Abstract
The concept of walkability has been emerged in interdisciplinary areas of public health, urban planning, geography, and other related disciplines as environmental characteristics of residential neighborhoods that promote daily walking and physical activity. As studies using perceived and objective environmental indices have been accumulated, it has become clear that walkable residential environments contribute to regional population health through enhancing physical activity of residents in various societies including Japan. Given the relationship between walkability and health, bridging between health policies and urban planning in various geographical contexts becomes increasingly important to design healthy neighbourhoods.
