This audio is generated by AI, so pronunciation and expressions may not be fully accurate. The narration is only in English.
Ueda Taichi began his career directing television documentaries. Immersed in music, film, and other cultural worlds as a young person, he chose that path because he wanted to "turn the things I loved into my work." After spending about ten years in that role, however, he reached a turning point—one that led him to shift his creative focus from telling stories on screen to shaping real-world spaces where expression could unfold.
"Once the internet and social media became widespread and information was no longer confined to television, I began to feel it was a waste to keep expression locked inside that medium," Ueda says. "I was also frustrated that I could not see the viewers behind those big ratings numbers—the people who were supposedly out there watching. I wanted to be in a place I could actually touch, where I could witness the very moment relationships take shape. As I joined music festivals and outdoor events and felt the energy in those spaces—and as I organized events with friends in architecture and design—my career naturally shifted toward creating real-world places."
Building on this realization, he went on to co-found Welcome Todo, LLC, with an acquaintance, a company that engages in place-making across architecture, design, and editorial work. Today, the center of his activities is the Gakugeikai, a general incorporated association established as part of the station-overpass renewal project as a framework for town-building.
Today, the Gakugeikai operates the coworking spaces and ateliers inside GAKUDAI COLLECTIV, a mixed-use community hub, and also edits and publishes a local magazine and plans events around the area. Beyond simply running facilities, it creates opportunities for the many creative residents living near Gakugei-daigaku Station to engage with the neighborhood and put their skills to use for the place they call home.
Ueda's connection to the Gakugei-daigaku Station area began when he based his company there. One of his early initiatives was Rojiura Bunka Kaikan (back alley culture hall) C/NE, which he launched around 2018 by turning the first floor of the office into a privately run community center. With no fixed purpose assigned to it, the space served as a community hub that anyone could use.
Ueda explains that C/NE became "a place that empowered people who were trying to express themselves somewhere that was neither home nor work—such as those who rented the space to start a curry pop-up. From there, those activities gradually spread into the neighborhood, and a loose community began to take shape, including collaborations like launching CHI-FO Taiwanese food stalls, which offered the atmosphere of a night market in Taiwan."
As C/NE and CHI-FO continued to grow, COUNTER BOOKS emerged as part of the station-overpass renewal project. It offers a unique setting where books, food, and culture intersect, with about 2,300 titles lining its shelves. The selection is curated around the themes of "eating, living, working, questioning, and creating," and roughly one-third of the collection turns over each month.
Ueda notes that although many creators in their thirties and forties live around Gakugei-daigaku Station, the area lacked a new-book bookstore that could truly inspire them. Because a bookstore on its own has thin margins and is difficult to sustain, he and his team drew on their strengths in planning and food service and decided, "If running a bookstore alone is hard, then we will combine different elements and do it ourselves." He says they envisioned a place that would serve as an information counter for the neighborhood—a spot where people could encounter books casually, spark conversations through those books, and enjoy street foods from around the world, all in one setting.
One year after opening, COUNTER BOOKS has seen a steady rise in regular customers, along with a clear increase in visitors from overseas. Now firmly rooted in the neighborhood, the bookstore has become a place where people can experience the appeal of the Gakugei-daigaku Station area—from the fun of wandering through back alleys in search of independent shops to the streetscape where old and new mingle, as well as its English-language book clubs and craft-focused markets.
Named one of the "Coolest Neighborhoods in the World" in Time Out's 2024 rankings, Gakugeidaigaku is a place Ueda describes as "new yet nostalgic."
As Ueda puts it, "Although this area is only about ten minutes by train from Shibuya, it holds a rare position as a place that feels 'local despite being in Tokyo,' with its nostalgic streetscape and strong neighborhood ties still very much intact. What makes it especially appealing is that, because there is no bus rotary, the shopping streets connect directly to the station, creating a truly walkable environment. Instead of being designed around cars, the neighborhood is built at a human scale that encourages people to get around on foot—making encounters with others far more likely as you walk."
The neighborhood is full of lively independent shops, with chain stores adding comfort and convenience to everyday life. At the same time, it offers plenty of cultural touchpoints, from bookstores to record shops. Ueda says this balance—"a neighborhood with a good mix of local life and culture"—is its greatest appeal. He adds that one of Gakugeidaigaku's real pleasures is its blend of old and new, where long-established shops stand alongside newer places like COUNTER BOOKS.
In general, in redevelopment areas where rents rise sharply, national chains tend to move in, often resulting in the emergence of similar kinds of facilities. By contrast, the renewal project beneath the elevated tracks at Gakugei-daigaku Station sets itself apart from that tendency.
Speaking about the project, Ueda says his team set out to avoid the kind of redevelopment that produces identical, cookie-cutter facilities wherever it is carried out. He notes that this area has many residents and local shop owners with a deep attachment to the neighborhood. That is why, starting roughly three years before construction began, the team listened to people throughout the community and focused on the idea of "new changes that build on Gakugeidaigaku's existing context."
What people living in this neighborhood have especially welcomed is the realization of the aim put forward by the station-overpass renewal project: creating "a neighborhood you can enjoy from morning to night."
Commenting on recent changes, Ueda notes that after the pandemic, the area had become known for its lively nighttime scene, with an increasing number of bars and eateries opening. To bring balance, he says, the team intentionally attracted businesses people could enjoy during the day—such as a deli, a florist, a bookstore, a sandwich shop, and a bakery—into the space beneath the elevated tracks. As a result, daytime activity has clearly grown, with people now spending unhurried weekend afternoons relaxing on the outdoor seating. Ueda adds that many residents have told them they are glad to have "more ways to spend their days and more choices in their lifestyle."
Regarding how Ueda hopes to engage with the Gakugeidaigaku area going forward, he is focusing on the wide range of professional backgrounds among the people who live here.
He continues, "There are artisans, chefs, musicians, editors, and many others living in this area, and their professional backgrounds are truly diverse. What matters to me is how we can pass their knowledge and ways of life on to the next generation. For example, I'd like to create educational content such as a 'Gakugeidaigaku Guide to Local Occupations.' I hope to develop initiatives rooted in this neighborhood that help convey to younger generations—not only in schools but also in the community—that there are many different ways to live and work beyond getting into a good university and joining a major corporation."
Ueda also speaks about the broader appeal of Tokyo, drawing on his experience in the Gakugeidaigaku area.
He observes that the more he travels abroad, the more he recognizes how remarkable Tokyo is—not only because of major districts such as Shibuya and Shinjuku, but also because of the countless vibrant mid-scale neighborhoods clustered around central Tokyo. He points out that Tokyo has countless districts where people and activity are densely concentrated, which he sees as a feature not found in other major cities and one of the city's defining strengths.
He adds that it is precisely the sheer number of these mid-scale neighborhoods that creates the abundance of choices in Tokyo and, in turn, creates the city's diversity.
Ueda goes on to note that Tokyo offers a wide range of possibilities that shift with changes in a person's life stage, values, and interests. Rather than presenting a single predetermined path, the city provides an abundance of options. This openness—extending to its many communities—is remarkable, creating an environment where people can find the community or layer that genuinely suits them.
