Japanese Street

Having spent some time in Japan, I've often wished that Lego did Japan-themed models, similar to the Chinese-themed models we've seen released over the past years. Sure, there's Ninjago and there's no denying the awesomeness of the different Ninjago City outings, but they are still very much rooted in fantasy, and in the end share very little with what an actual Japanese city looks like.

Which brings us to this little stretch of a Japanese street, the type of which you often come across once you wander away from the big thoroughfares, in Tokyo or any other big city in the Land of the Rising Sun. It is made up of four little modules, each built on a 16 by 16 plate, and consists of roughly 1900 pieces. The idea was to reproduce the deliciously chaotic and busy feeling of those sidestreets, with their mix of old, wood buildings and weathered concrete constructions.

Starting from the left, there's a red torii, an oden restaurant, a ramen restaurant and a greengrocer. Each little structure is its own mini-modular, with removable first floor and roof. Each interior is fully detailed, including a little office (above the greengrocer) and a tea room (above the ramen shop).

The model includes a lot of the typical elements of the Japanese urban landscape, such as a brick-built tomare marking (the equivalent of a stop sign), a corner mirror and the omnipresent vending machines, among others.

Note that since this is a digital build, there are no minifigs nor loose items for sale (especially for the greengrocer on the right). There are also no stickers (except for the odd, official printed piece), which could be added to bring some more detail to the store signs and menus. Street-width being set at 6 studs, it would be compatible with small, 4- or 5-stud-wide cars, like the 3177 Lego model.