IN-PERSON Barcelona Livable Cities. Section A

Abstract

The research focuses on Toyama City, a leading example of compact city policies in Japanese regional cities where car dependency remains deeply rooted in citizen behaviour. Following initiatives such as introducing the LRT system and public squares, Toyama launched the “Toho-katsu (walking-activation)” application in 2019. This app aims to increase the average walking distance of residents by awarding points for activities such as walking, using public transportation, and participating in local events. Recognized with domestic design awards, the app may have attracted registrations primarily from health-conscious individuals and active ones who use the app’s information to engage in local activities. The approximately 5% of citizens registered with the app are considered innovators or early adopters of a new walking-oriented lifestyle. Understanding the characteristics of them is crucial for the broader dissemination of this social movement.
The research objectives are to reaffirm the significance of compact city policies and to identify barriers, in other words, “chasms” for shifting to new lifestyles and strategies for overcoming them by investigating the behavioural patterns of continuous app users. Specifically, the research conducted a time-series analysis of users’ average steps and a cluster analysis based on the stability of walking trends. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was conducted for each identified group to explore internal factors and preferences for urban amenities. This approach examined 1) the increase in app users’ walking distance compared to average citizens, 2) classifications of their walking styles and 3) the internal factors and urban amenities to promote walking.