Why This Japanese City Banned Bright Colors

Bright Side
Bright Side
  • 3 months ago
Kyoto, a beautiful city in Japan, has banned bright colors to preserve its traditional charm. The city's rich history and ancient architecture are best complemented by muted tones that reflect its cultural heritage. By keeping buildings and signs in more subdued colors, Kyoto maintains a serene and classic atmosphere. This helps both locals and visitors feel like they're stepping back in time when they walk through the streets. It makes Kyoto very different from Japan's capital, Tokyo. Let's compare them! Credit:
CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0:
Kyoto, Japan: By Mike Steele - https://flic.kr/p/S8AdyK, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79008372
京都: By MIXTRIBE - https://flic.kr/p/9hewpn, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37893964
Kyoto Central Post Office: By そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76667995
Kyoto city hall: By Tomomarusan, GFDL, CC BY 2.5 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2120176
Asahi Beer and Sky Tree: By rsk - http://photozou.jp/photo/show/109820/52111310, CC BY 2.1 JP https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.1/jp/:, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26741273
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Transcript
00:00Hey there, quick question, what is the capital of Japan?
00:06If you said Tokyo, then you got it right!
00:10Tokyo is one of the most modern and colorful cities in Japan.
00:15But for over a thousand years, Kyoto occupied that place.
00:19Yeah, I know, the names are similar.
00:21But while Tokyo is the futuristic center of Japan, Kyoto is one of the most traditional
00:26and historical cities in Japan.
00:29It's known as Japan's cultural capital.
00:32Let's play a game of spot the difference.
00:34Here are two photos.
00:36The first one is from Tokyo, and the second one is from Kyoto.
00:40Can you tell what is the main difference between both?
00:44Hold that thought for one more second.
00:46Here are two more pictures.
00:47The first one is from Asakusa, a neighborhood in Tokyo, while the second one is from Kyoto.
00:53What would you say is the main difference here?
00:59You can probably guess where I'm headed.
01:01If you didn't figure it out, I'll spell it out for you.
01:04The main difference is in the colors.
01:07If you've ever had a chance to travel around a bit, you've probably noticed how cities
01:11have certain color themes.
01:13Like Rome is terracotta, and Paris varies in tones of gray and sepia.
01:19Looking at these images, one can see that Tokyo is bright, electric, and looks even
01:24a bit chaotic.
01:25And Kyoto is monochromatic and gives the impression of being calmer and more peaceful.
01:30It's fascinating to see that what causes this distinction between both cities has to
01:36do with a certain landscape law.
01:39You see, in 2007, Kyoto passed a new law prohibiting colorful street signs.
01:45The law also wanted to standardize overall constructions to make the city look more homogenous.
01:51Since Kyoto was Japan's capital city for such an extended period of time, it was built
01:57using traditional feng shui architecture and principles.
02:00That's why so many of the buildings have that traditional Asian shape to them – the
02:04one with the curvy ceiling, like you see in the Mulan movie.
02:09Sure, this style is very far from what modern architects are doing today.
02:15If you take a look at Tokyo, you'd see glass skyscrapers rather than these old buildings.
02:20That's all part of a bigger plan set in motion by something called the Miyako Landscape
02:25Guidelines.
02:27The municipality's main argument to pass the law was that Kyoto was losing its unique
02:32landscape due to Japan's modernization.
02:36If Kyoto were to follow in Japan's footsteps and build humongous skyscrapers, citizens
02:42would lose their view of the three mountains that surround the city.
02:46And let's face it, nobody would want that to happen.
02:49Plus, it's nice that you can go to different cities in Japan and notice that they are unique
02:55in their own way.
02:56If the landscape law was to be effective in all of Japan, we wouldn't get to see architectural
03:01marvels such as the Tokyo Skytree and the Asahi Flame Building.
03:09Take a look at the Akihabara district in Tokyo.
03:12It is known as one of Japan's most modern neighborhoods.
03:16It's filled with top-notch technology at every corner.
03:20And yes, it's also filled with signs everywhere.
03:23If we compare it with Kyoto after the passing of the new law, the first thing that would
03:28have to go are the rooftop signs.
03:30Oh, and flashing and moving lights are also illegal there now.
03:35This Kyoto Starbucks also illustrates what I'm talking about.
03:39If you were strolling along the bucolic streets of Kyoto's countryside, searching for a
03:44place to get a cappuccino, you'd miss this coffee shop completely.
03:49I think we can agree that the traditional Starbucks logo was made to call attention,
03:53with that crowned siren-like creature supported by a very green background.
03:58In other places in Japan, it still looks like this.
04:02But in Kyoto, the brand went above and beyond to respect the new guidelines and produced
04:07this beautiful wooden logo, and a little plaque that says, this building has lattes.
04:13Yes, indeed.
04:16There are multiple examples like this.
04:19In Kyoto, the 7-Eleven doesn't have its traditional red, orange, and green stripes.
04:25Its logo was changed to black and white.
04:27You can think that's dull, but I think we can agree to disagree.
04:32It looks perfect when you look at its surroundings.
04:34Oh, and what about McDonald's, the world's most famous burger franchise?
04:39It kept its yellow logo, but took the red out of the background.
04:44In terms of the color palette allowed, the law uses the Munsell color system to determine
04:49which chroma levels are acceptable.
04:52Usually the faded version of strong colors, like red, black, green, and so on, are accepted.
04:58Now imagine if they adopted a Wes Anderson palette.
05:02It would look like a Toy City, that's for sure!
05:07At first, vendors and shopkeepers felt disturbed by the new law.
05:11They didn't understand why they had to change their branding for the sake of some aesthetic
05:15the city was trying to preserve.
05:18But with time, they not only came to terms with the new law, but could already see the
05:23benefits of it for their brand's success.
05:25You see, this helped turn Kyoto into an even bigger tourist attraction.
05:31Tourists felt like they were traveling in time, sort of.
05:34Some tourists even liked to dress up in traditional kimonos and walk around like geishas.
05:39The municipality also began an awards system to compensate the shops and brands that had
05:45done their homework well.
05:47Of course, the camouflaged Starbucks won an award back in 2018, as did Sagawa, a major
05:53delivery company in Japan, back in 2012.
05:57It's not only shops that needed to adjust to the new guidelines.
06:01Places such as vending machines and post offices also needed to be toned down.
06:06Again, the idea is to make the city more visually coherent.
06:10And they sure help!
06:14Now what happens if you don't follow the rules?
06:17Well, the people who chose to ignore the landscape law can spend up to one year in jail or pay
06:23a huge fine.
06:25We can also compare the differences inside Kyoto itself.
06:30Around the city center, the landscape law is less strict, so you'll find taller buildings
06:35and even bigger and more colorful signs.
06:38But as you leave the center and move towards smaller cities in the countryside, the law
06:42is much more strict.
06:44It's especially strict around the UNESCO heritage sites.
06:48In case you're not aware, there are 17 heritage sites in Kyoto.
06:52Yep, that's a lot.
06:54But that's what makes Kyoto so unique.
06:57Now welcome to the neighborhood of Pantolcho.
07:00This neighborhood is a good example of how the landscape law changed the city's mood
07:05over the years.
07:06Pantolcho is a cute alleyway in Kyoto that spans over several blocks.
07:11If you look at this Google Street image from 2009 and this one from 2023, you'll see clear
07:18differences.
07:19For starters, the huge sign at the entrance of the alleyway is gone.
07:23And so are the wires hanging from the tops of the shops.
07:27The pavement was redone, and the big store signs disappeared.
07:31It's much cleaner.
07:32At night, the alleyway turned into the perfect spot for atmospheric dining, since its legislation
07:38decided to rule over the type of lighting allowed in the neighborhood.
07:42This is what it looks like at nighttime.
07:44Hey, you fancy grabbing some sushi, hmm?
07:49I can't help thinking that this landscape law contributed a lot to Japan's minimalist
07:54architecture.
07:55Although images like these ones in Tokyo are far from the idea we have of this minimalist
08:01aesthetic, Kyoto falls right into place with it.
08:05How about we take a quick look inside one of these establishments?
08:09The Starbucks we mentioned earlier also invested in turning its interior design local.
08:14It's the first-ever Starbucks where you can drink tea on a tatami floor.
08:19You can sit cross-legged, like many Japanese people do, and enjoy a delicious hot beverage.
08:25I must say I quite like the new Kyoto.
08:28How about you?
08:30That's it for today, so hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like
08:35and share it with your friends!
08:37Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!