The areas around Tokyo Skytree

have traditionally been home to the common class.

Among them, the Kyojima neighborhood

retains a remarkable amount of old Tokyo character.

Are you feeling well?

The streets are lined with dense clusters of old wooden houses.

These close quarters have cultivated a close-knit community spanning generations.

And there's no shortage of young people who are choosing to move here

for the quaint vibes of a simpler time.

Today on "Dive in Tokyo,"

we explore Kyojima and discover its history, way of life, and retro charm.

Kyojima is a low-lying area

located about one kilometer east of the landmark Tokyo Skytree.

Hi, I'm Felicia, and today I'm in Kyojima.

So, many of you might be hearing Kyojima for the first time.

But actually, for those in the know,

this area is widely known for being seeped in history

as a traditional Tokyo downtown.

So, let's go explore.

Kyojima is a small neighborhood

that can be walked from end to end in just 10 minutes.

We start with a leisurely stroll through the local streets.

Wow, look at that.

Looks like a lot of residences here, and they're wood. They're very old.

You know, when you're walking around Tokyo, you don't find many of these,

like, single-story and two-story homes like that.

The residences are just like right at the street, right up here, close.

So it's like, if you came out of your house, you open the door,

and you're right onto the street.

The streets are densely packed with small, single-family homes

with little to no yard space.

OK, I really feel like I'm in a maze.

Look at that.

I think it's getting even more narrow. Look at this.

I can touch the wall. Look!

There's a network of narrow alleys not wide enough to allow car traffic.

Look at that!

Found the perfect place for a nice sunspot.

What a comfortable feeling, right?

Oh, how cute.

The quiet, cozy atmosphere makes this residential area

a perfect home for cats.

Look closely, and you can spot them all over.

In fact, Kyojima has a reputation among cat-lovers for its feline population.

I see some people there.

Maybe we can talk with them. Let's see.

- Hello.
- Hello!

May have a moment of your time?

- On a break?
- Yes.

These three local men work in construction.

They know the townscape well.

This is such an interesting area.

What do you mean?

The streets are like a maze, and I was lost!

Then I found you.

This is the old Tokyo. Much of the city used to be like this.

This neighborhood survived the war. It didn't burn down.

- Kyojima?
- Yes.

The surrounding areas burned to the ground.

Only Kyojima survived.

On March 10th, 1945, near the end of World War II,

eastern Tokyo was bombed in a large-scale air raid.

270,000 homes were destroyed,

and much of the region was reduced to ashes.

This aerial photo was taken in the late 1940s, just after the end of the war.

Kyojima is indicated in red.

We can see that, while the surrounding neighborhoods lay in ruins,

Kyojima was still densely packed with buildings.

Because it was miraculously left mostly untouched by the air raid,

it has retained its townscape of old wooden houses and narrow alleys.

Here's a classic example of the local residential architecture.

You know, it looks like one building.

But when I'm looking at it closely,

there's different kinds of doors on the bottom.

I wonder if it's just one apartment or one person

or one family living in the whole building.

- Hello.
- Nice to meet you!

The building is owned by Fukai Teruhisa.

It was built by his grandfather, who was a carpenter.

This place was constructed in 1925. It's quite old.

There's a single roof, with units separated by walls.

This is a "nagaya,"

a type of long housing complex comprised of several adjacent dwellings.

Fukai's is made up of four units.

What is the thinking behind this style?

It's an efficient way to build lots of housing.

Several units under one roof, separated by inner walls.

If you allow space between each house, it takes up much more area.

This style is both cost and space efficient.

Nagaya-style row houses were built in Kyojima

in the aftermath of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

The quake caused extensive damage

across Tokyo and the surrounding areas.

Over 100,000 people lost their lives.

Countless homes were destroyed.

At the time, Kyojima was mostly farmland.

Because the area had sustained little damage,

it was chosen for the construction of new housing.

Nagaya were ideal because they could be built quickly.

This was one of the buildings that went up during that period.

Let me introduce you to one of my longest tenants.

As landlord, Fukai looks after the property and rents out the units.

Takahashi Hideo lives here with his wife.

- Hello.
- Hi!

How long have you lived here?

Since before you were born!

70... 72, 73 years, I think!

The area Takahashi originally lived in

was reduced to ash during the bombing of Tokyo.

Shortly after the war ended, he moved into this nagaya,

and has been here ever since.

Having lived here for so long, what is the appeal of nagaya?

There's no place like home.

And the human relationships.

You're not alone.

He says his interactions with the other residents

give him something to live for.

Uchida-san, you home? It's me, Takahashi!

Sorry to bother you!

She wants to talk to you!

Uchida Lina moved in five years ago

after being drawn in by the look and feel of the exterior.

Any gripes?

It's a bit drafty.

Need a heater?

Don't worry, I bought one!

So you look out for each other.

Yes, whatever she needs.

Due to the close quarters and thin walls,

the sounds of everyday life travel throughout the building.

But Uchida feels that what nagaya lack in terms of privacy,

they more than make up for with charm,

the kind that you can't find in more modern housing units.

The walls are thin, and you can hear your neighbors walking up the stairs.

But really, what do we have to hide from each other?

Whether it's an argument, crying, or laughter,

I think it's OK for those sounds to leak out a little bit.

That's part of the charm of nagaya.

Today, close to 100 nagaya-style row houses remain in Kyojima.

Felicia stops to check out another.

I hear some kind of sounds.

Hey, is it a kind of factory?

This factory specializes in producing rubber car parts.

During the heyday of the local manufacturing industry in the latter 20th century,

there were over 400 small factories in this neighborhood.

Company president Abe Yoshiei founded the factory 50 years ago.

These row houses have thin walls.

Sound travels.

A factory like ours has machines running until around 8 p.m.

I imagine our neighbor can't hear their TV.

It's very noisy.

But Kyojima residents take it in stride.

We do try to be considerate, of course.

And we get along with our neighbors.

The people of Kyojima are understanding.

- Do you live in Kyojima?
- Yes. I was born in this area.

I see.

Many local factory owners live above their factories.

Traditionally, it was common for people to live and work in the same space.

That way of life persists in Kyojima.

Abe tells us that there's a nearby street that serves as a neighborhood hub,

so we decide to check it out.

It's a flower shop.

It's a shopping street!

This shopping street is at the heart of Kyojima life.

All in all, there are 76 stores along this area,

mostly selling daily necessities and food.

In particular, there are many vendors selling a variety of prepared dishes.

They've long been a mainstay for local factory workers

hungry for a bite at the end of a hard day's work.

Most of the sellers and their customers

have known each other since they were children.

This street is where they can come together and socialize.

Businesses began to set up shop here about a hundred years ago,

right around the time the nagaya row houses were built.

That makes this one of the oldest shopping streets that remain in Tokyo.

This family-run vegetable and fruit seller

has been in business for two generations.

Wanna try some?

- Yes please!
- OK!

Thank you!

So good!

It's so sweet!

Yamada Kozo is known for generously allowing customers to sample his fruit.

But he says business is not what it once was.

There used to be 13 vegetable and fruit sellers.

Now it's just us.

Everyone else closed up shop...

Due to competition from a nearby shopping mall

and a lack of shopkeeper successors,

the number of local businesses has shrunk to half of what it once was.

We meet with Owa Kazumichi,

a member of the local association that manages the shopping street.

This produce seller recently went out of business.

We don't know what will happen to this space.

Our hope is that a new shop moves in.

As shopkeepers get older and start thinking about closing up shop,

we come together and try to figure out a way to continue.

It's very difficult.

Once a store is replaced by housing, it's unlikely to ever go back.

The local character depends on these spaces.

One man is working to bring new life into them.

- Hello!
- Hello.

Goto Daiki works in local real estate.

This here is one unit of a nagaya that is a century old.

These historical buildings have become rare in Tokyo.

I'm working to repurpose these spaces as new businesses.

The unit next door has already been renovated and opened for business.

How wonderful!

This is a shop selling ceramics from a variety of artists.

This unit once housed a business that opened its doors a century ago.

See the mirrors on the wall?

Yes.

And beneath the mirror, there's a dresser.

This used to be a barbershop.

They've kept some of the barbershop's old implements

and incorporated them into the shop's decor.

We've kept elements that hint at what was originally here.

They connect us to the people who lived here in the past.

They're worth preserving.

Goto first came to Kyojima 16 years ago

to make a movie set in a neighborhood of nagaya.

But as he prepared for the shoot,

he began to see the issues surrounding the row houses.

There used to be a 4-unit nagaya here. It was recently torn down.

That's sad to hear.

Goto says that, over the past decade,

about 100 local nagaya have been demolished due to aging.

It's way more expensive to renovate than it is to rebuild.

Maintaining them is difficult.

Plus, some locals argue that the old buildings pose a danger.

I heard the word "negative legacy," which was a shock.

Sure, that's one way to look at it.

But I believe this local heritage can become a valuable asset.

Goto decided he was more interested in preserving nagaya

than he was in filmmaking.

So he started a real estate business.

He took on about 20 vacant row houses

scattered around the neighborhood and cleaned and fixed them up,

including making them earthquake-resistant.

The spaces are now being used in a variety of ways.

This one is tucked away along a narrow alleyway.

Please.

Look at this.

A lot of books everywhere.

So cozy, but what could it be?

This is a library.

A private-run library.

We also provide lodging here.

Interesting!

Staircase going up.

There is a little nook up here.

Wow, look at this.

The attic has been turned into a sleeping area.

What is this?

It's a perch.

I can sit?

OK, let's try.

OK. And we go out on the ledge.

It's so comfortable up here actually.

Goto says this space is popular among visitors

who come to Japan seeking immersive experiences.

Many opt for extended stays.

I feel like I'm in a treehouse reading a book.

We move on to another nagaya.

This one is located right next to a railway crossing.

Originally two separate housing units,

they tore down the wall between them

and turned the whole building into a share house.

There are four rooms here.

Each one is currently occupied.

Goto is particularly fond of the view from the living room window.

Look at that!

You have a close-up view.

What a scene!

Like a movie, or a painting.

The share house is home to a young group

of local workers and college students.

Thanks to nagaya repurposing projects like these,

Kyojima has begun to attract a younger demographic.

This community has an open feel that extends into our living room.

It's what makes Kyojima special.

Behind here is a dense cluster of wooden houses.

Lots of grandmas and grandpas.

We're the only young people, and they've really welcomed us.

Are you feeling well?

My body doesn't move like it used to.

Interactions like this are a part of everyday life in a nagaya.

This neighbor loves to chat.

You look younger, somehow.

Did you get a girlfriend?

There's no use trying to hide it!

Residents know that everyday interactions

are the foundation of a community that looks out for each other.

The older residents are eager to speak to young people.

And through these interactions you get to see the joy on their faces.

So I hope to keep building on that.

Goto offers to show us where he lives.

He resides with his family in a nagaya share house,

along with several other housemates.

This is his wife Yuri and daughter Milu.

Thanks to their housemate and little Milu's friends,

the shared living room is always filled with laughter.

Goto savors nagaya life,

and hopes to explore the possibilities these buildings offer

for many years to come.

Here in Kyojima, there's a recently completed building

that's the talk of the town.

Ah, it's beautiful.

It looks new, but it's definitely done in a traditional style.

This is a newly constructed nagaya row house.

It's owned by architect Kamita Kazuyo.

- What a wonderful building!
- Thank you.

When the old nagaya she was renting was torn down,

she had the idea to build a modern take on the traditional design.

- May I see inside?
- Be my guest!

Look at this spacious kitchen!

The first floor is a kitchen space

that is available to be rented out by the hour.

Local residents have been using it

as a place for socializing and hosting casual lunches and dinners.

The second floor has been turned into rental units.

Kamita wanted to keep the positive qualities of nagaya living,

while designing a structure that was disaster-resistant.

It's called "moeshiro" design.

You make the wooden structure 3 cm wider than necessary.

Even if that 3 cm layer burns,

if the fire doesn't penetrate, the building stays standing.

So these are really thick.

Densely packed wooden houses are a part of Kyojima's charm,

but they also pose a risk.

In a disaster, the buildings could collapse, and fires can quickly spread.

Kamita hopes that this will be the first of many disaster-resistant nagaya.

That would allow Kyojima to preserve its traditional atmosphere

while also making things safer for residents.

During a disaster,

if you know your elderly neighbor and where they sleep,

that could make a big difference.

My goal is to preserve the townscape and local way of life

while making the neighborhood safer.

I want residents to feel connected.

Nothing's safer than a community that looks out for each other.

Kyojima's architecture, history and community life

give us a glimpse into Tokyo's history, as well as an alternative perspective

on contemporary urban living in Japan,

highlighting how an urban area can successfully maintain

its traditional heritage while still being very much part

of the ever-changing landscape of Tokyo.