Diversified and Specialized Foodscapes in Tokyo: Spatiotemporal Patterns of Restaurant Distribution

ABSTRACT

Restaurants are vital to urban life, supporting daily activities, tourism, and the cultural identity of cities. In Tokyo, Japan, the spatial concentration of diverse dining establishments is crucial in shaping city image and attractiveness. Conversely, restaurant attributes such as category and price range reflect local activities and population characteristics. Although prior studies have typically addressed these relationships in limited regions or timeframes, a comprehensive understanding requires the examination of both spatial distribution and temporal change. This study investigates the changes in restaurant distribution and diversity in Tokyo over an 11‐year period, drawing on large‐scale datasets from 2013 and 2024. The results show that approximately two‐thirds of restaurants have been replaced, with a higher turnover in dense commercial areas. Despite this relationship, the overall category diversity index remained stable, suggesting that Tokyo's foodscape has been largely preserved. However, high‐density districts exhibited polarization: diversification and specialization proceeded in diverse and specialized districts, respectively. Price diversity patterns differed between lunch and dinner; notably, lunch price diversity increased in commercial districts, indicating growing demographic diversity among daytime visitors. These findings demonstrate that spatiotemporal analysis of restaurant diversity provides valuable insights into effective urban planning and commercial development.