People, and most guidebooks, warned that Tokyo is hard to find addresses in, and left it at that. Luckily, Time Out Tokyo (which I highly recommend) actually went on to explain that there is a system, and how it actually works. Locations have addresses, even written out in Roman letters and numbers, but they don't look like--or mean like--a New York street address. First there is a named neighborhood. This is like a Borough in London, geographically. I don't know what if any significance it has politically. But perhaps geographically and culturally more distinct, like a town within the metropolis. Then there is the Chome, which is like a sub-neighborhood, or a Parish within some Boston neighborhoods. Then there is a Block Number, I don't know how block numbers are ordered or assigned. And within the Block there are building numbers, assigned by order of construction (not in a sequence along the street or anything like that).
So knowing this, here is how you find your way: you take the subway to the stop indicated ahead of time, you head for the correct exit number indicated ahead of time, and before you exit to the street you find a Local Area Map. You look for the name of the establishment, shrine or museum on there, or failing that the appropriate block number, and then head for that when you get above ground. Another key piece of information: maps in Japan are oriented the way you are actually physically facing, not to North like in America. This bit will be hard to adjust back from, because it makes a lot more sense or is more useful. Once up on the street you keep your eyes peeled for an even more local Area Map, which will be much more detailed, with shapes of building footprints and building numbers. Find the block and building numbers you are looking for, and remeber nearby ones to use as landmarks. When given an address or directions in Tokyo, there is also some attention to big cross streets, which is nice because local Area Maps are usually located there. I have heard that Taxis have trouble finding things, but that makes sense because the system is geered to subway and pedestrians. I would love to learn when or how this system was developed, but for now I remain in awe. I have been to other Asian countries and always been told only locals can find things, just ask or take a taxi. But now I'm curious.
This is an interesting time to explore, because it looks like soon, or already (as Al Gore said about photovoltaic cells in his new book, "in the next half year"), all of the maps will be electronic, taxis will have guidance systems and the google directions on everyones iphone will work seemlessly. It is already there on google maps, but looked complicated in the current iteration, and expensive to use on roam. In Tokyo Hipster places actually give out google coordinates.
This sort of system falls into the category of "wayfinding" and I have enough Geography geek friends who will probably enjoy it that I'll write about the intersection of wayfinding and technology again soon.
Someday I'd like to go to Japan and see the sculptures by Susumu Shingu. I'll look at your blog for how to get around, sounds like a really different way of thinking about addresses.
Posted by: Pat Hadley | January 26, 2010 at 10:53 AM