[Lessons on Japanese Urbanism from French Slow TV]

At 0:27 Note the very well marked scramble crossing (c.f. the arrogance of space).

Lesson 1: zebra stripes can never be too wide.

From 1:00 to 1:59 Note the total absence of vehicular traffic. The numerous parked cars and bikes make clear that this is not a depopulated area.

Lesson 2: its possible to build an urban street free from noise and pollution, even in the densest of cities.

At 2:04 Note the sidewalk width. Despite the scarcity of land, Tokyo manages to provide sidewalks so wide that collisions and confrontations are easy to avoid.

Lesson 3: there’s no excuse for narrow sidewalks.

At 4:31 Note the absence of vehicles on a major boulevard. This is Akihabara, and its closed to cars every Sunday. See also: Shinjuku (新宿ホコ天), Ginza (銀座中央通りホコ天), Kagurazaka (神楽坂下), and New York’s Nassau Street.

Lesson 4: everybody loves car-free days.