Planning scholars increasingly emphasize creative and livability in university-community partnerships, with universities expected to play a proactive role in the social arena. The potential benefits of new partnerships are considerable. But Japanese practices have been ineffective due to the top-down style of Japan’s policymaking framework. New partnerships need better planning processes to encourage fair participation, provide sufficient information, find common problems, bring innovative ideas, share project risks, and make accountable decisions. Shimura looks at the historical formations of Japan’s urban communities and new collaborative experiences through the case of Tsukishima, a traditional neighborhood in downtown Tokyo, drawing lessons and challenges from the international comparisons between university programs in Japan and the United States.