Exploring Kashiwa no Ha Smart City

This year, I’ve explored a few cities replete with historical character - places that retain Edo to Showa era architecture and atmosphere. I’m always curious about the momentous events that shaped the Japan that I live in now. But what about the Japan that will be? This past weekend, I took a visitor from abroad to see a vision of modern Japan that preserves nature, and culture, and looks forward, so I we explored Kashiwa no Ha, a smart city.

Kashiwa no Ha Campus, the modern neighborhood of Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture has been developed in the last 20 years as a smart city in which infrastructure, economic development, community engagement, and the natural environment are big considerations. 

We started with a walk to T-SITE, a wide space over a retention pond that protects the area from flooding, provides green space for families with children and pets to play (lots of dogs here), and room for people can gather indoors. We were pleasantly surprised by passers-by who struck up a conversation - the planning means you're bound to feel at ease to connect with others.

We strolled over to Kashiwa no Ha Park with wide spaces for recreation, a traditional tea garden, and a sukiya tea house, Shohakutei where we had matcha and sweets. Nearby is Konbukuro Pond, a nature museum that preserves a satoyama landscape with marshy woodlands and streams. 

We finished our visit to Lalaport Kashiwanoha, a mall directly in front of the station. It's spacious and brings the outdoors in with benches in the shape of kashiwa oak leaves and a rooftop garden.

Have you visited one of Japan's smart cities? What do you think are the pros and cons of living in such a community?