Tokyo’s waterfront has a new gesture of movement and light. Reimei Kobashi, the pedestrian bridge linking Kachidoki Station with Harumi 3-chome, is more than a piece of infrastructure — it’s a sculptural response to the rhythms of the Asashio Canal.
The bridge’s continuous white form arcs softly across the water, its geometry shifting in subtle undulations that recall waves rolling toward shore. Shadows ripple across the canal, extending the design into the landscape and creating the illusion of water folding over itself. For those crossing, the experience is kinetic – a single fluid motion expressed through three-dimensional transitions.
A Gesture of Light and Flow
At night, the bridge becomes a canvas for light. A programmed system shifts colors with the seasons and even the days of the week, animating the rippled structure with changing rhythms. The result is a nightly spectacle — a waterfront that feels alive, its atmosphere renewed with each variation.
Behind the elegance lies precision. The 425-square-meter structure was delivered by Hoshino Architects Inc. as Master Design Architect, with Shimizu Corporation as contractor and Izumi Okayasu Lighting Design Office shaping the illumination strategy.
Commissioned by the Kachidoki East District Urban Redevelopment Association, the project reflects Tokyo’s ongoing transformation of its waterfront into a place of residence, leisure, and cultural identity.
For Hoshino Architects, founded by Hiroaki Hoshino in 2012, Reimei Kobashi embodies a philosophy of layering light, color, and landscape to amplify the character of place. With experience spanning London, Dubai, and Asia, Hoshino’s practice continues to explore how infrastructure can be more than functional — how it can invite people to rediscover their surroundings and engage with the city’s atmosphere in new ways.