PLACEBOOK ／ Analysis Mode日本語
ANALYSIS MODE

We color-code the city
in five different views.

The same map is shown color-coded five different ways. On a single map, you can check where people live, where shops cluster, and where things are about to shift. It's a feature for choosing where to set up shop with the map — not with a hunch.

Each hexagon is 100m in diameter — about a one-minute walk across — and we look at the city broken into cells of this size. The darker the color, the stronger that trait is in the area. In any mode, you can overlay stations and their walking-distance areas.

The three modes marked BETA are in beta, and what they show may change going forward. You can check data sources from the "Sources" link in the bottom-left of the screen.

01

Residential Density

What it shows
The share of buildings that are residential. The darker the color, the more housing there is in that area.
Where to use it
The darker spots are where people are around on weekday afternoons and evenings. Morning markets, bakeries, prepared foods, and kids' events draw more people when placed near heavily residential areas.
02

Commercial Density

What it shows
The share of buildings that are commercial facilities. The darker the color, the more shops are clustered in that area.
Where to use it
These are places people stop by while out shopping. Higher-priced goods, or drop-in items like sundries and light snacks, do well where this color is darker.
03

Competitive Hotspots BETA

What it shows
These are places chains and multi-location businesses have judged worth opening in. The darker the color, the higher the demand to set up shop there.
Where to use it
These are spots where foot traffic has already been proven by other companies' investment. If you're unsure where to hold your very first day, choosing from here is the safest bet.
04

Creative Map BETA

What it shows
This map applies research from Kyushu University Graduate School to read where the city is headed next. Red marks places where people have already gathered and things have settled down. Light blue marks places that look set to get more interesting.
Where to use it
Red is where people reliably show up right now. Light blue is where you can plant a seed while rent and competition are still quiet. Use it to spot, ahead of everyone else, the street people will be talking about in five years.
05

Food & Beverage Density BETA

What it shows
The color deepens with the number of restaurants and bars. Darker areas are where dining spots cluster into a single dense pocket.
Where to use it
Food-walking and food-truck concepts are weak alone but strengthen in numbers. Add to the density in a dark area, or have a light area all to yourself — you can weigh the two strategies separately.
COMMON

Layers you can use with any mode

Stations and their ridership

Click a station to see its ridership and recent trend. You can tell whether that station is gaining or losing riders.

Sample Station Ridership (2023): 117,918 20212022 20232024

Walking-distance area from that point

Click anywhere on the map, and it shows the area reachable on foot in 5, 10, and 15 minutes from that point. This isn't a circle of a fixed radius — it follows the actual streets. A spot cut off by a river or railway won't be included even if it looks close.

5-min walk10 min15 min
MORE

Partner areas get
what comes next.

In areas with a partnership agreement with local government, or areas that have a sponsor, we can provide analysis beyond these five, at a finer level of detail. We build it around whatever angle best fits the area's challenges. Which areas are covered and the terms of use are explained separately.

See Placebook Pro
CONTACT

We'll walk you through
the actual screens.

You can see an example built for your own city. We're happy to visit in person or walk you through it online.

Get in touch See how it works on Placebook.jp ↗