The Asagaya Housing danchi 阿佐ヶ谷住宅 came to my attention while researching a separate danchi for another post: Ghosts of Showa: the Karasuyama apartment complex, gated communities, & the fight for Tokyo’s soul. I promptly visited, twice, in 2012, and immediately caught danchi fever. Now I’m a full-fledged danchi moe 団地萌え (danchi geek/nerd). I even started to write a comprehensive history of danchi and gated communities in Japan. Then I realized I have a full-time job.

Danchi 団地 (literally, “group land”) were and are apartment building complexes built after the end of World War II to absorb Japan’s surging urban population. The term is unlikely to be used for contemporary construction, but many old complexes are still in use, though they are increasingly faced with demolition..

Asagaya Housing danchi, near Minamiasagaya Station 南阿佐ケ谷駅, is located in Suginami City 杉並区, one…