[You know, I like architectural structures. Like, when I go to a friend’s house, I like to look at the rooms, too. You know how after some years, there’s a reform or a boom? I like observing the products of those reforms, too. Oh, and I like comparing the interiors of, say, a clothing store and a grocery store, too.]

– Do you think you’d like to try producing these things yourself?
[I’d like to give it a try. But I’m sure no one would let me. Getting a store of my own would be tough, but if it means the interior would be entirely up to me, I definitely want to try.]

– But, regarding architecture, I often hear it said that Tokyo’s buildings aren’t so great.
[Ah. Buildings are what makes a city, though. And of course the roads, streets. Aren’t the streets so tiny? Tokyo’s streets, well, Japan’s streets are narrow. Originally, it seemed like Japan was going to cast off all the old stuff and put in new stuff in a hurry, and it looked like that would be cheaper. When they had to repair things because of earthquakes or air raids, they could’ve gone on to make the streets wider. But since they didn’t go about it systematically in the past, now we’re stuck going around in circles.]

– These days, they reopen all sorts of places, renaming Roppongi or Shiodome (1) for instance, but do you get the impression that they’ve only glossed them over?
[No, I think those are good developments, myself. However, it’s not the nation that directed their construction, though. It was all done by private companies. It makes me wonder if the country couldn’t do a little more. In places like California, there’s a law saying houses have to be properly maintained, isn’t there? If you don’t maintain your garden and weeds get out of control, there are penalties. And then, in European countries, for instance, you can’t build your house any way you want, it seems they’ve decided you can only build houses that are in harmony with the ones around it, but in Japan the atmosphere is more like if it’s your land, you can build anything you want on it. I think the residents should make an effort to get them to pass a law or by-law that would prevent the scenery from getting ruined.]

– The scenery of the city as a whole should be a concern, then.
[Yeah. In London, too, there’s a limit placed on billboards and neons in certain parts, right? Like around London’s Piccadilly Circus. And in the neighbourhood right around Times Square in New York. There aren’t many others, though. But in Tokyo, they’re everywhere. Furthermore, some of these things make me doubt their senses. In terms of design. Still, there certainly are quite a few buildings designed by Japanese architects that are designed well. But, I can tell that any building other than those is just built at random. Looking around the world, I think there are some incredibly well-designed buildings, so I think it’s a shame.]

– Can you think of an example of a building that struck you as cool, lately? One with architecture that you think should be the new standard for Japan.
[Out of the buildings in Japan? Roppongi Hills, maybe (2). That took quite a bit of money to build, didn’t it? It was done by a French designer, but it’s still cool. And then, even though it’s old, I get a good feeling from the Shinjuku Shintoshin (3). Aren’t the buildings in Shiodome kinda cheap-looking? I’ve never been there though. I only drove around it, but the surroundings had a cheap sort of feeling. It sorta feels fake. But, the most fake looking one of all is Yoyogi’s NTT Docomo building (4). When I looked at that thing, I kinda flipped (laughs). At first, I was looking forward to it, wondering if they’d be able to mix the Empire State building and the Chrysler building, wondering when they’d finish, but then “Eh? It’s finished?” “It’s only temporary right?!” (laughs) It’s kind of embarrassing.]

– What else do you think makes a cool metropolitan area, and do you have an opinion on the streets themselves?
[I like pretty streets lined with trees. Like Omotesandou or Purachina Dori(5). Cities with green spaces are nice. Compared to any other major world metropolis, Tokyo has extremely few of them. So, they should open up the Imperial Palace (6) (laughs), and have it be like New York’s Central Park. If we did that, we’d be up to world standards. Oh, and these days, you hear a lot about rooftop gardens, but wouldn’t it be nice if they stepped it up a little?]

– So then, tetsu-san, if you had the chance to fix up the design of Tokyo, what would you do?
[Remake it from scratch? If I was starting from scratch, I’d make it look like a Go board (7). Like New York’s Manhattan. It would be a Go board with wide streets. And then the building coverage, the floor area ratio would be lower. Build things upwards, higher. Cause, I like tall buildings (laughs).]

– Which is your favourite tall building in the world?
[That would be New York’s Chrysler building.]

– What is it about tall buildings that you find so captivating?
[What do I like about them? It’s kind of a mentality predictor, since tall buildings are a status symbol, so there’s something admirable about them. Also, I like chairs, too, and I’ve been told it’s the same principle. It’s a trend present in my mentality.]

– An admiration of status, an admiration of power.
[Don’t I sound horrible, just from hearing that? But that’s definitely all at a subconscious level (laughs).]

– Interviewer : Kikuchi Keisuke
Translated by Natalie Arnold

1. Modern Tokyo boasts certain “cities within the city” that are newly redeveloped districts. Roppongi and Shidome are two well known examples of this development.Go back.

2. Roppongi Hills is one of those “cities within the city” mentioned earlier. It is a complex of buildings all united as one structure.Go back.

3. More properly “City Tower Shinjuku Shintoshin”, it is a 37-story skyscraper in the heart of Shinjuku, a ward of Tokyo.Go back.

4. NTT Docomo is a cellular company. Their Yoyogi building is a skyscraper made to look like a merging of New York’s Chrysler building and Empire State building. There is also a clock at the peak of the building.Go back.

5. Omotesandou is a long street in Harajuku mostly lined with cafes and upscale fashion boutiques. Purachina Dori, meaning Platinum Road, is located in Tokyo’s Minato ward and is home to the same type of shops as the Omotesandou.Go back.

6. The Imperial Palace in Tokyo is the home of the Emperor and his family, but it and it’s gardens are not accessible to the public except on two days of the year, namely New Year’s Day and the Emperor’s birthday.Go back.

7. Go is originally a Chinese board game that is now popular throughout Asia and increasingly elsewhere. The board is flat with lines painted on to form rows and columns of squares.Go back.