Blue Tyre Bumpers
Cut-off tyres guard against parking mishaps.
Materials: Tyres
Location: Nagoya
Parking Tape
Small space + oversize auto = reflective parking tape on a dangerous corner.
Materials: Reflector Tape
Location: Akishima-shi, Tokyo
Protecting the Flowers in Plastic Bags
Plastic bags protect tropical plants from the bitter Nagoya winter.
Materials: Plastic Bags
Location: Nagoya, Aichi
“No Dumping” in Plastic
A warning to all dog walkers – no dumping on this piece of earth peeking up through the cracked concrete. Plastic covering as protection and signage.
Materials: Plastic
Location: Akishima, Tokyo
Tomato Shade in Umbrellas
A row of tomato vines protected from the harsh Tokyo summer with a whole lot of umbrellas.
Japan’s annual umbrella consumption is estimated to be around 130 million (more than one per person, per year) [ref] (324,102 were lost and turned over to the police lost-and-found in Tokyo, 2001 [ref]). Now you know where part of that ends up….
Materials: Umbrellas
Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo
Cat Deterrent in PET Bottles and Plastic
Cats are persuaded to choose another spot for their nightly activities with water-filled PET bottles and spiked plastic mats.
Materials: PET Bottles, Spiked Plastic Mat
Location: Akishima, Tokyo
Security? Stray Cat Repellent?
A particularly aggressive brick wall covered in barbed wire between buildings Sendagaya, Tokyo. When all other adjacent walls are without this sharp alteration, it is hard to imagine what it’s purpose might be… Perhaps it is to deter intruders who intend to escape down the gap between the buildings, perhaps it is to deter stray cats…..
Material: Barbed Wire
Location: Sendagaya, Tokyo
Seedling Protection in Net and Pet Bottles
Seedlings protected from urban predators with netting supported by pet bottles filled with water.
Materials: Netting, Pet Bottles
Location: Sendagaya, Tokyo
Seedling Protection in Laundry Net
Simple and effective use of a 100 Yen laundry net to protect seedlings from insects, birds and whatever other dangerous elements the street may bring.
This solution is a great illustration of the inventive and strongly practical use/reuse of a familiar and cheap mass-produced item in urban gardening.
Materials: Laundry Net
Location: Nakano, Tokyo
(Originally posted on Tokyo-DIY-Gardening)
Parking Protection in Foam
Building protection from errant parkers made of foam affixed to wall. Obviously well placed (see last photo).
Materials: Foam
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo
Temporary Protection in Newspaper and Tape
Newspaper and tape wrap around the edges of a new sign in a park, awaiting the official unveiling.
Materials: Tape, Newspaper
Location: Akishima, Tokyo
