Street Play in the Revitalization of Low-Birthrate Communities

Playborhood Street Tokyo

Abstract

By the year 2060 it is estimated that there will be ratio of 10.03 adults to every child aged 0 to 14 in Japan, a figure that raises questions about the place of children in society. The Playborhood Street Tokyo Project (“Street Play”), presented here as a photo essay, explores how street play can create a framework for informal communication between generations and neighbors. The playful encounters described suggest that play is powerful enough to connect children and adults, and that a street is the best place for the casual meeting of neighbors through play. Tokyo Play hopes that street play will become the standard for healthy communities across Japan.