Programmed Nihonbashi

Cities, lifestyles, mobility in 20 years... How can we make the future we envision a reality? This time, we bring you a story that offers some clues.

An unprecedented press conference by a certain museum began. Everyone was stunned by the words spoken by the curator.

"The entire city of Nihonbashi was programmed."

Recently discovered documents revealed that, in the late Edo period, the shogunate already employed its own system engineers who had programmed the town of Nihonbashi.

Through this programming, the shogunate ensured shops they wished to preserve for posterity could operate as long-established businesses in the present day. They also programmed Nihonbashi to forever flourish as Japan's central hub.

Finally, a reporter asked:

"The Metropolitan Expressway running over Nihonbashi. Was that landscape also programmed?"

The curator replied nonchalantly.

"That's just a bug."

The Future of 2040 ~ "Concept" as "Programming"

Continuing from last time, we present another short story themed around "VISION DESIGN."

While this story is purely fictional, the future may indeed see the creation of truly programmed cities. Once we can predict human behavior to some extent (forecast the future), we can simulate how an entire city might evolve.

If we could build it with incredible fidelity, it might be possible to first construct and simulate future Tokyo in a parallel world on a server, then use that to reconstruct modern Tokyo.

That said, reproducing every action 100% accurately is difficult with current technology. So, how can we truly write programs to construct the future?

Let's dig a little into the word "program." The etymology of the word "program." According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, it breaks down into "pro-" (before) and "graphein" (to write), meaning "something written beforehand." That's exactly what a "program" is.

I've been exposed to programming languages since elementary school and enjoy programming. One reason for this enjoyment is the idea of "creating the future." What is written in advance is faithfully reproduced by the computer. In other words, words are creating the future. In a sense, programs possess a power to construct the future that is stronger than mere prediction.

Looking back at history, words have often changed the future. Whether it was a warlord's words to inspire his troops or words as rules for governing a country. How a single word is handled can change the future.

I believe a "concept" is a very short program (words) written for the future. A "concept" as a "program." Creating a concept when starting a project is crucial. If the concept wavers, the entire project can veer off course.

While the project itself progresses toward the future in the present, the concept is the words that define the future at the present moment. Why not start building your future by first creating or discovering a new concept?

*This short-short was born from a workshop by short-short writer Masato Tamaru.

Not five or ten years, but envisioning the digital era twenty years ahead and presenting the direction companies and brands should take. While grounded in academic and scientific backing, it drives seed discovery, vision building, storytelling, and innovation creation.

That is Vision Design Lab., born at Dentsu Digital Inc. Creative Center.

We envision the near future—one where clients haven't yet begun technological research—drawing on our expertise in people and technology. We then present concrete future lifestyle scenarios.

We aim to co-create diverse forms of the future with you and stimulate innovation that connects to tomorrow.