Japan is one of the first countries that come to mind when it comes to technology, right? For years, it has made a name for itself with its high-speed trains, smart robots and endless passion for technology. It fascinates not only technology enthusiasts but also those who love to explore the world. Because Japan is a country that dares to live the future today. And now, it is taking a big step forward in this vision. Similarly, Toyota is one of the first brands that comes to mind when it comes to automobiles. In recent years, this giant company has been building a city at the foot of Mount Fuji, one of the symbols of Japan, that looks like something out of a science fiction film scene: Woven City. But this is not an ordinary city, this is literally a ‘future laboratory’!
Woven City is known as ‘the world’s first robot city’ and it fully deserves this title. In this city, people not only live, but also experience the technologies of the future first-hand. From autonomous vehicles to artificial intelligence-supported homes, from robotic systems to sustainable energy solutions, everything is tested here in real time. In other words, the answer to the question ‘how will we live in the future?’, which sounds like a dream, is shaped in Woven City.
Why does Toyota want to build Woven City?
Toyota’s story didn’t just start with the production of automobiles. Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the company, invented an automatic loom many years ago to help his mother. That’s why the word ‘Woven’ is not just a name; it refers to Toyota’s history, innovation and commitment to people.
So where is this ‘Woven City’? It is located in Shizuoka, Japan, about 140 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. In the area where Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji factory used to be located, a completely different dream is now coming true. In an area of 175 acres, technology and life are intertwined.
This city is no ordinary residential area; it is a living laboratory of the future! There will be engineers, entrepreneurs and Toyota employees. But they won’t just work – they’ll experience this city. Toyota calls them ‘Inventors’. And they are not alone! Next to them will be the ‘Weavers’. These are the residents who will test technologies, give feedback and help bring innovations to life.
How will life be in Woven City?
In this city, there is no place for waiting in traffic, exhaust fumes and chaos! Why is that? Because this is the city of autonomous vehicles! Toyota’s famous e-Palette driverless vehicles will transport people and goods. These vehicles were first shown at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but their real mission begins in Woven City.
There will be three different lanes here:
Pedestrian lane – a safe area for walkers.
Autonomous vehicle lane – driverless cars have a clear path!
Slow vehicle lane – special lane for environmentally friendly vehicles such as bicycles and scooters.
And beware: there will also be streets underground. These streets will allow automated delivery vehicles to carry out their work in all weather conditions without creating traffic. So you can think of the city as shared by humans above and robots below!
Toyota is designing Woven City as not only a technological but also an environmentally friendly city
The city will get its energy from hydrogen fuel cells. If you add solar panels, water recycling systems and ecological waste management, a living space in harmony with nature emerges. In other words, a city that thinks not only about the future but also about the planet!
Everything in the city – buildings, vehicles and people – will be connected by sensors and artificial intelligence, says Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda. The aim is that technology will not just be ‘cool’, but will actually make life easier.
It will open in 2025!
The project was announced in 2020, groundbreaking in 2021 and finally the first phase was completed in October 2024! At CES 2025, Akio Toyoda gave the good news: Woven City opens this autumn! In the first phase, around 100 people will settle in the city. Most of them will be Toyota employees and their families. Over time, this number will increase to 360 and then to 2,000 people. It is too early for tourists, but it is planned to open to the public from 2026. Who knows, maybe one day you will be one of the lucky ones to experience the future in this city!
