Kojimachi district

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　
Koojimachi, Kōjimachi 麹町 / 麴町 Kojimachi district
. Chiyoda ku 千代田区 Chiyoda ward - "Fields of Eternity" .



Many shops who made and sold Koji for Japanese food lived in this area, hence the name.
For example 麹屋三四郎 Kojiya Sanshiro.



Another explanation links the name to the beginning of the road to Koshu, Koofuji　国府路 Kofuji, pronounced fast as Koji and soon written with the character 麹.

. kooji 麹 Japanese yeast .
with Aspergillus oryzae or A. sojae
To make soy sauce, miso paste, rice wine and other types of Japanese food and drink.


During the Edo period, many wholesalers lived here, also carpenters and wall plasterers and many merchants which delivered to the Bakufu government　(goyootashi 御用達) and Edo castle.
okuishi 奥医師 　Doctors who attended to the Tokugawa concubines of Ooku 大奥 also lived here.

Kojimachi is a long district with many sub-districts, the third one, Sanbancho often simply called "Bancho", where many Hatamoto retainers lived. They had a special area for horse training, 騎射調練馬場.


source : ameblo.jp/tkyburabura

Since 1865, the second and third sons of 旗本 Hatamoto came here, placed 焙烙 Horoku earthen plates on their head and tried to hit them down while riding in two fighting groups. ほうろく調練場.

Now it is a very expensive area with luxury appartment houses.

麹町 … 宮城(皇居)とその周辺地域

..............................................................................................................................................

- quote -
A neighborhood in Chiyoda, Tokyo.
Prior to the arrival of Tokugawa Ieyasu, it was known as Kōjimura (糀村 Kojimura). The area developed as townspeople settled along the 甲州街道　Kōshū Kaidō. In 1878 Kōjimachi became a ward in the city of Tokyo. It was the forerunner of Chiyoda which is now a special ward.

The Kōjimachi ward was larger than past day Kōjimachi. The area centered upon Kōjimachi including the districts of the Banchō (番町 Bancho) area, Kudanminami, Kioichō, Hirakawachō and Hayabusachō is sometimes referred as the Kojimachi area (麹町地区).
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !


. Edo Nana Fushigi 江戸七不思議 The Seven Wonders of Edo　 .
番町七不思議 Banchoo Nana Fushigi

. Hayabusachoo, Hayabusachō 隼町 Hayabusacho district . - Chiyoda

..............................................................................................................................................

Kojimachi Shimizudani 麹町清水谷
- quote -
Shimizudani Park, famous for cherry blossom and autumn foliage viewing,

During the Edo period (1603-1868),
the area was known as the Shimizudani valley because the Kishu Tokugawa, Owari Tokugawa, and Ii families had residences here, and fresh water would gush out from between the Kishu and Ii homes.
This is reproduced in the 心字池 Shinji-ike pond found there today.
In 1878, after the Meiji Restoration, Okubo Toshimichi, one of the three great nobles of the Restoration, was on his way to the Imperial Palace in Akasaka when the Kioizaka Incident, in which he was assassinated by Shimada Ichiro, a samurai from Ishikawa Prefecture, broke out here. This incident shocked the world at the time, and a monument to Okubo Toshimichi was erected at the site, which later became Shimizudani Park.
Later, in 1890,
the land in the area was donated to the city of Tokyo, and as part of the city's urban planning strategy, the park was opened as the Shimizudani Park. In 1956, the park became a metropolitan park, and in 1965, it was transferred to the Chiyoda City, where it remains today.
Incidentally, Hotel New Otani Tokyo now stands on the site of the Ii family's former residence, and the Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho and the Sophia University campus stand on the site of the Kishu Tokugawa family's residence and the Owari Tokugawa family's residence respectively.
Shimizudani Park is also characterized by its seasonal scenery.
In spring, the Somei Yoshino and weeping cherry trees bloom, and the avenue of double-flowered cherry trees facing the park turns the area peach-colored. In the fall, the leaves of the trees and ginkgo trees begin to change color, giving visitors a sense of the changing of the seasons.
- source : visit-chiyoda.tokyo -

..............................................................................................................................................

. 麹町地区 Kojimachi and other sub-districts in Chiyoda .
List of sub-districts featured in the Edopedia

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Soto sakurada benkeibori kojimachi Kojimachi and the Benkei Canal at Soto Sakurada
by Hiroshige 広重 - 糀町一丁目山王祭ねり込 Sanno Festival at Kojimachi I-chome


- quote -
Kojimachi and Bancho - an old samurai residential area
The Kojimachi and Bancho areas stretch from Hanzomon Station to the east of the Kokyo (Imperial Palace), towards Shinjuku. The area was formerly used as a residential area for Edo Period samurai but in the early 21st century the area is significantly different to that found here in earlier times.
The Kokuritsu Gekijo (National Theatre of Japan), Japan's only classical art theater stands near Hanzomon Station today. The building was designed to imitate the Azekura-zukuri (Azekura style) of Todaiji Temple near Nara and its splendid atmosphere embodies the beauty of Japanese tradition. Offering Kabuki in the 'Large Theater,' Hogaku (traditional Japanese music), Gagaku, and Bunraku (a form of Japanese puppet show) in the 'Small Theater,' and Rakugo (a traditional Japanese sit-down comedy), Manzai (a Japanese stand-up comedy), and Kodan (storytelling) in the Engeijo (Engei Hall), it has something for everyone. In addition, tours can be taken of its exhibition room: THE best place to know about Japanese traditional performing arts.
- 'Bancho.' Its name originates from the fact that 'Bankata' soldiers used to live here. ('Bankata' soldiers consisted of Hatamoto who served under the direct control of the ruling Shogun.)
... Chidorigafuchi 千鳥ケ淵 moat "Plover Moat" ... Uchibori-Dori ...
... Walking around Kojimachi and Yotsuya, you will often feel the mood of the old Edo Period. The coexistence of modern buildings alongside their older counterparts. Fashionable shops in a quiet residential area sat amidst historical monuments being an example. It is a fun area to walk around and to browse through shops that catch your eye. Or, for the more historically inclined, it is another interesting area of the capital in which to tour historical sites and to glimpse Japanese history.
- source : att-japan.net/en -

- quote -
Chidorigafuchi Moat
The name of this moat northwest of the Imperial Palace, Chidorigafuchi, is said to come from its unusual shape. The structure of the walls resembles plovers, called chidori in Japanese.
From around the end of March to early April, the walkways around the moat are tinted pink by hundreds of cherry trees. The Chiyoda Sakura Festival is held at the same time, so for the duration of the cherry blossom season the trees are lit up at night. This magical sight draws Tokyoites and visitors alike. Enjoy an evening walk under the glowing tunnel of flowers.
- source : japan.travel/en... -
.......................................................................

The Banchō area (actually consisting of six neighborhoods, from Ichibancho to Rokubanchō),
an upper class residential area, home of the embassies of Belgium, the UK and Israel.
Ichibancho 一番町 First district
Nibancho 二番町 Second
Sanbancho 三番町 Third
Yonbancho 四番町 Fourth
Gobancho 五番町 Fifth
Rokubancho 六番町 Sixth district

..............................................................................................................................................

In Edo, meat was offered at the market of Kojimachi 麹町.
chiku 畜 referred to four-legged animals that should not be eaten by Buddhists and kin 禽 referred two-legged animals, birds to be eaten.

momonji referes to the meat of wild animals, like wild boar, deer, monkeys or Tanuki badgers and even dogs. (Dog meat was a favorite with the samurai of the Satsuma domain 薩摩.
The first momonjiya shop in Edo was most probably the Kooshuuya　甲州屋 Koshuya in Koojimachi　麹町 Kojimachi.
Yamaokuya 山奥屋 offered wild boar and monkey meat.

. momonjiya ももんじ屋 / 百獣屋　 selling meat "from one-hundred wild animals" .
kedamonoya　獣屋 dealers in wild animals
yamaokuya 山奥屋　dealers with stuff from the far-away mountains
kusuriguiho　薬食舗　restaurant serving "medicine" meat



麹町狐を馬に乗せてくる
koojimachi kitsune o uma ni nosete kuru

Kojimachi town -
a fox comes riding
on a horse

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

haifuri tanuki 灰降狸 the ash-throwing Tanuki


source : plala.or.jp/cotton-candy

In the year 1854 in the 6th lunar month there was constantly ashes raining down to the ground of the 平河天満宮 Hirakawa Tenjin Shrine in 麹町 Kojimachi.
People thought it was the malicious deed of a Tanuki badger.

Another legend tells of stones raining from the sky near the back entrance of the Shrine, sometimes 50 to 60 during day and night. They were rather large stones with moss on them. Some looked like pieces of roof tiles. But they never hurt any person.
When someone collected the stones in one place during a day, they were all gone after the next night was over.

On a stormy night, it rained hairs of an animal in Kojimachi. Since people there used to eat meat of animals, even horses, it might have been the hair of the 天馬 "heavenly horse" mentioned in the sutra 山海経 Sengai Kyo.

. 江戸 Edo - 妖怪 Yokai monsters, 幽霊 Yurei ghosts .

.......................................................................

. Kappa 河童 water goblin .
In 1785, 麹町飴屋 a sweet shop in Kojimachi, every evening there came a child, begging for a sweet. one evening the shop owner followed the child and saw it disappear in the canal. Now he knew this must have been a Kappa.
A few days later, the child came back again, got his sweet and paid for it. That was the last time the Kappa showed up.

.......................................................................

三年坂 Sannenzaka / Sannen-zaka
In the middle of Sannenzaka there is a bake-yashiki 化け物屋 / bakemono yashiki 化物屋しき Monster House.
if a couple walks here late at night, the face of the woman might begin to get longer or smaller and become quite horrifying.
The light in the room goes on and off and a woman lying down being ill suddenly goes up to do some cleaning and then disappears on the spot.

.......................................................................

Sara yashiki 皿屋敷 "the Dish Mansion"
This is a famous story centering around an old well in Kojimachi or Bancho 番町皿屋敷. More legends about this story relate to a well in Izumo, Harima and other regions.

A Japanese ghost story of broken trust and broken promises, leading to a dismal fate of "O-Kiku and the Nine Plates"
. Sara yashiki　皿屋敷 "the Dish Mansion" .

.......................................................................

kai-i 怪異 something strange
Dote Yonbancho 土手四番町

In March, a man living in Yonbancho was suddenly able to float things in the air, like his dinner tray, tobacco tray or even a stone mortar.
Some said it was a curse of a mountain priest or an 陰陽師 Onmyoji or even the Kami and Buddhas themselves and performed exorcistic rituals, to no avail. Some said it was a forebode that his family would perish. Some said something similar had happened to a man in 目黒 Meguro, but that was not true. Eventually he had to dismiss four of his workers and the strange thing stopped.

.......................................................................

shari 舎利 sacred bones of Buddha
Once there lived a man in Kojimachi, who did not believe in the Laws of Buddha 仏法.
But one day a sacred bone of Buddha came out of his forehead.

..............................................................................................................................................

- reference : nichibun yokai database -

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

- - - - - H A I K U and S E N R Y U - - - - -



source : yasuda.iobb.net/wp-googleearth_e

麹町　壱丁目 Kojimachi First District
「江戸名所図会」 - - 山王祭 Sanno Festival
絵左の天水桶に描かれる屋号が岩に見えるので、岩城枡屋前

..............................................................................................................................................


麹町十三丁目まで祭かな
koojimachi juusanchoome made matsuri kana

until the thirteenth district
of Kojimachi
its festival time . . .
Tr. Gabi Greve

Nomura Kishuu 野村喜舟 Nomura Kishu (1886 - 1983)


. WKD : matsuri 祭り festival .
- - kigo for all summer - -

..............................................................................................................................................

炎天や麹町なし水巴なし
enten ya koojimachi nashi suiha nashi

this blazing sky -
no more Kojimachi
no more Suiha

Saitoo Kuuge 斎藤空華 Saito Kuge (1918 - 1950)


Watanabe Suiha 渡辺水巴 (1882 - 1946) Haiku Poet
Suiha ki 水巴忌 Suiha memorial day (August 8)
- reference -

. WKD : enten 炎天 blazing sky .
- - kigo for all summer - -

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



- - - To join me on facebook, click the image !

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

. Japanese Architecture - Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. shokunin 職人 craftsman, craftsmen, artisan, Handwerker .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .


[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - ##kojimachi ##koojimachi #bancho #shimizudani - - - -
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::