Abekawa

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Abekawa, River Abe-Kawa 安倍川 / 阿部川

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The Abe River (安倍川 Abe-kawa, also Abe-gawa)
is a river in Shizuoka Prefecture of central Japan. It is 53.3 kilometres (33.1 mi) long and has a watershed of 567 square kilometres (219 sq mi).

The river rises from Akaishi Mountains which stretch over the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, and flows into Suruga Bay in the Pacific Ocean). It is known for its clear stream and forms part of the main water supply for Shizuoka city.



There are many hot springs at the river head, which is also known for its numerous landslides and for the Abe Great Falls, one of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls. Unlike the nearby Tenryū River and Ōi River are no dams on the Abe River.

Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu carried out extensive construction and formed the present route of the lower course of the river. Abekawamochi (安倍川餅, a mochi rice cake dusted with kinako (soybean flour) has been a local speciality of this area since at least the Edo period.
- source : wikipedia

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Abe Kaido 安倍街道
From Shizuoka city along 安倍川 the river Abekawa to 井川湖 the lake Ikawako.



yuurei 幽霊 ghost
At the crossing of the Abe Kaido along the 薩摩土手 Satsumadote river bank there are ghosts walking around.
People say it is a very scary place.

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Hiroshige, Crossing the Abekawa river
広重「府中宿」この安倍川の渡し
Fuchuu juku 府中宿（ふちゅう） Fuchu Station at the Tokaido Road

江尻より２里２７町。いまの静岡市で、安倍川のほとりにある。ここには、徳川家康が諸侯につくらせた駿府城があり、かれは晩年をここに送ったのである。図は安倍川の渡渉を描いたもので２人の女の輦台渡のありさまをつたえる。輦台渡とは各種渡渉法の一つで２種の方法があり，高貴の人は輿に乗ったままわたし、他は梯子形のものに乗ってわたる。これは武家の娘とその供の女であろうか。『広重　東海道五十三次』
- source : おやじのつぶやき -


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. Asakusa 浅草 district in Edo .


source :　chuukyuu.info/who/edo
浅草下谷の阿部川町と称念寺

Asakusa Abekawachoo　阿部川町 Abekawa machi
To the South of Asakusa Hongan-Ji 本願寺.
Since 1636 a lot of government workers called "o kobito shuu"　(okobito) 御小人衆 lived here, working for Metsuke office. At that time, the district did not have a special name yet. Since having no name was confusing as Edo grew, in the year 1696 it came under the directive of 細井九左衛門　Hosoi Kuzaemon, who gave it the name.
The leader of the Okobito, 川村太四郎　Kawamura Taishiro, had come from the Abekawa region of Shizuoka.
The ABE spelling changed from 安倍　to 阿部.

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Abekawacho in Sunpu 阿部川町(あべかわちょう) - Shizuoka
駿府城下町の伝承



There used to be five sub-districts
昔は上町・中町・旅籠町・新町・揚屋町

-. . . . . To study history about Tokugawa Ieyasu . . .
- source : visit-shizuoka.com -

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Magozoo Shrine　孫三稲荷神社 Magozo Inari Jinja
3 chome 19-7, Moto-asakusa
The record "Gofunai Biko" of the Edo era says this neighbourhood was called Abekawacho because a village shrine called "Magozo Shrine" at Abekawa in Shizuoka prefecture was moved to here.



A legend has been handed down in this district that at the end of the Sixteenth century, Tokugawa Ieyasu had a spiritual experience while traversing the river Abe allowing a man called Magozo to hold the bit of his horse. Later this man was found to be an incarnation representing Magozo Shrine located near the river Abekawa.

Another record "Machikata-kakiage" shows this shrine was attended by people living in the district and there was an enshrined wooden statue of about 10 cm in size.
The location of the original shrine in the Shizuoka prefecture is not known and all the records and building of this shrine here were completely lost due to the Great Kanto Earthquake and Tokyo air raids during World War II.
The present shrine was constructed by the neighborhood association and a festival is performed here annually in March.
- source : taito-culture.jp -

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. Abekawa Mochi 安倍川餅 / 安倍川もち rice cakes from Abekawa river .
with kinako soy bean flour



Once eaten by Tokugawa Ieyasu, because the local producers told him the kinako flower was really gold powder.
kinako - kin na ko 安倍川の金な粉餅 pun with Gold Powder

Some are covered with with kinako soy flour and a load of white sugar.
They soon became a speciality at Fuchu Station along the Tokaido Road.

Tokugawa Yoshimune 徳川吉宗 also liked them a lot.

Now they are made as favorite souvenirs at many stores, the most famous ones are along the Eastern side of the 安倍川橋　Abakawa bridge 葵区弥勒二丁目 Aoi Ward, Miroku.




府中 Fuchu in Shizuoka - 広重Hiroshige


In the detail you can see the traveler enjoying his mochi.
And in the shop, a young woman is pounding the mochi rice.


. Tokugawa Ieyasu 徳川家康 ( 1543 - 1616) .


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Daruma Stone from River Abekawa, Shizuoka
安倍川鉄丸石　... ダルマ石



. Suiseki 水石 Stones for Appreciation .

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. Abe-kawa River Fireworks Festival 　安倍川花火大会 .
last Saturday in July
- - kigo for late Summer - -

An established summer tradition, Shizuoka City’s largest fireworks festival boasts 15,000 fireworks and tens of ground based “exhibition” fireworks which spectacularly color the summer night sky. In addition to city residents, the celebration attracts tourists from Shizuoka and other prefectures.
- source : shizuoka-guide.com -

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. densetsu 伝説　Japanese Legends - Introduction .

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kitsunemochi kudaya 狐持，クダヤ being posessed by a fox

kuda is a monster that likes to posess people.
It lived along the river valley of Kamanashigawa 釜無川、Fujigawa 富士川 and Abekawa 安倍川.
From the end of the Edo period toward Meiji there were many tales about a fox posessing people (kitsunemochi), and the people who got posessed were driven out of the villages.
Around 1667 a creature called "Fox with seven colors" 七色狐 showed up in the village, went to the great Fushimi shrine in Kyoto 京都伏見 to get an amulet and then read the Hanya Shinkyo sutra 大般若経 in the village temple to expel the fox.


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tanuki 狸 Badger legends

小河内のある家に富士宮から和尚が来た。飯の時に人を寄り付けない。安倍川の渡しで一もうずの犬に食い殺されたとき、正体を現して狸になった。その和尚が筆を口にくわえて書いたという、絵とも字ともつかぬものが残っている。

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名主の家に鎌倉建長寺の僧が来た。やたらに犬を嫌って遠ざけた。飯の時に人を寄り付けない。安倍川で犬に追いかけられたとき、正体を現して狸になった。
- or
名主の作之丞の家に鎌倉建長寺の大僧正が来た。やたらに犬を嫌って遠ざけ、飯の時に人を寄り付けない。安倍川でしっぺい太郎という犬に食い殺されたとき、正体を現した。なにか獣が化けていた。その大僧正の書いた「柳に鳩」の絵が残っている。

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研屋町と弥勒町の宿に2人の供を連れた旅の僧が来た。灸をすえて好評だったが、安倍川で犬に食い殺されたとき、正体を現して狸になった。狸が死ぬと、お灸で癒えた病がぶり返した。

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- source : nichibun yokai database 安倍川 -

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

. - Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. densetsu 伝説　Japanese Legends - Introduction .


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Asakusa

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
. Asakusa densetsu 浅草伝説 Legends from Asakusa .
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Asakusa 浅草 district in Edo
台東区元浅草 Taido ward, Moto-Asakusa and others

The Chinese characters can be read in two ways
asa kusa 浅草 asakusa (Japanese reading)
sen soo, sensō 浅草 senso (Chinese reading)




. Asakusa Kannon　浅草観音 - Temple 浅草寺 Senso-Ji, Asakusadera .
- Introduction -

"Edo, Asakusa Fair"

Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重 (1797 - 1858)

. Kuramae 蔵前 / 倉前 Kuramae district, 浅草御蔵 Asakusa Kuramae .

. Taitoo, Taitō 台東区 Taito Ward .
Asakusa and Asakusabashi are sub-districts of this ward.

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The Origin of Asakusa
During the Jomon era, Asakusa was under the sea. They say it came over the sea in the Yayoi era.
By the way, what is the place name"Asakusa" based on? According to the historical materials of Tokyo-fu, "the name Asakusa came from little grass, meaning that there was little grass in the area in Musashino region where weeds overrun. Thus the sandy banks of river Sumidagawa were easily ready for construction works and dwellings.
This is the common theory.
When we are requested to tell some story about Asakusa, we will tell about "Sensouji temple".
- source : asakusaimahan.co.jp-

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Asakusa at night - 1932
Ishiwata Koitsu (1897-1987)

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What does Asakusa mean? Asakusa (Low Grass)
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The areas that preserve this place name today are:
浅草 Asakusa -- Asakusa
浅草橋 Asakusabashi -- Asakusa Bridge
西浅草 Nishi-Asakusa -- West Asakusa
元浅草 Moto-Asakusa -- Old Asakusa

However, it should be noted that an 浅草区 Asakusa-ku Asakusa Ward existed from 1878-1947. At that time, the places called Asakusa increased. After 1947, the number of Asakusa place names decreased dramatically until what is today considered is Asakusa is defined by little more than a train station here or there and a few vestigial postal addresses. But some 江戸っ子 Edokko 3rd generation Tōkyōites might consider some nearby neighborhoods as Asakusa, when technically they are not.

Miyatogawa 宮戸川 Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳

The Story So Far
The beginnings are purely mythical. In 628, some brothers were fishing in the 宮戸側川 Miyato-gawa Miyato River[iii] and – surprise, surprise – they caught a statue of 観音 Kan’non the goddess of mercy in their fishing nets. The brothers enshrined the statue in their home and kept it for private worship. It’s interesting to note, that this year, 628, just happened to be the same year as the death of 推古天皇 Suiko Tennō Empress Suiko, whose reign had seen great encouragement of Buddhism. This time in general is seen as a tipping point for the broader acceptance of Buddhism in Japan.
In 645,
having been shared with the local villagers from time to time, the statue was made into a 秘仏 hibutsu, image of Buddha hidden from the public. Then a proper temple was established.
Both dates, 628 and 645, are considered the founding of Asakusa-dera or Sensō-ji (we don’t know which pronunciation was prevalent at the time). Also both dates would still earn it the title of the oldest temple in Edo-Tōkyō. It seems that by 942, the first 雷門 kaminari mon thunder gate had been established, although in a different location.

From here on out we will see a dichotomy between
Asakusa (the area) and Sensō-ji (the temple).

Remember, all of this is preserved in the legends and records of the temple itself. There doesn’t seem to be any corroborating evidence elsewhere. In fact, the area isn’t recorded by non-temple sources until around 1266. At that time it is mentioned in a Kamakura Period text called the 吾妻鏡 Azuma Kagami Mirror of the West.
The common understanding is
that the temple was founded on a small plateau on the west bank of the Sumida River. A 門前町 monzenchō / monzenmachi formed around the temple precinct and continued growing from that time. Because of the town’s location on the Sumida River, which was good for trading, the town not only prospered, but attracted the best craftsmen of the region. Temple records indicate thriving trade between the Kamakura area and this region.
Legend has it
that when 源頼朝 Minamoto no Yoritomo Minamoto Yoritomo chose Kamakura as his capital (thus establishing the first of the 3 great shōgunates), he couldn’t find sufficiently skilled craftsmen in the area. On one occasion, he camped along the Sumida River near Asakusa. He visited the temple, as one does, and was so impressed with the builders that he hired them to come to Kamakura to build 鶴岡八幡宮 Tsuru-ga-oka Hachiman-gū which is still one of Kamakura’s grandest shrines. It’s said that trade between Asakusa and Kamakura was so intense that by the time the shōgunate collapsed, many of Kamakura’s merchants and artisans had relocated to Asakusa.
Temple and shrine building wasn’t a big deal in the Sengoku Period, but carpentry and building skills were definitely in demand. It’s not hard to imagine some of the craftsmen of Asakusa being hired to help the Toshima, the Hōjō, the Edo Clan, or even crazy ol’ Ōta Dōkan in their building efforts.
Prior to the Edo Period,
Asakusa was just a prosperous temple town on the river. But with the coming of the Tokugawa, everything changed. Urban sprawl from nearby by Chiyoda/Edo soon brought the area under the influence of the shōgun’s capital at such an early stage that Edo Period people and modern Tōkyōites generally just considered the area to have been part of Edo since time immemorial – even though for most of its existence, Asakusa was a separate town from the hamlet of Edo.
The temple
came under a particularly special patronage by the shōgun family because the head priest of Zōjō-ji had claimed that Asakusa Kan’non was the strongest deity in the Kantō area and that she had served Minamoto Yoritomo well. Tokugawa Ieyasu believed this deity helped him achieve total victory at the Battle of Sekigahara and as such it received great honors from the shōgunal family. While the temple was endowed by Edo’s most elite, its main mission was catering to the common people – a brilliant PR move on both Ieyasu and the temple’s parts[xii]. The temple has always been important to the commoners of Edo-Tōkyō.
In 1657,
after the Meireki Fire burned Edo down to the fucking ground, the licensed pleasure quarters called Yoshiwara was relocated from Nihonbashi to the area north of Asakusa because this was just a northern suburb at the time. Remember, we’re only 57 years into the Edo Period, son. Anyways, this transformed the area from just a pilgrimage spot to a proper tourist destination. And not just any old tourist destination; a tourist destination with a happy ending – if you know what I mean.
As lively as the area had become, its fame was only getting greater. In the 1840’s, after some crack downs on unlicensed kabuki theaters[xiv], the three prominent licensed kabuki theaters were forced to relocated to the Asakusa area. The area’s reputation as a center of nightlife was already secured, but adding popular theater to the area guaranteed this legacy for several more generations.
In the Meiji Era,
kabuki received imperial patronage and the underground kabuki theaters were as legit as the formerly licensed ones. Soon cinemas opened up in the area which showcased a foreign art form that the Japanese immediately became infatuated with. The area was now a bigger destination than ever; home to one of Tōkyō’s grandest temples and a vibrant theater district. Nearby Yoshiwara was still going off like crazy. Until WWII, Asakusa and Yoshiwara defined nightlife Japanese style.



It should be noted that in the Meiji Period, the temple lands were made into a park, naturally called 浅草公園 Asakusa Kōen Asakusa Park. The area was not unlike modern 上野公園 Ueno Kōen Ueno Park. The centerpiece of the park was Sensō-ji, but the real attractions were the theaters, cinemas, izakaya, and pleasure quarter overflow.
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What’s the Etymology?
The etymology of Asakusa has been researched by people since the Kamakura Period[xviii] and people have been coming across the same roadblock every time.
浅草寺 Asakusa-dera - 浅草寺 Sensō-ji
Same Kanji, Different Readings

Asakusa-dera is the native Japanese reading. This reading is plainer than the Chinese reading, Sensō-ji.
As most of the major Buddhist teachings came to Japan via China, the Chinese reading would be more prestigious – more in touch with this new foreign and exotic religion.
There are no written records
to support this but common sense would lead one to the conclusion that the name Asakusa is the older name – it most likely predates the temple. Once a proper temple was built and Chinese learning was imported, the temple assumed the local name but used the Chinese reading. So 浅草 asa kusa became 浅草 sen sō in the Chinese reading. The village continued to use its native Japanese name.
Today the area is still called Asakusa, even though the temple is called Sensō-ji.
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- source : Marky Star

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Asakusa Hachiman Jinja　浅草八幡神社　Hachiman Shrines in Asakusa



西浅草八幡神社 Nishi Asakusa Hachiman Jinja
八幡神社は江戸時代当地域にあった田島山誓願寺が宇佐八幡宮の御神霊分神を勧請して元禄13年（1700）に創建された。 昔は田島町といってその氏子区域は、現在の西浅草二丁目の東町会と西町会の2町会のみです。
隣接する北側の芝崎と南側の西浅草一丁目は三社の氏子区域です。
- source, more photos : rekishi-roman.jp -

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. Asakusa Abekawachoo　阿部川町 Abekawacho, Abekawa machi .

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source : project.lib.keio.ac.jp...
Evening View of Asakusabashi Bridge / 浅草橋夕景
井上安治 Inoue Yasuharu

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Asakusabashi 浅草橋
The district is traditionally known for many wholesale stores, and recently known for its large stores selling traditional Japanese dolls (although some of the largest doll stores, such as Kyugetsu and Shugetsu, are located across Edo-dori avenue, thus belonging to the Yanagibashi neighborhood), or packaging materials, and it hosts a very large concentration of beads stores.
The Ryuhoku campus of the Lycée Franco-Japonais de Tokyo (Franco-Japanese High School of Tokyo) is also located in this neighborhood.

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Miyatogawa 宮戸川 river Miyatogawa
Hiroshige - 広重 「浅草川大川端宮戸川」

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Asakusa Hanakawadochoo　花川戸町 Hanakawado machi

Since the beginning of the Edo period a lot of merchants lived in this area. The main road was the beginning of the Ōshū Kaidō 奥州街道 Oshu Kaido main route leading to Tohoku. It was lined with tea stalls and entertainment etablissements.

hana 花 referes to the cherry blossoms
kawa 川 is the Sumidagawa river and do 戸 refers to the many houses that could be seen from the river among the cherry blossoms.

One famous resident of Hanakawado was
. Banzuin Chobei 幡随院長兵衛 Chobei of Bandzuin . - (1622–1657)
who led of a band of machi-yakko street toughs to fight against injustice.


Kuhonji 光照山九品寺 Kuhon-Ji
台東区花川戸2-11-13 / Kuhon-ji Temple, 2 chome 11-13, Hanakawado

The temple was founded in 1598. During the Great Meireki fire in 1657 a statue of a seated Amida Buddha was erected to pray for the souls of the many dead people. The statue sits on a lotus podestal with engravings of the names of the people who contributed.
- source : asakusanioideyo.com -

- - - - - 九品寺大仏 Daibutsu Great Buddha from Kuhon-Ji

Another famous statue of the temple :
- - - - - . kutsubaki Jizo son 沓履地蔵尊 Jizo Bosatsu wearing shoes .
In Hanakawado there lived many craftsmen making straw sandals and other kinds of shoes (hakimono 履物). Even now there are more than 70 dealers in this district.

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Hanakawado Hakidaore-ichi Shoe Market 花川戸はきだおれ市
Hanakawado wholesale district in Taito-ku
Every year the Hanakawado wholesale district in Taito-ku, assemble up to 40 retailers and wholesalers stalls to line-up around Hanakawado Park to sell a wide-range of products. From footwear to handbags, accessories, leather goods, scarves, hats, and more. All the items at the market are sold at bargain prices.
- source : tokyocheapo.com -

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. Hanakawado no Sukeroku 花川戸助六 - Kabuki Play .
Monument of Sukeroku Inscribed with Ichikawa Danjuro's Poem

Remains of Uba-ga-ike (Ubagaike Pond)
Hanakawado park, 2 chome 4-15, Hanakawado

Ureshi-no-mori Inari
1 chome 15-13, Hanakawado

Yamanoshuku no Watashi Ferry
Sumida park, 1 chome 1, Hanakawado

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Asakusa Heiemonchoo 平右衛門町 Heiemon machi

At the confluence of the rivers Sumidagawa and Kandagawa. It is named after
村田平右衛門守勝　Murata Heiemon Morikatsu.
When Tokugawa Ieyasu came to Edo in 1590, Heiemon came with him from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka. He also followed Ieyasu on the visits to temple Senso-Ji 浅草寺 and was then ordered to built a town here. In 1616 he had finished his own machiya 町家 "town house" and the district was named after him.
Heiemon helped with the official planning of the town of Edo and was involved in the building of bridges too.


source : kiyoto-midori.blog.so-net

The true Edoites called the main road
Asakusa Saemonchoo　浅草左衛門町

Others say it is a pun with right 右 and left 左 of the road from the Asakusa gate toward the river.
- source : city.taito.lg.jp -

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Asakusa Kaminarimon 雷門 Kaminarimon district
- 一丁目、二丁目 first and second sub-district



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. Kuramae 蔵前 "before the store houses" .

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Asakusa Tame 浅草溜（あさくさため）/ （あさくさだめ） Asakusadame
A place behind the Asakusa temple where ill and dying prisoners had to find their last rest.
It was abolished in 1699.

. rooyashiki 牢屋敷 prison .
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Asakusa Tanboo 浅草田圃（あさくさたんぼ) Asakusa Tambo "fields"
A space between Asakusa temple and the old Yoshiwara district.

Asakusa Rice Fields and Torinomachi Festival (Asakusa tanbo Torinomachi mode)
Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川 広重
- Photos -

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Asakusa Tawarachoo 田原町 Tawara machi, Tawaramachi

This district of former fields (tahara 田原 ) belonged to the compound of Senso-Ji. The fields were turned to human settlements from first to third 丁目 Chome.
It was also called kamisukichoo 紙漉町 Paper Making District / kamisukichoo かみすき丁 / 紙すき町.
The paper made here is the Asakusagami 浅草紙 Paper from Asakusa.
..... the very first Paper factory in Edo tha was here and prosperd from the late 17th Century through the 19th Century.
- source : tokyotaito.blog.shinobi.jp -

. sukikaeshi, suki-kasehi 漉き返し業者 recycled paper from Asakusa .
Asakusagami to hiyakashi

The third Chome of Tawaracho ended in front of the Kaminarimon gate of the temple, so this street was very lively with all kinds of entertainment business.
Asakusa hirokooji　浅草広小路

Chayamachi 茶屋町 -
Residence of . Chaya Shirōjirō 茶屋四郎次郎 Chaya Shirojiro .
. chaya 茶屋 tea shop, tea stall and their side business .

Dakotsu nagaya 蛇骨長屋 (bones of a huge serpent have been found here)
Hettsui yokochoo へっつい横丁 / 竈横丁 (craftsmen making hearths (kamado) lived here)
Tomogire nagaya　朋切長屋 (naming unclear)

Gensui yokocho 源水横丁 (where the famous street performer 松井源水　Matsui Gensui worked)
. kyokugoma, kyoku-goma 曲独楽　acrobatics with spinning tops .
The Matsui Gensui Family history.

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The Nori Seaweed shop of Nakayamaya Heizaemon 中島屋平左衛門
中島屋平左衛門 - - - Nakajimaya Heizaëmon, Nakajima Heiemon or Nakajima Hirazaemon.

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Advertisement for the Culinary Seaweed Shop of Nakajimaya Heiemon, Official Purveyor to the Tôeizan Temple, at Asakusa Tahara-machi sanchôme, on the North Side (Tôeizan goyô, gozen nori dokoro, Asakusa Tahara-machi sanchôme kitagawa, Nakajimaya Heiemon)
東叡山御用　御膳海苔所　浅草田原町三丁目北側　中島屋平左衛門


by Katsushika Hokusai
- source : mfa.org/collections -

. Asakusa nori 浅草海苔 Seaweed Past and Present - Introduction .

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. Yamabushi cho 牛込山伏町 Ushigome Yamabushi district .

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The Torinomachi Pilgrimage in Asakusa
Asakusa Ricefields and Torinomachi Festival
浅草田甫酉の町詣
Asakusa tanbo Torinomachi mode
Utagawa Hiroshige

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

浅草や一厄おとす寺参り
Asakusa ya hito yaku otosu tera mairi

my dear Asakusa -
to cast off old impurities
I visit the temple

Kobayashi Issa　小林一茶

. yakuotoshi, yaku otoshi 厄落 Casting off the Old Impurities and Sins .

. WKD : Asakusa 浅草 .
- - kigo for all seasons - -

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. Asakusa densetsu 浅草伝説 Legends from Asakusa .

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

. - Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. densetsu 伝説　Japanese Legends - Introduction .


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- - - - - #asakusa #asakusaedo #tawara #heiemon #hanawakado #abekawa #kaminarimon #miyatogawa - - - -
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Rokugo Watashi

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Rokugoo, Rokugō, Rokugo no watashi 六郷の渡し Rokugo river crossing 　
六郷渡舟 Rokugo no watashibune - ferry boat from Rokugo
Rokugō 六郷 lit. "six villages" - Ota ward



川崎 六郷渡舟　Kawasaki Rokugo watashibune
Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重　東海道五拾三次

. The Kawasaki district 川崎　 .


Rokugoo, Rokugō 六郷 Rokugo district
Ota ward 大田区, 東六郷 East, 西六郷 West, 南六郷 South and 仲六郷 Central

In 1889, the following villages were grouped together asl 六郷村 Rokugo Mura.
雑色村 Zoshiki Mura、八幡塚村 Hachimanzuka Mura、町屋村 Machiya Mura、高畑村 Takahata Mura、古川村 Furukawa Mura.
In 1928, Rokugo Mura was renamed to 六郷町 Rokugo Machi.
In 1932, Rokugo Machi was renamed, now 蒲田区 Kamata district.

The name 六郷町 Rokugo Machi was abandoned in 1923.

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Rokugo no watashi - The Rokugo Ferry Crossing
The 玉川 / 多摩川 (Tamagawa) Tama river forms the southwestern geographical boundary of Musashi -- the prefecture where Edo is located. It is not a particularly large river, flowing down into Edo Bay from the mountains just to the west of the city. But here, near the coast, where the Tokaido crosses the river, it is far too wide and deep to cross on foot or on horseback. All of the people and goods passing up and down the great highway have to cross the river by ferry boat. Just ahead of us is the ferry landing at Rokugo-no-Watashi. As usual, there are dozens of ferry boats out on the river, carrying travelers and goods back and forth on their way to and from Edo.

The Tokaido is probably the busiest highway in the world. It is certainly a more important thouroughfare than any of the roads in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. This is confirmed by reports from Europeans who have visited Japan. For example, here is a comment from the Dutchman Engelbert Kaempfer, who traveled along the Tokaido on his way to Edo, during an official trade visit in 1691:

"(In addition to) the great barons passing to and from Yedo, and escorted by trains of hundreds or even thousands of men . . . . the roads are always thronged by ordinary citizens on business or on pilgrimage at certain seasons to one of their numerous holy sites. . . It is scarce credible that even here (in the countryside), it is on most days more crowded than a public street in any of the most populous towns of Europe."

The Tokaido is one of three main roads that leads from Edo (the military and political capital of the country) to Kyoto (the religious and cultural center, where the Emperor lives). The other two highways -- the Kiso Kaido and the Nakasendo -- lead through the mountains, and are not as suitable for heavy traffic. Most of the traffic on the Kiso Kaido and the Nakasendo is by foot, though riders on horseback can manage to cover all but a few of the steepest mountain passes. By contrast, the traffic on the Tokaido is very heavy, with many riders on horseback, large groups of soldiers marching in columns, small groups of pilgrims on foot, and groups of wealthy samurai or merchants being carried in carriages.

Although there are not many steep mountain ranges to cross, one major barrier does interfere with traffic on the Tokaido -- the many broad rivers that flow down from the mountains and into the Pacific Ocean. Japan is a very mountainous country, and although the Tokaido runs along a flat plain near the coast, there are many rivers running down from the hills that need to be crossed. Since the rivers have their source in the steep mountain valleys, they are subject to frequent floods, especially during the rainy season (from early May to late June). Some of these rivers are shallow enough to cross on foot. At such river crossings, there are usually large settlements of porters, whose job is to transport people and goods from shore to shore. The people and their belongings are loaded onto platforms, and groups ranging from four to several dozen men carry the loads across to the opposite shore. The fare charged for transport across the river is fairly cheap -- just one or two small copper coins.
However, the porters get a great deal of business, because there are so many people and goods that need to be carried across the rivers. Although the job of a river porter can be backbreaking and exhausing work, the pay is pretty good, and the porters usually need to form local kumi-ai (unions) to prevent competition.


歌川国芳 Utagawa Kuniyoshi

While many of the rivers along the Tokaido can be forded on foot, a few, such as the Tama river, are too deep. Where the rivers are too deep or too swift to be crossed on foot, there are usually ferry boats to handle the traffic. Rokugo-no-Watashi is one of the busiest of these crossings, and the ferry boats do a brisk business carrying travelers and goods to and from the southern suburbs of Edo. There is a constant stream of travelers across the river, and the area has become a bustling center of activity. Small clusters of shops have sprung up on both river banks to serve the people waiting to cross. In addition to the large shops and inns along the road, food-sellers pass through the crowd or set up small stalls near the river, trying to sell refreshments and drinks.

On each shore is a boat landing, surrounded by a cluster of huts where the ferry workers and their families live. Most of the ferrymen are big, brawny men. Their arms and back muscles are large and tightly knotted from years of work carrying passengers to and fro across the river. They grasp the rudders in both hands and sweep them from side to side with great, powerful strokes. The ferrymen are organized into a kumi-ai. These business associations are very similar to the "Guilds" of medieval Europe. Members of the kumi-ai cooperate to maintain stable prices, preserve the market and prevent newcomers from entering the business. The association is also responsible for collecting a fixed portion of the tolls paid by passengers, which is paid as taxes to the Shogun. Similar types of business associations exist in nearly all industries, even among farmers who specialize in a certain type of produce.

Out on the river, the boat traffic is lively and continuous. There are many different types of boats in all shapes and sizes. The smaller boats which carry passengers from shore to shore are called watashi-bune -- these flat-bottomed boats are propelled by an oarsman in the stern using a broad rudder, or a long pole made of bamboo (depending on how deep the river is). These boats usually carry about a dozen people, along with their belongings.


歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige

There are also much larger boats that carry goods and livestock. These are known as 高瀬舟　takase-bune. Although they are quite a bit larger than the watashi-bune, they have a very shallow draft, which allows them to carry their cargo far up-river. The takase-bune also have sails, which can be used whenever the river is broad enough and the wind strong enough to make oars unnecessary. These ships can not only transport cargo from shore to shore; they can also carry the goods downriver into Edo Bay and along the coast to other ports.

Up ahead crowd of people of all ages and occupations are waiting in line for their turn to cross. There are samurai and monks, artisans and nobles, geisha and housewives, farmers and beggars. All of them except the official messengers of the shogun have to pay the same fare to ride across the river. Fortunately, the fares are not very expensive. In fact, the cost for all of the river crossings between Edo and Kyoto is only about as much money as an adult worker makes in a month. The low cost is one reason why many people, even from the lower classes, usually take a long trip to one of the important pilgrimage sites at last once or twice in their lives.

The ferry boat pilot takes a few copper coins as fare, then pushes off, and the boat moves swiftly towards the opposite shore. The river is deep and sluggish here, near the coast. In fact, at high tide the water barely moves at all. We are getting close to shore now. The opposite river bank is low and grassy, lined by willows and other large trees.There is an even bigger crowd of people waiting on this shore than there was back on the opposite shore. The town here is quite a bit larger, and the boat landing is busy and bustling with activity,
because Edo -- the largest city in the world -- is only a few hours journey away!
- source : Edomatsu


. Tokaido 53 Stations 東海道五十三次 - Introduction .

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source : rokugo monogatari photo book





- reference : edo rokugo no watashi -

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Rokugoobashi 六郷橋 Rokugobashi bridge
crossing the river Tamagawa 多摩川


CLICK for photos of the modern bridge !

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The Rokugō clan 六郷氏 Rokugō shi
was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Fujiwara clan and was based at Senboku County Dewa Province in the late Sengoku period. It should not be confused with a samurai clan of the same name which appears in early Muromachi period records from Musashi Province.



六郷政乗 Rokugō Masanori (1567-1634) was rewarded by Tokugawa Ieyasu for siding with the eastern armies in the Battle of Sekigahara against his nominal overlords, the Onodera clan, by an increase in his holdings from 4,500 koku to 10,000 koku and the status of daimyō of Hitachi-Fuchū Domain. He served the Tokugawa shogunate during the 1614 Siege of Osaka, and after the destruction of the Mogami clan, was transferred to Honjō Domain with an increase in revenues to 20,000 koku which were all consolidated in the form of 103 villages in Yuki County where his descendants ruled for 11 generations to the Meiji restoration.
During the Boshin War of 1868-69,
the Rokugō were signatories to the pact that formed the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei, but were outgunned by the imperial forces subduing the alliance, and their home base, Honjō Castle was destroyed during that conflict. As with all other daimyō families, the Rokugō clan was relieved of its title in 1871 by the new Meiji government.
The final daimyō of Honjō Domain, 六郷政鑑 Rokugō Masakane, was subsequently granted the family peerage title of "shishaku" (viscount).
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説　民話　昔話 – ABC-List .

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熊本県 Kumamoto 六郷村 Rokugomura Village

Kappa 河童
Once upon a time
the Shinto priest had a dream about the Kappa who lived at the 龍ヶ淵 Dragon Riverside. The Kappa asked him to help get rid of a bakemono 化物 monster that kept him from using the entry to his home. The Shinto priest dived into the water and found an iron harrow in front of the entry hole at the bottom of the river. He took it away and the Kappa, to show his gratitude, protected the village children from drowning, when they wore a special amulet prepared by the priest.

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宮城県 Miyagi 仙台市 Sendai town 太白区

In Sendai, there is a district called Rokugo:



Rokugooseki 六郷堰 Rokugo weir
Around the year 1665 the head priest of a Zen temple had a dream:
"I felt I was the rooster of a family in my parish. There was also an old black cat in this family, which had wanted to poison the family members. So I, the rooster, called out every night to warn them. But the head of the family thought this noisy rooster was a bad omen, killed me and threw the body in the river. The body was caught in the piles of the Rokugo weir. Please tell this story to the family."
When the priest went to the Rokugo weir he found the bones of a dead rooster. So he took them and hurried to the home of the family in question. He saw a black cat jump over the large soup pot and spit some poison into it. The priest followed the cat and saw it running to a bamboo grove, where it rubbed its back on some poisonous mushrooms and weeds. The poisonous soup was soon discarded.
The head of the family realized his mistake, had a stone memorial built for the rooster and prayed to it in gratitude.

Rokugo, Wakabayashi Ward, Sendai, Miyagi
Part of the 七郷堀 Shichigobori moat and weir system to drain the inner city, along the river 広瀬側 Hirosegawa
Wakabayashi ward:
The Rokugo and Shichigo areas, located in the southeastern part of the ward, are largely used for farming and agriculture. The shoreline area is a beautiful, natural landscape with black pine trees and untouched sandy beaches.



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山梨県 Yamanashi 六郷町 Rokugomachi Town
- 西八代郡六郷町 鴨狩津向 Kamogaritsumukai village

竜宮皿 Plates from the Dragon Palace
Below the Main Hall of the temple 高前寺 Kozen-Ji there is a special hole, ubaana ウボ穴 / ウバアナ. People say it is a direct access to the 竜宮 Ryugu Dragon Palace. Villagers come here to borrow pots and plates for large meetings. They have to bring them back well cleaned and washed the next morning.
If they are not clean or some are missing, they will never get anything again from the Dragon Palace.

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富士川にもろこしの渡しというのがあった。昔、1人の旅ざむらいが急ぎで頼むと飛び込んできて、対岸へ渡った。その侍は自分が渡船したことを口外しないように口留めしたが、結局その渡し守を切り捨てる。その渡し守新蔵爺さんの以外は村人が鄭重に葬ったが、その後、この渡しでは思わぬ事故が繰り返された。それは新蔵爺さんの亡霊が浮かばれないとうことで、村人は、それを慰めるために、毎年新蔵天神として祀っている。この塚は、富士川河岸の小山にある。
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woman with white hair
高前寺の梵鐘は一名横取りの梵鐘といい、日蓮宗に信仰のある富豪が奉納したものであるが、完成した後富士川の鰍沢から身延山を目指しての下りの船で天神ヶ滝の難所を過ぎて鴨狩に近付いたときに奇石に座礁した。この巌に竜波穴と称する謎の巌谷があり、難破の彼方に白髪の女人が現れて申すには、梵鐘は近くの寺に納めて、身延山奉納は改めてみてはどうかという意味だった。それにより、高前寺に納めたため、横取りの梵鐘という。
or
承応の頃、鴨狩寺、高前寺の亀外和尚の夜の説教に多くの人が集まった。すると、ご本尊の脇に白髪の老女が現れ、読経が終わると、自分は今畜生道へ髄在して大蛇となり、昼夜三熱に苦しんでいる、今宵は観世音のお告げにより、師が道徳無辺なのを知った。どうか、自分の苦悩を救ってくれ、それがかなえば、永く当山で火難を除き、世の衆生の産難を遁れさせようといって消えた。それに因んで子安観音を祀ったという。
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Gomi Shirozaemon no tsuma 五味四郎右衛門の妻 the wife of Gomi Shirozaemon
Around 1600 the wife of Gomi Shirozaemon gave birth, but she refused to use hot water and instead used cold water. So people gossiped that whe was ryuunyo 竜女 a Dragon lady.

慶長年間の頃、五味四郎右衛門の妻は、生涯を通じて湯を嫌って水を用いてきたので、人々に竜女といわれた。また、この人は陰毛が竜神となる前触れの毛の丈だった。この一子は出家させられたが、それが日実上人だという。その後、婦人は妙な霊夢を感じて陰毛を3筋切り取り、女に与えて我に祈願をすれば、水難をのがれ、安産になるようにする、もしこの祈願に偽りがあれば、何年か経って不思議なことがある、その時には身延の常経と御嶽山と妙伝寺に必ず献納するようにといい、雨がはげしく降る日に釜無川に消えるように入った。その長毛を子安大明神として帯那の妙伝寺に祀ってある。

- - - 若草町 Wakakusa town
Gomi Shirozaemon and the serpent 蛇
About 280 years ago, the old family of 五味四郎右衛門 Gomi Shirozaemon lived in 若草村浅原 Wakakusamura village.
His wife was always worried about water damage and flooding from the river 釜無川 Kamanashigawa. One day in Summer there was a huge typhoon, so the took the lid of kama 釜 the kettle , threw it into the wild river and jumped on it. The woman changed into a serpent and became invisible.
But after that, there have never been major floods in the river, so t was called
Kamanashigawa "river without a kettle".

. More legends from Minobusan, Rokugomachi 身延山 .

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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -
六郷 08 to explore

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. Oota, Ōta 大田区 Ota ward .


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

. Japanese Architecture - Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. shokunin 職人 craftsman, craftsmen, artisan, Handwerker .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .

. densetsu 伝説　Japanese Legends - Introduction .


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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #rokugowatashi - - - -
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Odenmacho district

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Oodenmachoo, Ōdenma-chō 大伝馬町 Odenmacho district　 　
Ōtenma-chō 大てんま町 Ootenmacho / 御伝馬町
in Chuo-Cho ward 中央区 - 日本橋大伝馬町 Nihonbashi Odenmacho

Part of 伝馬町 Tenmacho, with the two sections,
Large 大伝馬町 Large and Small 小伝馬町 Kodenmacho.

. Kodenmachō 小伝馬町 Kodenmacho district .
Prison and execution grounds


CLICK for more photos !

The packhorse and messenger superintendent　馬込勘解由 Magome Kageyu from Mikawa (now Aichi) was the first to establish his business here. He welcomed Tokugawa Ieyasu in Edo and was given the privilege as superviser and head of the ward.
Many of his men from Mikawa made a living as horse keepers in Edo and made some extra money by dealing in cotton from Mikawa (momendana 木綿店). They lived mostly in the second district of Odenmacho.

Magome's daughter, O-Yuki お雪 was married to
. William Adams, the Miura Anjin (1564 - 1620) 三浦按針 .

denma 伝馬 horse messenger, packhorse relay service


source : ameblo.jp/tkyburabura

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Ōdenma-chō Cotton Shop (大伝馬町木綿店 Ōdenma-chō Momen Dana)

As a name, "Ōdenma-chō" is said to have resulted from the locating of a remount station
along a road serviced by official post horses ("tenma" in Japanese).
The townspeople providing the horses began to act as brokers of cotton
coming to Edo from 三河 Mikawa Province.
Overtime, these brokers evolved into cotton traders with some 55 being active in 1705.
Indeed, another name for the area was 木綿店 "Momen-dana" (literally "cotton traders"),
with the location equating to what is now Nihonbashi Ōdenma-chō 1-chōme to 3-chōme.
source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library

for hikyaku 飛脚 see below
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Odenmacho - Edo's Communications Center
Although most of the the people traveling on Japan's highways go on foot, or by kago (foot carriage), every now and then you can see people riding on horseback, or leading teams of pack horses laden with goods. Most of these horsemen move along the highway at a leisurely pace, only a bit faster than the people on foot, but every now and then, a rider will dash past with a cloud of dust, spurring his horse as fast as it can run. If you see one of these horses in downtown Edo, and follow it to its destination, chances are you will end up in the neighborhood of Odenmacho.

The horse messenger services in Odenmacho, Kodenmacho and Minami-denmacho are the nerve center of the Shogun's communications network. The official messenger services located in these three towns, supported by horse messengers stationed at each juku (lodging town) along the major highways, can deliver messages to all parts of the country in just a few days. The ability to communicate with all areas of the country by horse messenger allows the bakufu to provide much better administration and support to regional leaders than was possible in the past.

The horse messengers (denma) are essential to Japan's network of communications and transportation, and the three denmacho are the command center for this communications network. The word denmacho means "horse messenger town". When Edo was first built, this part of the city was set aside specifically for the horse messengers to live. As the bakufu (government) grew and developed, the functions of the horse messengers became more complicated, so the area was divided into three separate denmacho, each with its own functions.

The Shogun naturally tries to maintain as much control as possible over the messengers' activities, since communications are very important to the person who runs the country. Each juku is responsible for buying its own horses, feeding and taking good care of them, and supplying riders to carry the messages. However, the management of the lodging towns is handled by the bakufu. Each of the lodging towns has a leader who reports directly to officials in the three denmacho (horse messenger towns).

All three denmacho are located in the same area; just off the main highway and less than one kilometer from Nihonbashi bridge. Odenmacho and Minami-denmacho are responsible for communications and transportation issues along the five main highways of Japan. The riders and administrators in these two towns take turns doing the management and delivery work for half a month at a time. In the first half of the month, Odenmacho handles all official writs and messages from the government, while Minami-denmacho handles private messages. In the second half of the month, Minami-denmacho handles the official messages while Odenmacho delivers the private mail and parcels.

Kodenmacho, meanwhile, handles all matters related to local communications and transport within Edo and on the smaller roads close to the city. In addition to horses and riders, all of the denmacho also have foot messengers, known as hikyaku (literally "flying feet"). Kodenmacho relies on these men, more than the other two towns, because local messages do not necessarily need to be sent by horse to arrive there quickly.

The horse messengers at the three denmacho carry messages and parcels, just like the riders at each of the juku towns. However, their job is much harder because they have to handle traffic on all the main roads, instead of just one. Packages are carried from Odenmacho and Minami-denmacho to Shinagawa (on the Tokaido highway), Senju (on the Oshu Kaido), Itabashi (on the Nakasendo) or Takaido (on the Koshu Kaido). In addition, the denmacho do not have a specific number of horses that they are required to provide, but they ARE expected to deliver all messages when asked. This means that they have to have plenty of extra horses and riders, just in case they are needed. They may even be asked to provide riders to work temporarily at some of the juku in cases where the volume of messages is too great, or if horses and riders at the juku are sick or injured and can't work.

Since they are "not allowed" to run short of horses and riders, and have to be prepared for any emergency, the managers of the denmacho maintain large stables in the area between Odenmacho and Minami-denmacho. The long rows of stables, with their musty scent of horsehair and manure, face onto a large, grassy central square. Not only are the horses kept here; all of the riders live at the stables as well, when they are on duty. That way, they are always ready to quickly mount up and be on their way with a message. The central square is used as an exercise ground where horses can get some exercise even when there are no messages to be carried.

In addition to the main stables in the center of the city, the messenger services maintain their own horse pastures for spare horses in several other locations on the outskirts of Edo. These rural stables are mainly used for older horses, mares with young colts, and for horses that are sick, injured or just worn out from too much riding. They are also used as training centers, where young horses are trained to be denma (messenger horses). In an emergency, though, even these animals can be pressed into service.

Although their work is very tiring and strenuous, the messenger horses are well cared for. They are carefully groomed every day, and fed extremely well. Horses are considered extremely valuable, and therefore they are often cared for even better than the men who ride them.You can always find another person to be a rider, but it is hard to find a good, strong and reliable horse.

Some horses are bred and raised at ranches in the outskirts of Edo, but the best horses generally come from northern Japan, or from Shimosa and Kazusa -- the hilly provinces just to the east of Edo. The grassy hillsides in these areas are ideal for raising horses, and the animals grow up strong and swift. The horses raised in the suburbs tend to be weaker animals, and are generally used only for the short-distance messenger services in Kodenmacho

The messages sent by horse are usually written on a long strip of paper which is then folded up several times and sealed with wax. The sender then stamps their own private seal on the wax so that nobody can open the letter and read it without breaking the seal. This is a good way to ensure privacy. If the seal is broken when it arrives at its destination, it is obvious that one of the messengers must have broken the seal. Since each juku keeps careful records of who is working on which day, and what messages they carry, it would be fairly easy to figure out who the prime suspects are if a seal was ever broken. Fortunately, this is rarely necessary. The messengers are highly trained professionals, and they do their job well.

Usually, messages are collected for several hours before they are dispatched, usually at regular hours, two or three times a day. That way, each rider can carry many messages at once. However, in the case of urgent messages, the riders will immediately take the message and ride as fast as they can from juku to juku. Messages with the highest-priority can be carried from Edo to Kyoto or Osaka (about 450 kilometers) in 30 to 35 hours. Considering the many mountains and rivers that must be crossed, this is a remarkably fast communications system.
Messages can be sent round-trip to Kyoto in just three days.
- source : Edomatsu



Kimonoshop in Odenmacho / Hiroshige

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- quote -
Nihonbashi Odenma-cho is derived from "Tenma", the horseback relay delivery by horses system in the Edo Era. There were a number of merchants in the town, cotton wholesalers in the Edo Era, and textile wholesalers after the World War II. Consequently, the town was prospered. We interviewed maestro. Katsutoshi Hamada was the 12th owner of "Edo-ya". Edo-ya was producing and selling hake and many brushes at Edo Shogunate in about 300 years in the town.
... The founder of Edoya was first trained in Kyoto, and then he or she started to craft hake makeup brushes for ladies. Also, he or she designed painting brush for the personal painters of the Shogun within the inner place of the Edo Shogunate. The Shogun family gave their shop a name "Edo-ya" in 1718, and they have been in business for about 300 years since then. After Meiji Era, they started to make western brushes to fit the lifestyle changes.
- source : tokyochuo.net/issue/traditional -

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bettara ichi べったら市 market selling bettara pickles
In the area of Odenma-cho and Torihatago-cho, close to Nihonbashi in Tokyo.
The freshly pickled radish of this year are sold.

The 20th of October was the day dedicated to the deity Ebisu and a market was held in his honor. Apart from Bettarazuke, salted salmon and pots were sold. But it soon changed to Asazuke and Takuanzuke as local specialities.

. bettarazuke (べったら漬) "sticky pickles" .
kigo for late autumn

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hikyaku 飛脚 courier, messenger "flying legs"



- quote -
Hikyaku were couriers or messengers active in the medieval and early modern periods, who transported currency, letters, packages, and the like. In the Edo period, the network of hikyaku messengers expanded dramatically, and also became more organized and systematized.

Sando hikyaku (三度飛脚) traveled the Tôkaidô three times a month, and were generally employed by shogunate officials in Osaka and Kyoto to communicate with the shogunate in Edo. The messengers made use of horses made ready at post towns along the way - in theory, three horses ready and available at any given time - to ensure they would always have a fresh horse and thus the ability to travel more quickly.

The same term, sando hikyaku, was also used to refer to an independent network of messengers (i.e. not working directly for the shogunate) who operated commercially in transporting messages and goods along the Tôkaidô, beginning around 1664. These commercial messengers were also known as jô bikyaku in Edo, and junban hikyaku in Kyoto, and operated out of roughly 86 establishments in Kyoto and at least nine in Osaka, with branch operations in Edo, and roughly twenty post-stations along the route.
A much smaller group of messenger operators, known as jôge hikyaku (上下飛脚) or rokkumi hikyaku (六組飛脚) were based in Edo, and specialized in transporting materials for provincial daimyô. The Kyoto/Osaka-based messengers soon expanded their business, establishing routes connecting those cities with Tanba and Harima provinces, and with major provincial cities such as Sendai, Nagasaki, Kanazawa, and Fukui. Each company ran on a different schedule, generally sending and receiving messengers three times every ten days; a manager called a sairyo oversaw operations and took responsibility for the safety of packages.

The shogunate also operated a network of messengers along all five major highways (the Gokaidô) called tsugi hikyaku (継飛脚), to convey official messages to shogunate and daimyô domains. Horses were kept ready at stations called tsugitate, spaced roughly eight kilometers apart, for use by the messengers.

Some of the most powerful daimyô maintained their own messenger networks, called daimyô hikyaku or shichi-ri-hikyaku, as these networks generally had horses ready every seven ri (shichi-ri). The two most prominent daimyô who maintained such networks were the Gosanke Tokugawa branch families based in Wakayama and Nagoya. Messengers in the service of Wakayama han left Edo on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of each month, and left Wakayama on the 10th, 20th, and 30th.

All in all, the time it took to convey messages from Osaka to Edo or vice versa, across 500 km, settled into a standard of six days by the end of the 17th century; in the 18th century, as the economy boomed and road and river traffic increased, delays due to congestion and other factors increased as well, and what once took six days now more frequently took ten or twelve. Meanwhile, however, commercial messenger services sought ways to cut down their times, and soon haya hikyaku (quick messengers) were making the journey in five, four, or as little as three and a half days, gaining time by running at night, and by making stops at fewer stations. In the 19th century, messengers somehow managed to cut the time even further, making the journey in as little as two days. However, these super express services were quite expensive, costing as much as four, or even eight or nine ryô for three-and-a-half day delivery of a message.

- - - - - Continue reading :
- source : samurai-archives.com -

daimyoo hikyaku 大名飛脚 messenger of a Daimyo lord
hayabikyaku, haya hikyaku 早飛脚 quick messenger
joobikyaku, jô bikyaku　定飛脚　commercial messengers (Edo)
jooge hikyaku, jôge hikyaku 上下飛脚 small group of messengers
junban hikyaku 順番飛脚 commercial messengers (Kyoto)
rokkumi hikyaku 六組飛脚 group of six messengers
sando hikyaku 三度飛脚 messenger on the Tokaido
shichi-ri-hikyaku　七里飛脚 messenger running seven Ri
tsugi hikyaku 継飛脚 highway messengers



source : honnesia.doorblog.jp
photo of a Hikyaku, about 130 years old


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. Hikyakugitsune 飛脚狐 the Fox messenger "with flying legs" .
There have been quite a few in the service of local lords.


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

菜の花の中に糞ひる飛脚哉
nanohana no naka ni fun hiru hikyaku kana

the fast messenger
shits in the middle
of a rapeseed field
Tr. Gabi Greve

. 夏目漱石 Natsume Soseki .


source : blog.goo.ne.jp/oyuse13 - 南伸坊　『笑う漱石』

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. Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 .

夕立と加賀もぱっぱと飛にけり
yuudachi to kaga mo pappa to tobi ni keri

the cloudburst
and the Kaga messengers
flew right by

In the present hokku a cloudburst soaks the post road and the area around it, but it is a small storm apparently consisting of a single cloud, and it quickly moves on. Around the same time, a group of official fast couriers (hikyaku 飛脚, lit. "flying legs") from the big Kaga domain (Kaga no Chiyo's home) on the Japan Sea pass through on their way to Edo.

Tr. and comment by Chris Drake

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草枯れて狐の飛脚通りけり
kusa karete kitsune no hikyaku tori keri

. Yosa Buson　与謝蕪村 and Fox Haiku .

ゆく年の瀬田を廻るや金飛脚
yuku toshi no Seta o mawaru ya kanebikyaku

running round Seta
at the end of the year -
money messengers

蕪村 Yosa Buson

. Seta 瀬田 and the Big Bridge 瀬田の大橋 .


kanebikyaku, kane-bikyaku かねびきゃく / 金飛脚 money-carrying messengers
between Edo and Osaka

- - - - - and the modern version



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よらで過ぐる京の飛脚や年の暮
正岡子規 Masaoka Shiki

市民今朝飛脚のように足くじく
阿部完市 Kan'ichi Abe / Abe Kanichi (1928 - 2009)


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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

. Hikyaku 飛脚　伝説　legends about fast messengers .

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. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government and Administration .

. 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 .

. densetsu 伝説　Japanese Legends - Introduction .


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