Showing posts with label regional development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label regional development. Show all posts

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Robotics Tsukuba and Regional Innovation


Robotics Tsukuba is a city initiative that integrates with national and prefectural initiatives and, I think, is at the forefront nationally in promoting local innovation. Please see the Robotics Tsukuba pamphlet at http://www.slideshare.net/AlanEngel/robotics-tsukuba.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

The rusted shutters of Edosaki - a forgotten layer of a society that changes in layers

A cycle ride through Ryugasaki and Edosaki on Sunday helped me structure a set of observations that had been puzzling me.

Old Ryugasaki and Edosaki are towns located on edges of rice paddy plains. Edosaki was the transhipment point for rice being transported between the Onogawa River valley to Edo. The rice moved from there onto Kasumigaseki, up the New Tone River (built 1661-1666, not to be confused with the current Tone River), then down Edo River to its destination. Ryugasaki similarly controls the north bank of the Tone River near the mouth of Kokai River. Above both towns is the Tsukuba plateau with its science city, expressways, railways, "new towns" and shopping centers.