Tokyo riverside project in Nihonbashi

People used to have devotional emotions on water, and the faiths on water had grown: not only in Japan and other Asian countries, which had the culture to coexist with the nature, but also in the West, such as ancient Greece and Roma, people had the belief related to water. Water had not only been indispensable for drinking, agricultures and fishery industries, but also played a critical role in distributions and commercial activities by ship. Furthermore, water had created places for recreation, entertainment and cultural activities such as theatrical performances and festivals. Even when the Industrial Revolution took place and the modern age came, the waterfront was not immediately removed from people. Urban civilizations were still highly dependent on the coexistence with water. During the beginning of the modern age, beautiful architectures were constructed, and the landscapes were exquisitely arranged by the bridges over the rivers all over the world. However, in some countries and regions, the significances of the waterfronts have gradually faded away, thus, the rivers have been considered as useless and dirty spaces. No other country has lost precious waterfront spaces than Japan during the process of modernization. After the war, especially during the high economic growth period in the 1960s, the waterfront, which was the main elements for the beautiful landscape in the cities and regions, has been lost around the country in order to promote the industrial development and achieve the economic development. The highway was built above the rivers, the inhospitable rivers surrounded by the high embankments have increased, industrial port zones have widened... Now, this is the period to consider the importance of water and environment. This thesis will research the histrical importance and the current situation of water in Tokyo and the Tokyo’s most controvertial district Nihonbashi and pursue the possibility to regain an intimate relationship with water and nature, which the human society has hurt by the giant technology and economic rationality. It is expected to revive the space along the water, as a place of life and culture which is open to the public.