>[!abstract] >Zakkyo buildings are basically vertical strip-malls for urban pedestrians ([[Smith, 2024]]). >[!quote] >In a tall, narrow zakkyo building, each floor can potentially hold multiple microbusinesses, collectively giving Tokyo a rich vertical dimension beyond mere high-rise offices and residences… Zakkyo buildings often appear in train station commercial districts, where land prices are high but potential customers are numerous… Whereas in most cities around the world a building's commercial uses are located on its ground floors along the street, zakkyo buildings accommodate commercial functions vertically on all levels. Entering the upper floors of a zakkyo building, one might find a restaurant, an internet café, a health clinic, a hostess club, and a language school all in the same building, without any particular hierarchy or organizing principle… A single narrow zakkyo building can sometimes host as many as 80 distinct microbusinesses ([[McReynolds, 2022]]). >[!note] >I love the zakkyo design of Tokyo. Going out in the city feels like going on a treasure hunt, in which every nook and cranny has a unique and low-footfall experience to offer. By contrast, I dislike the emptiness and lifelessness of typical downtown buildings after office hours in most other capital cities; it feels hostile and cold.