The Blue-light District of Osaka Japan
The always charming Mari blog mentioned in passing about an Osaka shopping district that installed, “blue lights make people feel calm and reduce the amount of crime.”
“Attention Kmart shoppers! ” I just knew I would have to see that Blue Light Special(tm) for myself.
According to the Japanese article in the Yomiuri Shimbun (Oct 13), this blue lighting was introduced to combat crime on the main Asahi-ku shopping street in Osaka Japan. They claim that by changing to a “blue world with the crime prevention lights” they can employ rather nebulous “color psychology” to induce calm. The idea is to surround shoppers in blue light, “to hurry them on their way home at a brisk pace.” Hmm, that sounds counter-productive for stores trying to attract shoppers to sell goods.
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November 4th, 2006 at 1:17 am
That is odd. The blue being calming, I get, but if it’s calming, how does it hurry people on their way at the same time?
If it hurries people on their way, what time do the lights turn blue? Are they always blue, or is it only after most shops have closed?
November 4th, 2006 at 2:37 am
>>What time do the lights turn blue? Are they always blue, or is it only after most shops have closed?<<
My impression is that typically vague Japanese article left out the fact that the blue lights only came on after most shops have closed. Ahhh, the Japanese press, you gotta love it—They never include the basic facts.