First name: Victoria
Last name: Lu
Class Year: 2025
Advisor: Fabian Drixler
Essay Abstract:
Tokyo’s governance of urban green spaces is transitioning from historical top-down models towards hybrid governance frameworks that incorporate government leadership, private and nonprofit partnerships, and citizen stewardship. This paper analyzes this evolution, examining policy shifts, the work of nonprofit intermediaries, private sector contributions, and grassroots community action. Analyzing these tiers and a case study of Shibuya’s Sasahatahatsu neighborhood reveals that while Tokyo successfully blends government and guided participation, deeper, formalized citizen stewardship is needed for truly inclusive and sustainable parks. Key findings indicate that strengthening citizen involvement requires sustained support for intermediaries, enhanced educational initiatives, leveraging existing social values and local associations (chōnaikai), and establishing clearer pathways for community input in decision-making. Tokyo’s experience offers lessons for other cities balancing urbanization pressures with the need for resilient, community-managed green infrastructure.