Bandai City

Bandai City is a district in Chuo Ward, Niigata. Bandai is the common name given to the geographic area. According to locals the local idea of the map is the Manyo 1-chome to the east of Yachiyo 1-chome and 2-chome. In popular concepts it would be desired that there would be encompassing popular shopping backstreets that would spread to be destination streets for tourists alongside major commercial and finance centers. It is near the busiest Niigata Railway and Bus Stations in the prefecture, Bandai Bus Center, and Niigata Station. Bandai City brings up thoughts of colorful and busy of the days before depopulation with dining and hangout places with visitors from other prefectures. 

Family Culture and Youth Hang Outs, Bandai is known on the internet as a center of Niigata Family Culture (Family-Friendly Amenities, Kid-Friendly Attractions, Chara Themed Cafes, and Accommodates many families). Some point out that this comes from communities aware of the teachings of Ryōkan Taigu and compare many residents to hermits who cherish their families. But many will call it a rural city on 2chan with nothing to offer or the older folks mention its nostalgia of their youth or being a symbol of the good old days of a thriving Niigata in the bubble era. In the Niigata Joetsu Region (Northeastern) it was once Niigata’s leading entertainment district and is centered around the Bandai Bus Station in Chuo Ward of Niigata City. For it to actually meet peoples expectations there would have to be a place of being a birthplace to many of Japan's family services and entertainment trends. The area is run by Niigata Kotsu and Mitsui Fudosan.

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Urban Development Symbol of Niigata Prefecture, Bandai's most prominent landmark was the Rainbow Tower was known for its height. It was a symbol of Bandai that internationally people recognized as a centerpiece of multilevel urban development and as a attraction, so when it was torn down it made many people pay less attention to Bandai City, the prefecture, and marked it as part of the Prefectures Decline. While negative the Rainbow Tower was compared to be as symbolic for Niigata as Tokyo Tower is to Tokyo to visitors. Those who were interviewed on the street showed a desire that if it were to be made again that it would be a: (1) tall-structure with a rainbow color that has a spiraling corridor, (2) fusion of neofuturistic and traditional Japanese design, (3) mark as a catalyst for revitalizing Bandai City, (4) and have a contribution to the community with a sprawling tower base of traditional and stylish culture, (5) a place for Niigata feeling family-style restaurants.

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History, 1973 Showa, Bandai City, was a idea for a reconstruction project following the 1964 Niigata earthquake. At the time, the Bandai district was home to Niigata Kotsu's headquarters. A new town was born in the Showa era, the first phase of Bandai City's facilities began with the opening of the Silver Bowl Building in July 1972, followed by the Daiei (Hyogo Prefecture- General Super Market Chain) was the main tenant of Bandai City and developed into LoveLa Commercial Area. Bandai City won the hearts of the citizens of the prefecture with its "complex facilities", including a "bus center", a "shopping street within the center", a "bowling alley", giant groundbreaking "Daiei supermarket", and the symbolic "Rainbow Tower".

Urban Design, the root of the idea was European cities with pedestrian-centric areas with local services and community areas with pop-up events to make it easier to access things for a more human-centric lifestyle. In the modern day it helps reserve staying at home for long extended times for days in with the family and has a walking exploration area that is at the center of Niigata City. The idea was to create an area where the city is centered around a square with a church and town hall, where festivals and events are held, where markets are set up, and where people gather. The second floor of the bus center will be a park, with stores arranged around it. It is connected to the separate facility by a pedestrian deck, a plaza, and an elevated bridge that functions as a crosswalk, to tackle traffic congestion and reduces car use for the destination.​

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Bandai City and Furumachi Competitive Relationship, have had urban identity crises with generalized focuses without too much of the identity of differences that explain the soul of Bandai and Furumachi of what makes it different. It has led the two commercial districts to have a competitive relationship. Large discussions online point at how Bandai City has a history of being a Entertainment powerhouse of the future with a past that points at being a very interesting place for trends and youth, meanwhile Furumachi has a historical past that has a traditional past that has turned into a very modern looking town. So it has placed itself in a difficult situation. When tourists are looking for places they want a direction and compare Furumachi District’s history to that of Gion District that feels uniquely Kyoto stepping back in time with the look and feel as well as Bandai City to Shibuya City that feels uniquely Tokyo with the Cyberpunk feel. 

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Bandai Billboard Place, is a fashion destination
https://www.bandai-bp.com/

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Bandai City Wikipedia 
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%87%E4%BB%A3%E3%82%B7%E3%83%86%E3%82%A4 
https://bandaicity.com/alone/ 
https://n-story.jp/topic/124/ 

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Comparison
Shibuya https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B8%8B%E8%B0%B7%E5%8C%BA 
Ikebukuro https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B1%A0%E8%A2%8B 

Mazesoba Specialty Store in Bandai Food Hall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwJv9dFxrts