The Characteristics of Rail-Integrated Urban Regeneration focused on Japan’s Local Cities

Abstract

This research is to analyze the method and features of urban regeneration and understand small and medium-sized local city’s urban regeneration strategy in Japan, especially in regard to its six local cities, which are recently planning railway station redevelopment and urban regeneration. The objective of this research is to examine the city planning methods that can be applicable to the development of station influence area in small and medium-sized local cities, which are being excluded from the domestic urban regeneration business. The locations of the following six railway stations are the most representing local cities in Japan that are actively participating in the urban regeneration business regarding the station influence area: Hakata station, Kumamoto station, Kagoshima central station, Oita station, Toyama station, and Iwamijawa station. It was verified that the area’s restructuring was being pushed ahead based on the railway, which is internally Japan’s core means of public transportation. Such restructuring was to overcome the decline of cities caused by the recent movement of the local city population to the suburb area. The characteristics of a railway integrated urban regeneration in each area can be shown as the construction of transfer system central to the railway station, active connection with the tourist attractions within the area, and high density and complex commercialization of the railway station.