This trip gave us a very good lesson of how Japanese people live in the urban development while keeping the spirits of culture and nature in mind. Never a square meter where we can't smell the scent of japanese food. We can see trees almost everywhere even the most crowded area like Shinjuku. In the campuses, we see how they keep their native plants and forest area. Takano Landscape Planning office also showed us a perfect integration of private life & work life in one place. We all remind Mr Takano's quote of the trip:

We've got ARTIST's eyes..
We've got SCIENTIST's brain..
We've got POET's heart..
WE ARE THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS..

The works done by TLP (and  Aterlier Zo Architects) such as Takahashi construction company, the kindergarten named 'Miyanooka Youchienn' are the good examples of how the nature can be blended in architectural design.

The Tokachi Newspaper company's projects like Ecology Park and Millenium Forest impressed us alot. Let's imagine how a company can help the world, their country, and at the same time their future generation to protect the environment. 'Living (and learning) with the nature' isnt that much theoritical. Landscape architects are able to choose their schemes in these directions with the concensus of the clients and users.

We enjoyed very much the traditional markets in Tokyo and Sapporo; Tsukiji, Nijo Fish Markets, Ameyoko, Ramen Alley, and also Ramen Museum in Yokohama. The Nikko Edo Mura is another choice of theme parks, in addition to Disneyland and Disneysea. My 3rd year students also tried playing almost with all available play equipments at Takino Federal Park and Pirari park, they may forget they are not children anymore.

Odaiba, Minato Mirai, and Tokyo Sealife park, three examples of the reclamation projcets in Japan have not represented humanlife the way to over-rule the nature, in opposite we (human and nature) can be in a 'win-win' situation. The nature can be created soundly by having something disappear...

[Read more at our class weblog]