As Japan’s cities get denser, could greener rooftops replace lost gardens?
At a recent symposium, architects explored why Japan's rooftops remain underused — and what could happen if that changed.
Japan's cities are growing denser, prompting a question: can green rooftops replace the lost gardens? Over the past two decades, Tokyo's 23 wards have welcomed over 1.2 million new residents, raising the city's population to 9.8 million. This increased density often manifests through residential tower blocks housing dozens or even hundreds of units, and the conversion of house-and-garden lots into multi-unit dwellings.
The disappearance of these gardens can be deeply missed by the community. Although a garden is privately owned, it plays a public role by adding to the city's seasonal charm and attracting various bird species, benefiting all who pass by. With your current subscription plan, you're unable to comment on this story. However, before making your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page. Our subscription doesn't permit commenting. For further details, refer to our FAQ.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
