Prefectural Office Crossing, Pedestrian scramble intersection at Prefectural Office, Naha, Japan.
Prefectural Office Crossing is a pedestrian scramble at an intersection in Naha where vehicles stop in all directions at once, letting pedestrians walk in any direction simultaneously. The layout allows people to move diagonally across the street or travel straight in a single signal phase.
The design follows Japan's first pedestrian scramble built in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1968, marking a shift toward pedestrian-centered urban planning. This approach later spread to other Japanese cities including Naha.
Japanese pedestrians demonstrate efficient movement patterns through the crossing, creating natural flow patterns without verbal communication during peak hours.
The crossing sees heavy foot traffic between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM on weekdays when students and office workers move through the area. Visitors should expect crowds and may prefer to observe the movement patterns during quieter times of day.
On rainy days, the crossing transforms into a colorful pattern of moving umbrellas as pedestrians navigate from multiple directions simultaneously. This view shows how everyday urban scenes shift with weather and the passage of time.
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