Journal Article

Religious Facilities in Japanese Public Urban Planning: A Case Study of Tama New Town

Takahara, Yu

2026

Overview

This study investigates the underexamined role of religious facilities in Japanese public urban planning through a case study of Tama New Town (Tama NT), one of Japan's largest postwar residential developments. While it is commonly assumed that religious facilities are excluded from public planning due to Japan's constitutional separation of religion and state, this study reveals that planners in Tama NT actively considered their inclusion. Through analysis of planning documents, interviews, and spatial configurations, the study identifies two key approaches: the initial attempt to designate plots for new religious facilities within the constraints of the separation principle and the strict land use regulations governing NT development, and the strategic incorporation of existing religious sites into the urban fabric. Although legal and political constraints ultimately prevented the formal establishment of new religious facilities, existing ones were reinterpreted as cultural assets, green space resources, and symbols of local identity. These findings challenge conventional views on secular urban governance and demonstrate a pragmatic, context‐sensitive approach to integrating religious facilities as part of community infrastructure and cultural heritage.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subject: Constraints / Cultural resources / Infrastructure / Land use / Noncompliance / Religion / Residential development / Separation / Urban development / Urban planning