Japan
Japan Offers Up Free Abandoned Houses
Due to an aging populace, lackluster construction quality, and other factors, Japan is facing a glut of abandoned homes. For those with the ability to live there, these homes can be had for next to nothing.
Friday Eye Candy: Japanese Buildings That Combine 'Oddity and Innovation'
Touring Japan for strange but beautiful buildings.
Sunday Fun: Take a Google Earth Flyover Tour of Tokyo's Yamanote Line
A key ring route in Tokyo's massive collection of rail lines, the JR Yamanote Line is a public transit aficionado's wildest dream. Reece Martin offers a guided tour of the line, available from the comfort of any YouTube-enabled screen.
As Temperatures Increase, Maps Show Sea-Level Rise Will Devastate Cities
Data visualizations illustrate the catastrophic consequences of single-digit global temperature increases.
When the Earth Turns to Liquid
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Sept. 25, followed by a massive tsunami. Soil liquefaction caused by the tremor resulted in 1,700 homes being "swallowed" as the soil shifted. Deaths exceeded 1,400 on Oct. 3.
Japan Targeting 2020 Olympics for a Driverless Car System
Japan prioritizes technological advancement to grow its economy.
A Hello Kitty-Themed Bullet Train to Begin Operation in Japan
A Shinkansen train will launching service on June 30 with Hello Kitty seats, benches, and a dining car.
Fertility Rates, Birth Rates, Births Fell to Record Lows in U.S. Last Year
Births and birth rates dropped to a 30-year low, not an issue of concern yet, but if the trend continues, the U.S. could join other developed nations that must deal with the consequences of an aging population. Immigration plays an uncertain factor.
Japanese Bus Drivers Strike by Not Accepting Fares
Bus drivers in Japan put blankets over fare boxes and continue to drive their routes, in order to serve their passengers while on strike.
AI-Based Ride Hailing Spreads in Japan
A series of partnerships announced is pushing integrating taxi service and artificial intelligence in Japan.
Only in Japan: Train Company Apologizes for Train That Left 20 Seconds Early
Early or late, a train that leaves "not on time" is unacceptable in Japan.
Lessons on the Future of Prefab Housing from Japan
When it comes to prefabricated housing, Japan is far ahead of the rest of the world. Will techniques from Japan's efficient modular home manufacturers inform a growing prefab industry in the United States?
Future Floods May Test Tokyo's Defenses
Despite the presence of a formidable (and expensive) underground flood control system, Tokyo may confront floods and rainfall that will challenge the city's capacity to protect itself.
A National Day of Telecommuting
Companies and workers in the country of Japan are less likely to work from home than in the United States. The government hopes to increase the number of telecommuters during the 2020 Olympics, however.
Tokyo's Shibuya Undergoing "Once-a-Century" Renewal
Shibuya Station is undergoing a major renewal in time for 2020 Olympics.
Friday Fun: A Mario Kart Tour of Japan
Foreign tourists are taking to the streets of Japan dressed as Mario, Luigi, and more of their friends from the Nintendo universe.
Idea Worth Copying: Japan's Theme-Park-Style Disaster Preparation Centers
Visitors to Japan’s theme-park-style disaster preparation centers can experience simulated quakes, typhoons, and fires. Perhaps a similar idea would be helpful in part of the United States?
That D.C.-Baltimore Maglev Concept: An Update
Maglev high-speed rail, financed (partially) by Japan, is still under consideration for the stretch between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. It would take a princely sum to build.
Train-sploitation
An interview with a photographer about his unflattering pictures of train riders in Tokyo's crowded subway.
Beer from Portlandia in the Land of the Rising Sun
Japanese cities and citizens look to Portland for inspiration.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
