Many decades ago, the first row of these buildings used to be the garages of the people living in the middle row, which consists of three-story town houses typical in the neighborhood. When I was a kid the garages had already been turned into living spaces, some even had attics added.

The two white towers in the third row are modern apartment buildings completed this year. They are selling for ¥ 8,000 (about $ 1,000) per square foot in 1998 due to prime location. In 2005, the price has tripled to as much as ¥ 24,000 per square foot.