2011/12/2
Tokyo Boat People
| Coastal cities – there’s something about them that makes them special, be it San Francisco, Vancouver, Sydney, proximity to water is energising, it infects the culture. Tokyo however has none of this. Despite dominating the bay on which it sits, you never feel the water. A look at the geography begins to explain why – a succession of land reclaiming initiatives dominated by dockland, industry and man-made waterways means limited shoreline residential, commerce or cafe culture. And of course there is always that thought in the back of people minds that the next tsunami could hit here – so where would you like to buy your next apartment?
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Within that swathe of dockland though, is a fascinating world that most people never see, but luckily a group of local creatives decided that something needed to be done. The result is the Boat People Association that organises boat tours though the canals and waterways of this sprawling, industrial landscape. Its a journey steeped in history that documents Tokyo’s chaotic urban planning. Decaying deco-styled warehousing, ramshackle fisherman’s housing clinging to the river banks with their boats moored right outside. The detail on a pedestrian foot bridge, which sits beneath a road bridge, which in turn is dominated by a massive expressway… it’s a unique way to spend a day and remind yourself of the richness of this costal city… and realise It’s just special in a different way.
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