The Harue district of Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, was once crammed with run-down houses on small plots separated only by narrow alleyways.

Those houses are now gone, replaced by a seven-story condominium building, which is being touted as a symbol of successful town planning as well as years of efforts on the part of residents.

"It is true that the sense of proximity with neighbors has changed," said Genji Shimizu, a 69-year-old resident of the building. "Before this was built, we could see everything in (our neighbors') houses when we opened the doors, hear their voices from outside, and even smell what they cooked for dinner."