Around Our Showroom in Tokyo - A City in Transition
Since opening our showroom in Shirokane-Takanawa, much of our daily rhythm has shifted eastward. As someone who has spent most of my time in West Tokyo, this area was not originally part of my everyday landscape. For a long time, my image of Takanawa was shaped by quiet residential streets, small local shops, and a calm, almost hidden atmosphere.
It was through repeated visits to our showroom that I first became aware of the scale of change taking place nearby.
When I finally visited the Takanawa Gateway (高輪ゲートウェイ) area for the first time, I was genuinely surprised. The space, the architecture, and the sense of openness felt completely different from what I had imagined. It felt less like a station area and more like stepping into a vision of Tokyo’s future.
Only later did I realize that this was not simply a redevelopment project, but a long-term urban experiment, designed as a “testing ground for enriching life 100 years into the future.” Seeing such an ambitious vision emerge next to the calm streets of Shirokane made the contrast even more striking.
Spending time around Takanawa Gateway today means walking through a city that is still forming.
Large open plazas sit beside construction zones. Temporary walkways lead past cranes and scaffolding. Newly opened spaces coexist with unfinished structures. At the same time, people are already gathering here: working, attending events, meeting friends, shopping, or simply passing through.
There is a unique energy in this “in-between” stage. It is not yet a finished destination, but it is no longer just a construction site. Instead, it feels like a living experiment, where everyday life and long-term planning overlap.
Rather than presenting a completed image, the area invites visitors to experience change itself. Spaces are tested, adjusted, and reimagined, reflecting the project’s focus on flexibility and future-oriented thinking.
From Vision to Reality : A Brief Timeline
The story of Takanawa Gateway began more than a decade ago. Planning discussions started around 2014–2015, when the area around the former railway yard was identified as a key site for future development. In 2018, the public was invited to participate in naming the new station, which would become “Takanawa Gateway.”
The station officially opened in 2020, followed by a series of experimental events and community programs between 2022 and 2024. These activities offered early glimpses of how the area might function in the future.
From 2025 onward, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY is set to open in stages, with further expansion continuing into 2026 and beyond.
What stands out is the project’s long-term perspective. Rather than focusing on short-term results, it has been shaped through careful coordination between JR East, local governments, and designers, reflecting a rare level of continuity and intention in Tokyo’s urban development.
More Than Redevelopment : A New Urban Vision
This project is not simply about constructing new buildings. It represents a shift in how a station area can function within Tokyo. Traditionally, stations have been places to move through. Takanawa Gateway is designed as a place to stay.
Takanawa Gateway, Poster Project by one of our collaboration design team YamanoteYamanote
The district brings together spaces for culture, research, startups, design, housing, and public life. It aims to attract international visitors, creators, and long-term residents, while also supporting experimentation and collaboration.
At its core is the idea of building a “testing ground” for future lifestyles. Sustainability initiatives, new mobility systems, digital services, and flexible work environments are woven into the infrastructure. Rather than offering a fixed image of what Tokyo should become, the area is designed to remain adaptable, allowing new forms of living and working to emerge over time.
Designing a New Gateway : Architecture and Collaboration
Behind this vision is an international team of architects and designers. The overall urban design brings together global firm Pickard Chilton and Kengo Kuma & Associates, alongside many other collaborators. Instead of creating a single iconic landmark, the project emphasizes continuity, openness, and human scale.
Wooden elements, filtered light, expansive walkways, and carefully framed views soften the large-scale development. The result is an environment that feels contemporary without becoming overwhelming. This layered approach reflects a balance between global standards and Japanese sensibilities, positioning Takanawa as both an international gateway and a place rooted in local context.
Respecting History Within Change
Amid this large-scale transformation, history has not been erased.
One of the most meaningful examples is the preservation of the Takanawa Embankment, a rare remnant of Japan’s early railway era. This structure, dating back over 150 years, has been carefully studied and partially preserved within the development plan.
The area itself has long served as a gateway: from Edo-period roads to early railways and now to international networks.
By keeping these historical layers visible, the project maintains a sense of continuity. Innovation does not replace memory; instead, the two coexist. In a rapidly changing city, this balance feels especially important.
The Beauty of Construction
There is also something quietly fascinating about seeing a city while it is unfinished.Cranes stretch across the skyline. Temporary fences frame unexpected views. Materials, machinery, and people move constantly through the space. These scenes are temporary, but they reveal how cities are made.
This kind of “construction landscape” has long attracted photographers and creators, from magazine features to personal archives. It reflects a uniquely Tokyo form of beauty: chaotic, imperfect, and constantly shifting.
(2015, March)
(2018, January)
(2022, October)
Looking Ahead
Takanawa Gateway is still unfolding. New buildings will open, public spaces will continue to evolve, and the rhythm of the area will shift in the years ahead. One of the developments we’re especially looking forward to is MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, a new cultural facility opening in spring 2026 that aims to connect tradition with future ideas through programs, exhibitions, and interdisciplinary experiences.
This article marks one chapter in our ongoing neighborhood series. Through these posts, we hope to share not only destinations, but also processes: how places grow, shift, and find new meanings over time.
We invite you to explore these changes with us, step by step, as this part of Tokyo continues to take shape.
Text by Katarina, Credit free photos from mapkawaii.com