This. Zoning is a huge reason Tokyo feels amazing to us Americans. The ability to have micro-stores and restaurants in every back alley and other unconventional spaces allows innovation that isn’t possible in the US cities where viable commercial spaces for a restaurant start at $20k per month. Zoning also enabled more home based businesses, particularly in many of the smaller Japanese cities. Good luck getting any city in the US to let you run a yakitori restaurant out of your house.