-----Original Message-----
From: ffml-bounce@fanfic.com [mailto:ffml-bounce@fanfic.com]On Behalf Of
Ace Sanchez
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 1999 1:49 PM

I've copied this to the FFML because I feel it may be of general
interest.

What I'd like to know, is that in the 'main' part of Tokyo, is it kind of
like filled with sky-scrapers and tall buildings and stuff? You know, like a
city like New York city or something where you see massive buildings
everywhere and lots of roads and cars on the bottom.

Well, yes and no.

The "cenral" part of Tokyo (i.e. the main city near the bay) is a 
sea of medium-size buildings, most no more than 10 stories high.
(Well, there's the usual height variations, of course.)  There is a
collection of tall buildings in Shinjuku, and in other inner-city
areas, but the 50-story government twin towers in West Shinjuku
are considered a miracle of engineering.  Most "tall" buildings in 
Tokyo are less than 25 stories.

Why?

Earthquakes, my boy, earthquakes.  We get wet; the Japanese get shaken.
Regularly.  At force 6.5 and above at least once a year.

I was in Tokyo last year and took the "limousine" bus in from Narita
into the city; in fact, the hotel it took me to was within walking 
distance of the palace.  (Well, the back of the palace grounds, anyway.)
This is right in the middle of town.

Anyway, we were driving along the top level of the *3-level* elevated
roadway, and I remember looking down on a sea of rooftops.  These were
6-story buildings!  Jesus!  But there were relatively few buildings 
taller than my eye level; they were not unusual but I could see the
roofs of most buildings.

Nerima, which has the highest population of all Tokyo, I would 
imagine has a more-or-less constant height of 3-5 stories except for
areas of detached residential homes and taller apartment towers.  I'm
sorry but I've never been there, but from Greg Sandborn's photos it
looks to be a standard suburban area.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

In terms of the general Urban layout, Tokyo goes something like this:

      ..........
     ............==========#######
    ............==========#N##########/
   ............========##############/
  ............========##########*###/
  ..........=========##############|    TOKYO BAY
       ......==========############|
          ......=============#####/

The legend is . is low density, "=" is medium density (the Burbs),
and # is the city itself.  N indicates Nerima, and * is the palace
or Tokyo Tower, take your pick.  The dense conurbation continues
down the bay to Yokohama etc.

Why the odd shape?  Well, firstly, it's on a bay, and secondly,
Japan is a pretty hilly place.

By the way, for those interested, I was looking at my street atlas
of Tokyo last night and could find no locality named "Juuban".
It appears to be imaginary.  I admit I didn't fully translate all
the -ku (city) names, but none of them appeared they could be "Juuban"
either.  (I lost patience, I admit; my knowledge of Kanji is pretty
poor.)

--
David Eddy - Senior Consultant, Progress Software Melbourne
dje@progress.com

Screening Coordinator and Subbing Bunny, Melbourne Anime Society
My home page is at http://nabiki.newberry.edu/DEddy