KUMAMOTO -- When it comes to scramble intersections, which halt all traffic to allow pedestrians to cross in every direction, including diagonally, Tokyo's busy Shibuya Scramble Crossing is undoubtedly one of the most famous, known both in Japan and abroad for its huge amount of foot traffic. However, the first such crossing in Japan was not established in Japan's capital but in the southwestern Japan city of Kumamoto, in 1969.

Over the two decades from the mid-1950s, the rapid advancement of motorization led to more than 10,000 traffic fatalities annually across Japan. In response to the first phase of what was referred to as the "Traffic War," footpaths and traffic lights were installed nationwide.

One place that required urgent attention was the Kokai intersection in Kumamoto's Chuo Ward. The intersection is next to the Kokai shopping street and close to Kumamoto University and a high school. At the time, it was also the terminus for trams. "It was just teeming with people," recalls Yoshihisa Mori, 79, head of the local neighborhood association.

Concerned by the sight of the large number of people and cars, Kumamoto Prefectural Police decided to introduce a scramble intersection following an observation tour in Europe. According to the work "History of the Kumamoto Prefectural Police," the Kokai scramble crossing was described as "effective against accidents, traffic congestion, and to protect pedestrians." After this, scramble intersections spread nationwide, and as of the end of 2023 there were some 1,000 of them across the country, according to National Police Agency data.

Over half a century after Japan's first scramble crossing was created, a monument was erected at the Kokai intersection in 2024 to commemorate the crossing's pioneering role in safety measures nationwide. The 1-meter-high stone monument, proposed by Mori and erected with the consent of the neighboring school commuting district, bears the inscription, "Birthplace of the scramble crossing" on its front, with information including its history engraved on the back and sides.

Moriyasu Takamitsu, 78, who runs a hardware store in the area, welcomed the monument, saying, "It cheers up the shopping street." It has also ignited interest and a sense of pride among young people, with Natsuki Sumi, a 17-year-old second-year high school student at Seiseiko Senior High School, saying, "I never imagined the place I pass every day was the first of its kind in Japan."

Recently, with the arrival of the chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) into Kumamoto Prefecture, the amount of traffic, including through the Kokai intersection, is said to have increased.

Mori commented, "The scramble crossing is a local treasure that has protected safety. I want it to continue playing its role."

(Japanese original by Atsushige Nakamura, Kumamoto Bureau)