Rethinking the Future of Communities from Oyamadai, Tokyo

When you hear the word “community,” what kind of scene comes to mind? A local neighborhood, a hobby club, a condominium or neighborhood association, casual conversations in a park, or family connections? Even with a little thought, it becomes clear that our daily lives are inseparable from the concept of community. Professor Kyosuke Sakakura from the Faculty of Urban Life Studies continues his research with the theme of “creating new societies through human connections.”

Professor Sakakura’s research lab has a base not only on the campus of Tokyo City University but also on the second floor of “Tatata House,” a community hub near Oyamadai Station on the Tokyu Oimachi Line. This lab, named “Oyamachi Living Lab,” serves as a space where Professor Sakakura and his students conduct research. It also functions as a meeting point for local residents, municipalities, and businesses, giving rise to various projects. “Happy Road Oyamadai, the shopping street in front of the Oyamachi Living Lab, becomes a pedestrian zone from 4 PM to 6 PM every day. We thought that using this space for interactions could spark something meaningful. Since our seminar sessions take place during that time, we decided to hold classes in the shopping street. That’s how it all began.”

Originally, the Oyamachi Living Lab was established as part of the “Oyamachi Project,” which started in 2017. Unlike projects that focus on solving specific regional issues, the Oyamachi Project aims to create a system where people living and working in Oyamadai, as well as the university, interact regularly to foster new activities. The core philosophy is nurturing individuals’ intrinsic motivation to “give it a try.” For example, the “Oyamachi Curry Cafeteria,” which opens once a month, was born from a desire to combat solitary eating. Another initiative, the “Oyamachi Community Health Room,” was created with the idea that healthcare should engage with people before they fall ill. Here, residents can consult about minor health concerns and receive blood pressure measurements from nurses.

These activities serve as a starting point for new connections, leading to initiatives such as smartphone consultation sessions for seniors and parent-child salons. “I began to think that local communities play a role in solving issues that specialized fields like schools and hospitals alone cannot address.”

The process of bringing people together through shared interests and expanding them into projects may seem difficult to manage. When asked about the key to successfully running such projects, Professor Sakakura introduced the concept of “drifting.” “We start working together first, and sometimes we realize along the way that our initial assumptions were different from reality. This process is essential, and we call it ‘drifting.’ By intentionally allowing this drift, people meet by chance, participation increases, and unexpected events occur. We place great importance on this serendipitous process.”

Tokyo City University is located in a residential area of Setagaya, Tokyo. This location makes it ideal for conducting research that involves people from diverse backgrounds. “Collaborating with local residents to find solutions to social issues feels very natural. It’s something that aligns with the way society is evolving.”

Professor Sakakura also emphasizes the significance of having a physical space like the Living Lab. “At this university, the distance between faculty and administrative staff feels relatively close. This allows administrative processes to be aligned with research activities, making it easier to advance our work.”

When asked about the challenges of a metropolis like Tokyo, Professor Sakakura offered an insightful perspective: “There are so many people, yet it’s difficult to connect with others. That’s a wasted opportunity. We should place more value on constructive relationships because they enrich our lives. I feel that we need to create more spaces where people can meet and interact casually.”

Recently, he has also been thinking about the relationship between AI and human interactions. “As generative AI becomes commonplace, simply imagining and simulating things will no longer be enough. Actually trying things out in the real world will become even more important. Learning through interactions with others will likely gain even more significance.”

New value emerges when people connect—it is a “chain of unexpected relationships.” Instead of seeking definitive answers from the start, it is through trial and error that new possibilities unfold. In the vast city of Tokyo, Professor Sakakura’s efforts to create spaces where chance encounters turn into meaningful connections may offer valuable insights for enriching urban life.