From objective indicators to field observation

This report examines how objective indicators and field observation can be integrated to inform discussions of urban green-space equity, and what emerges when both are directed at the same neighborhoods. Using a neighborhood typology, we selected eight postal-code areas in Kobe City and extracted objective indicators within a 400 m radius of each area's population-weighted centroid. We then conducted structured field observation across three spatial units: the residential area, the walking route, and the park. The indicators diverged from on-the-ground conditions in three ways. First, satellite-measured vegetation (NDVI) did not track eye-level green, and the divergence ran in both directions. Second, distance to the nearest park did not reflect differences in the comfort of the actual walking environment. Third, park count, area, and distance did not capture whether a park was usable, including one that was nearly abandoned. Distributive indicators alone cannot adequately capture green-space equity; field observation is a necessary complement.