)]

i've always been rather fascinated by the cross-pollination of immigration away from traditional trade routes. my neighbor in queens is an indian man in his 40s who was raised in berlin but still decided to immigrate to the united states. he drives a cab and invests in a sandwich shop franchise. but i was most struck by the amount of immigrant chinese in bombay and how their culture has assimilated and blended with the indian way of life. in bombay alone i also met many nigerians who were working in either banking or construction (as well as a few doing more illicit business). there's something to me that's very interesting about "3rd world" citizens immigrating to other such countries. it seems like an affront to the notion that one can only succeed in america or western europe, and at the same time a reassurance that indeed the world is huge, full of possibility, certainly bigger than the superpowers that dominate the news and culture. lastly, momus have you been to brazil? there is a large japanese community in sao paolo and from what i've read, they thoroughly embrace themselves as brazillian.

[mandyrose.livejournal.com]

Aaaww... what a story. I'm nostalgic and I've never even been there!

Sumida bridges

[(Anonymous)]

Is there a single cable span pedestrian bridge on the upper Sumida.
It seems to show up in a lot of soaps last year or the previous.
Lots of green space and high rise activities as well.

Art Fucker Tune

[(Anonymous)]

I saw this and thought of you

Art Fucker (http://www.audiojelly.com/index.cfm?action=details.cfm&id=80422)

Shibuya-ki

[pay-option07.livejournal.com]

Nic maybe your future interviews will takes place on an upper deck of the new rising STAR and encompass the eastern influences in new wave music biz?

I Like What Kakegawa Has to Say...

[(Anonymous)]

The practice of the "Slow Life" involves the following eight themes:

SLOW PACE: We value the culture of walking, to be fit and to reduce traffic accidents.
SLOW WEAR: We respect and cherish our beautiful traditional costumes, including woven and dyed fabrics, Japanese kimonos and Japanese night robes (yukata).
SLOW FOOD: We enjoy Japanese food culture, such as Japanese dishes and tea ceremony, and safe local ingredients.
SLOW HOUSE: We respect houses built with wood, bamboo, and paper, lasting over one hundred or two hundred years, and are careful to make things durably, and ultimately, to conserve our environment.
SLOW INDUSTRY: We take care of our forests, through our agriculture and forestry, conduct sustainable farming with human labor, and ultimately spread urban farms and green tourism.
SLOW EDUCATION: We pay less attention to academic achievement, and create a society in which people can enjoy arts, hobbies, and sports throughout our lifetimes, and where all generations can communicate well with each other.
SLOW AGING: We aim to age with grace and be self-reliant throughout our lifetimes.
SLOW LIFE: Based on the philosophy of life stated above, we live our lives with nature and the seasons, saving our resources and energy.

Re: I Like What Kakegawa Has to Say...

[mandyrose.livejournal.com]

Oops, that was me. Guess I was a little too slow.

[tokidoki.livejournal.com]

east side!
i love exploring mukojima (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrcraige/tags/mukojima/)

[(Anonymous)]

Last night I passed through Golders Green. It felt like that traditionally Jewish area of London had a bit of a Japanese thing going on.

Earlier in the day I was in Kilburn. I lived there in the early 90s. It used to be the Irish quarter. Its "Oirishness" now seems greatly diminished - it feels more Somali.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

There's also a lot of Japanese stuff -- real estate offices, groceries -- on the Finchley Road.

Hello

[(Anonymous)]

Hello!
How are you?