# Tokyo proves that futuristic megaprojects can still feel human

By [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com) · 2026-06-29

monocle, vancouver, tokyo, liveable, quality-of-life, takanawa-gateway-city, urbanism, cities, japan, public-space, foot-bath, development, transit-oriented-development, rail-oriented-development, rail, mobility, autonomous-vehicles

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It's that time of year again. Monocle just released its [annual survey of the most liveable cities in the world](https://monocle.com/affairs/urbanism/qol/quality-of-life-2026-most-liveable-cities/).

If you're a regular follower of the magazine and/or its quality-of-life survey, you'll know that North American cities don't generally fare well in this ranking. This year, the only one to appear is Vancouver. You'll also know that there are some usual suspects that appear near the top (here comes the spoiler). This year's top city is Tokyo.

One of its standout features, yet again, is its liveability and orderliness despite being one of the largest urban regions in the world. But there's also talk about some of its grandiose city-building initiatives, one of which includes the new [Takanawa Gateway City](https://www.takanawagateway-city.com/en/).

The 13-hectare (32-acre) development is a transformation of a former rail yard in south Tokyo into what is being called a futuristic "global gateway." The megaproject includes retail, office, hotel, residential, and cultural uses, plus a 1.1-kilometre elevated pedestrian promenade that stitches it all together.

There are also autonomous mobility devices called "iino" that actively roam the district and offer pedestrians free, futuristic rides. [Here's a video](https://youtu.be/duPLBl9dFpk?si=l9NdnMTgKlSK_Ktu) and an image from [JapanStation](https://www.japanstation.com/self-driving-hydrogen-powered-vehicles-at-takanawa-gateway-city/):

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/d2274451993ddd95c99108e4322d9fbaaa839adb731d8be333ec8cd2b73897f1.jpg)

We talk a lot on this blog about Tokyo's granular, small-scale urbanism. But obviously the city also builds big, though it's not exactly what you'd find in other cities. For one thing, the development is vertical in a way that is difficult to achieve outside of cities like Tokyo.

Here's a comprehensive [walking tour of the district](https://youtu.be/tVmqcqgfZ0Q?si=r0INUi1_VECcAIpU). At 42:02, you'll see a rooftop public space that is extremely well used, especially given that the development only recently opened. I also find it remarkable that so many people in the video have taken their shoes off to use the free, [public foot bath](https://jw-webmagazine.com/tips/mon-takanawa-the-museum-of-narratives-one-of-the-worlds-most-beautiful-museums-just-weeks-after-opening/#:~:text=Climb%20up%20to%20the%206th,changing%20seasons%20—%20soothing%20and%20restorative.).

Could you imagine doing that in your city? It's perhaps a perfect example of how Tokyo miraculously pulls off being both big and liveable.

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_Cover photo by_ [_Tsuyoshi Kozu_](https://unsplash.com/@tsuyoshikozu?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) _on_ [_Unsplash_](https://unsplash.com/photos/aerial-view-of-a-dense-city-with-buildings-and-roads-PBvEdaeHIew?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)

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*Originally published on [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com/tokyo-proves-that-futuristic-megaprojects-can-still-feel-human)*