The city of Tōkyō is often described using superlatives. Enormous, endless, chaotic, random and so on. But embedded in this sprawling urban conglomeration are countless small spaces that are loved and protected by residents and visitors alike. One of those small-scale and human- sized urban spaces is Shimokitazawa in Setagaya ward, where urban redevelopment was initiated by placing the train tracks of the Odakyū railway line underground. This project was accompanied by new and wide roads, a new station building and the destruction of the old market in front of the former station, provoking long-lasting opposition from citizens throughthe means of symposiums, cultural activities and even litigation.

After more than ten years of struggle, construction progresses. The new station building opened in March 2019 and plans for the space above the railway line were made public. Involvement of citizens has considerably shaped some parts of the further development of the station area, most significantly by stopping the planned 26-meter-wide road that threatened to cut the area in two. But change is imminent: the distinctive station market is gone, and a bus rotary will be built in its place. Shimokitazawa continues to evolve. What are the characteristics of the area and how will they be affected by ongoing urban redevelopment?

In this paper I will present my fieldwork and interviews with activists, locals and visitors who paint a multi-layered picture of the area while trying to answer the old question, which kind of city is appropriate for whom.