Japan Uniqueness

In Japan Uniqueness we utilize street view imagery and a landmark-free framework to analyze how different visual patterns build up the unique characteristics of cities. Here we focus on the six most visited Japanese cities and found that eight representative visual clusters explain each city's visual identity and relative distinctiveness.

Our research demonstrates how artificial intelligence applied to visual data can reveal subtle differences in urban environments. In the era of growing globalization, the cultivation of a city's unique visual characteristics can help avoid the homogenization of urban landscapes, and stimulate the development of placemaking strategies.