Edo - the EDOPEDIA -

6/30/2018

Itabashi ward

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
Warabi, Saitama, see below
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Itabashi ku 板橋区 Itabashi ward
itabashi 板橋 "plank bridge"
板橋区板橋, Kami 上板橋, Naka 中板橋, Nakajuku 中宿
Former 旧武蔵国豊嶋郡 Musashi no Kuni - Toshima district

- quote
... it calls itself Itabashi City.
Itabashi lies on the Kantō plain. The Arakawa River, a major river, forms part of the boundary with Saitama Prefecture. Surrounding the ward are, in Saitama, the cities of Wakō and Toda; and in Tokyo, the wards of Nerima, Toshima, and Kita.
- History
The name of the ward means "plank bridge" and derives from the wooden span over the Shakujii River that dates from the Heian period. Such a bridge was remarkable at the time, and the name has lasted since. In the Edo period, the Nakasendō crossed the nearby Shimo Itabashi, and the name came to apply to that area as well. Itabashi was one of the four Edo Post Towns, and travellers first lodged there after leaving the shogunal capital. Kaga Domain had a mansion there.
The shogunate maintained the Itabashi execution grounds at Itabashi.
On October 1, 1932,
nine towns and villages of Kita-Toshima District were merged and became part of Tokyo City as Itabashi Ward. It became a special ward May 3, 1947. On August 1 of that year, the localities of Nerima, Kami-Nerima, Naka-Arai, Shakujii and Ōizumi were split off from Itabashi to create Nerima Ward.
- source : wikipedia

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. 中山道 The Nakasendo Highway .
1. Itabashi-shuku 板橋宿 (Itabashi)

Divided from North to South into
Kami-Shuku 上宿 Kamishuku (now 現在の本町) - Upper
Naka-Shuku 仲宿 / 中宿 - Middle
Hirao-Shuku 平尾宿 - Hirao
Shimo-Shuku 下宿 - Lower

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA - 板橋宿 !

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Shimizu-zaka slope

Shimizu-zaka slope is the first difficult pass on the Nakasendō Highway.
It was, however, the only place in the highway from which a panoramic view of Mt. Fuji could be seen. There was an intersecting station (ai-no-shuku) under the slope that connected two stations of Itabashi and Warabi.
This intersection was used for resting or even as an alternative station when small river boats from Toda could not be used due to the swelling of the river.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

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Warabi (蕨市, Warabi-shi)
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
Warabi has the smallest area of any municipality in Japan, and highest population density outside of the special wards of Tokyo.
- more in the wikipedia -

Inuyama Dôsetsu 犬山道節 Inuyama Dosetsu

Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳 (1797–1861)
In this mystical design, Kuniyoshi portrays the hero Inuyama Dosetsu
from the Tale of Eight Dogs 八犬伝 Hakkenden).

. Nakasendoo　中山道 Nakasendo Highway .
2. Warabi-shuku 蕨宿 (Warabi)
warabi means bracken, fern, Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusclum

渓斎英泉 Keisai Eisen

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Itabashi Honchoo 本町 Honcho district- see below

. Itabashi 板橋区 Kaga district 加賀 .

Itabashi Narimasu 成増 Narimasu district - see below

. Shakujii Kōen 石神井公園 Shakuji River Park .
Nerima ward

Tokiwadai 常盤台 Tokiwadai district - see below

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In 1180 Minamoto Yoritomo is recorded having temporarily stationed his army near a bridge called 板橋 Itabashi “the plank bridge” on the upper Takinogawa 滝野川 Takino River in the Toshima-gun 豊島郡 Toshima District of Musashino no Kuni 武蔵国 Musashi Province. There was no road by the name at the time, but it is believed that this bridge is where the 中仙道 Nakasendō crossed the Takino River.
Today
there is still a bridge called Itabashi where the Nakajuku Shōtengai 仲宿商店街 Nakajuku Shopping Arcade crosses the 石神井川 Shakujii River. And it’s generally agreed that this is the same bridge. The arcade street is actually the Old Nakasendo highway and the name refers to the fact that it cuts through (仲) the post town (宿).
By the Edo Period,
a major shukuba 宿場 post town had grown up around the bridge and the area was well known as 板橋宿 Itabashi-shuku. The town was a major stopping point for daimyō processions after the 1630’s. The town prospered under the sankin-kōtai edict until 1862 when the requirement was suspended in the crisis of the bakumatsu. Itabashi-shuku was a 3-4 hour walk from Nagareyama and it was also the starting point of the Kawagoe kaidō 川越街道 Kawagoe Highway.
... Why “Plank Bridge?”
The prevailing theory seems to be that in the late Heian Period in a backwater area far from Kyōto, the presence of an elegant and smooth plank bridge would have been something unique — as opposed to a bridge thrown together with a bunch of crappy logs of various shapes and sizes. The fact that a bridge was even mentioned in the same sentence as Minamoto Yoritomo is held up as corroborating evidence . . . or that’s what people say.
Itabashi-shuku’s big claim to fame
is a bit more nefarious than just being a convenient post town with a smooth bridge. As the area was well outside of central Edo and on a major road, it was also the site of a prison and execution ground during the Edo Period. In 1868 as the Imperial Army was taking possession of the city and its infrastructure, they used the prison and execution grounds to detain and eventually execute Kondō Isami. Nothing remains of the execution grounds or the prison except for a quiet plot of land purchased by Nagakura Shinpachi to build graves for Kondo and Hijikata Toshizō and all the other dead members of Shinsengumi. Definitely a must-see spot if you’re a Shinsengumi fan like me.
- source : japanthis marky star -

Itabashi eki　板橋駅 - Edo Meisho Zue
source : Itabashi Historical Museum
板橋区赤塚5-35-25

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. Itabashi keijō 板橋刑場 Itabashi Keijo, execution grounds .

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赤塚エリア Akazuka area
板橋エリア Itabashi area
志村エリア Shimura area
高島平エリア Takashimadaira area

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Itabashi Jukkei 板橋十景 10 special viewpoints

To celebrate 70 years of the existence of Itabashi, 10 special places and events had been selected to promote the ward.

. 赤塚溜池公園周辺 - Akatsuka Tameike Pond Park .

. 板橋（区名由来の橋）- The original Itabashi .

. いたばし花火大会 - Fireworks at Itabashi .

. 志村一里塚 - Shimura Ichirizuka milestone .

. 石神井川の桜並木 - Cherry blossoms along river Shakujigawa .

. 松月院 - Shogetsu-In temple - see below .

. 田遊び（徳丸・赤塚）- Ta-asobi ritual of the fields .

. 高島平団地とけやき並木 - Keyaki zelkova trees at Takashimadaira .

. Tokyo Daibutsu 東京大仏 Big Buddha of Tokyo, 乗蓮寺 Temple Joren-Ji .

. Nanzooin 南蔵院 Temple Nanzo-In - cherry blossoms .
板橋区蓮沼町４８－８ // Itabashi, Hasunumacho 48-8

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Shōgetsu-in Temple Taidō 松月院大堂 Shogetsu-In Taido

Taidō became a thatched temple only with its form in the Edo period.
The name "Taidō" was said to be derived from its large scale with seven temple buildings (shichidō-garan) during the Nanbokuchō period (the Period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties).
Many worshippers visited the temple from Edo particularly to see the temple bell, which is considered to have been founded during the Nanbokuchō period.

A seated Amida Nyōrai, which is considered to have been created at the end of the Kamakura period, also attracted worshippers.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Museum -

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Itabashi Honchoo 本町 Honcho district
Itabashi, Motomachi, no sub-districts

The old postal station in 武蔵国豊島郡下板橋宿 Musashinokuni Toshima Itabashijuku and the village 前野村 Maenomura were united to form Honcho.
Mostly a residential area.

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Itabashi Narimasu 成増 Narimasu district
Itabashi, Narimasu 一丁目- 五丁目 first to fifth sub-district

The name refers to the person who developed the area
田中左京成益 Tanaka Sakyo Narimasu, also known as 田中泰彦 Tanaka Yasuhiko, who developed the area around 1520, when he came to 赤塚村 Akatsuka village.
In 1657, Akatsuka village became separated and 成増村 Narimasu village was established.
The name was later lost but revived, when the Itabashi ward was established.

Tanaka Yasuhiko Ke Monjo 田中泰彦家文書 Manuscripts of the Tanaka Clan
If refers also to the family in the 30th generation, 田中為静関係史料　当家30代の田中為静
- reference source : city.itabashi.tokyo.jp... -

Narimasu eki 成増駅 Narimasu station

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. 瑠璃光山 Rurikozan　清光院 Seiko-In　青蓮寺 Shoren-Ji .
板橋区成増4-36-2 / 4 Chome-36-2 Narimasu, Itabashi ward
Edo Gofunai Pilgrimage, Nr. 19

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Itabashi Tokiwadai 常盤台 Tokiwadai district
Itabashi, Tokiwadai 一丁目 - 四丁目 first to fourth sub-district
南常盤台 Minami-Tokiwadai (South of Tokiwadai station) 一丁目 - 二丁目 first and second sub-district

Tokiwadai eki ときわ台駅 Tokiwadai station

The name dates back to 1935 and the new station name of 武蔵常盤駅 Musashino Tokiwa Eki (now Tokiwadai Eki).
In the Shrine 天祖神社 Tenso Jinja the deity 天照大神 Amaterasu Omikami is venerated. In the compound is an old pine tree named
Tokiwa no Matsu 常盤（常緑）の松 "the ever-green pine tree".
tokiwa is an old word, meaning eternal, lasting for ever.
The first land developed around the new station, shaped like a hand-fan, was named Tokiwadai.

source : jinja.tokyolovers.jp/tokyo/itabashi...
東京都板橋区南常盤台2-4-3 // 2 Chome-4-3 Minamitokiwadai, Itabashi City

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Tokiwadai Tenso Shrine Festival
Tokiwadai Tenso Shrine Festival is held once a year in September.
... The shrine was founded in the Muromachi (1336-1578) period.
It also has the guardian dog that was damaged by air bombing in Showa period.

... There are many kinds of different mikoshi as each shrine and festival has a different god. People who live around the shrine carry it and go around the neighborhood bearing it on their shoulders. This is a very inspiring scene indeed! Not only men but also women and kids join this activity. The reason why people carry it is to spread the great power of the gods and protect people from evil spirits. ...
- source and more photos : festivalgo.huber-japan.com/events... -

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Itabashi 板橋区

enoki 榎 nettle tree in 上板橋 Kami-Itabashi
Where the 川越街道 Kawagoe Kaido Highway crosses the river 石神井川 Shakujigawa there is the 下頭橋 Getobashi bridge.

Once upon a time, many hundred years ago, a wandering priest, who was very tired, took a rest below this bridge. He had put his staff into the ground and from there the nettle tree begun to sprout. To our day people venerate the roots of the tree and say it will heal toothache, if they come here to pray.

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ishi arare 石アラレ hailstones from stone
At the home of 新井銀次郎 Arai Ginjiro it used to rain hailstones from stone. The news spread and many came visiting. The police and the newspaper tried to fiend the reason for this.
It seems the 子守 baby sitter of the family had fallen in love and her friend used to throw stones on the roof to make her come out to meet him. That was the end of the mysterie.

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jidoosha no keiteki 自動車の警笛 hunking horn of a car
On summer nights, the hunkin of a car horn was heard along the river Shakujigawa, although there were no cars driving near the river.
People say it was the revenge of a spirit from a driver who had died in a car accident.
Many people came to have a look and even a tea stall opened and made good profit. Later they found out it was the voice of large frogs who were kept at a store for food.

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. mujina ムジナ Tanuki badger .
Late at might a man heard a voice calling his name, but when he opened the door there was nobody. This went on for many nights. One night he waited at the door and when he heard the voice, he opened the door immediately, only to see a badger run away in haste.

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obake yashiki お化け屋敷 the haunted house
When the restaurant 橋本屋 Hashimotoya was about to go bancrupt, the owner killed his wife and went off with his concubine. Since then the estate was called "haunted house", where the spirit of the killed wife roamed, waiting for revenge. A fearless man once bought the estate, but he soon died for no reason and his wife had an accident and died too very soon after.

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. Tengusugi 天狗と杉 cedar tree in Itabashi .
and 天狗坂 Tengusaka, Tengu-Saka.

.................................................................................　Saitama 埼玉県
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板橋区 Itabashi district 下板橋 Shimo-Itabashi

enkiri enoki 縁切榎 nettle tree to cut a human bond (like marriage)
Where the 川越街道 Kawagoe Kaido Highway branches off, there is a 庚申碑 memorial stone for the Koshin deity and beside it was a huge nettle tree. When there was a fire in the house next to it, the tree burned down and only its roots remained. If people use a small cut from the roots and make a tea from it, they will be able to cut the bad bonds between man and woman.

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戸田市 Toda - 武州板橋 Bushu Itabashi

. kaminari 雷 thunder .
A short walk from Bushu Itabashi was the village of 西戸田村 West-Toda. There lived a widow with her two daughters.
On the 28th day of the 5th lunar month in 1647 the two girls begun to hit the mother very hard, but finally went to take a nap. The sky became dark all of a sudden and it begun to rain heavily. Then in a thunderstorm a flash of lightning came down, grabbed the younger sister and disappeared with her.
- Another version of this tale involves a
. hebi　蛇　/ へび　/ ヘビ snake - Schlange .
The elder sister was the villain and did not give food to the ill mother. The husband of the younger sister brought her food secretly, but was found out and 姉 Elder Sister threw the food away.
The mother became so sick in due time, she went to the well and wanted to kill herself by drowning. The husband of the younger sister was surprized and grabbed a ladder to climb into the well. But again he was found out by the Elder Sister and as the two fought, Elder Sister fell into the well too. At that point, half of the mother turned into a snake and curled around Elder sister. The husband pleaded with the mother to let her go and so the mother died.
But Elder Sister died soon afterwards.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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. Musashi no Kuni 武蔵国 Musashi Province .

. 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 .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #itabashi #itabashiward #warabi #nakasendo - - - -
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Takadanobaba Takatanobaba Shinjuku

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Takadanobaba, Takada no Baba 高田馬場 "Horse grounds of Takada"
新宿区西早稲田高田馬場一丁目から高田馬場四丁目 Shinjuku, Nishi-Waseda,
Takadanobaba from first to fourth sub-district

The original house grounds of the Edo period were called "Takatanobaba"　(TakaTA no baba).
They soon became famous for its annual Yabusame archery on horseback.
When a train station was to be build about 1 km away from this horse racing ground, the local residents did not want their name to "move", so eventually they all settled with calling the station
Takadanobaba eki　高田馬場駅　Takadanobaba station

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Originally, the area's name was read Takatanobaba and many Tokyo residents in their 50s or older pronounce it as such. However, younger Tokyoites and residents who have come from outside Tokyo, use the pronunciation Takadanobaba. The area is also often referred to simply as "Baba".
The area was previously and officially known as Totsuka (戸塚).
In 1636, the shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu built in the area a baba, a ground for horseback riding and horse racing. Takata was the family name of the mother of Matsudaira Tadateru (the sixth son of Iemitsu's grandfather, the previous shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu) who favored the area as a sightseeing spot. The name stuck to prevent confusion with nearby Totsuka town near Yokohama (now Totsuka-ku, Yokohama).
In 1694, Nakayama Yasubei (later Horibe Yasubei, one of the forty-seven rōnin) took part in a battle (the Takadanobaba Kettō 高田馬場の決闘) there.
Like neighboring Waseda,
the area is synonymous with students (albeit with a somewhat less salubrious image). In addition to serving students commuting to Waseda University, the area is home to many educational institutions including vocational colleges and preparatory schools. Gakushuin University is nearby, one station stop away in Mejiro.
Astro Boy, a fictional character created by Osamu Tezuka in 1952, was supposedly "born" in Takadanobaba on April 7, 2003. In commemoration, starting in 2003, the JR platform uses the theme music from the TV series to signal the departure of a train. Also, many lamp posts in the area carry pictures from the TV series, and two large murals depicting Tezuka's works are across the street of JR Takadanobaba station.
- source : wikipedia

Takadanobaba - Hiroshige

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What Are Horse Grounds?
In the old days, the highest ranking samurai elite had horses and they needed large, open spaces to do horse stuff. Remember that Edo was a castle town. The main parts of the city radiated out from the castle. The city proper would have been too crowded for horses, so the suburbs and rural areas were better suited for that sort of thing.
...
Her Highness Takada's Horse Grounds
Much of the area that is now Niigata Prefecture was called Echigo no Kuni 越後国 Echigo Province. Inside that area was a fiefdom called Takada-han 高田藩 Takada Domain.
The mother of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s 6th son was from Takada-han. Her name was 茶阿局 Chā no Tsubone, but according to Japanese naming taboo and manners, she was referred to by most people as Takada-dono 高田殿 Her Highness Takada. She apparently loved the area for sightseeing because it wasn’t too far from the castle and she could watch strapping young samurai ride horses ...

茶阿局 Chaa no Tsubone / 阿茶局 Acha no Tsubone

Because she loved the area, her son, Matsudaira Tadateru, built a park here to enjoy yūranchi enbō 遊覧地遠望 (something like “a scenic pleasure resort”).
..... The area was called 戸塚 Totsuka for a long time.
But when the Yamanote Line opened in 1910, the original station got the name Takada no Baba. (The local people rejected the official suggestion of Kami-Totsuka 上戸塚 (Upper Totsuka) in favor of Takada no Baba. Until 1975, this was just a station name, but the area was still called Totsuka. But in 1975, Shinjuku Ward did a revamping of their displayed addresses and the region that is now Takada no Baba became Takada no Baba officially.
- source : japanthis.com/2013... -

Takadanobaba - Hiroshige
This depicts the vicinity of what is now Nishi-Waseda 3-chome.
A riding ground was established in 1636 (the thirteenth of Kan'ei) as a practice ground
for the shogun's direct retainers.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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Ana Hachimangu 穴八幡宮 Anahachimangu shrine
2 Chome-1-11 Nishiwaseda, Shinjuku

The yabusame practiced today at the Ana Hachimangū at Takadanobaba in Shinjuku, is said to go back to 1728 when the Shōgun Yoshimune ordered it as a petition for the healing of his son Ieshige's smallpox.
Yabusame is also an offering at festivals at the Tsuruoka Hachimangū and other regional shrines.
. Yabusame 流鏑馬 archery on horseback .

At the shrine Ana Hachimangu in Tokyo people come at the day of the winter solstice to buy this amulet. It is good for business and to make money, when they put it into the auspicious direction of the new year (ehoo　恵方).　
They also hang it outside on the last day of the year and for the Setsubun rituals in February. The letters of the amulet have to face the auspicious direction.
Just as shadow receedes to new light, bad fortune will not receede and good luck is bound to come.
. tooji 冬至 Winter solstice .
ichiyoo raifuku 一陽来復" sun comes back" -- The 21st of December.

- reference : Ana Hachimangu-

. Hachiman Shrines in the Edo .

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江戸名所図会　Edo Meisho Zue

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Takada Baba 高田馬場 Takada Riding Ground
During the Keichō years, Takada used to be a resort of Acha-no-tsubone,
who was the mother of the Echigo Takada-no-Shōshō (the feudal lord of Echigo-Takada),
and that is how the place got its name.
It is written in "Guide to Famous Spots of Edo" that improvements were carried out
to the riding ground in 1636 and that it became a training ground for archery and horsemanship.
It is said that the riding ground became known as Takada Baba (Takada riding ground)
because it was used for the Ana Hachimangū Shrine (Takada Hachimangū Shrine) Yabusame
(a Shinto mounted archery event).
The riding ground was located in what today is Waseda 3 chōme, Shinjuku Ward.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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Uma Ichi 馬市（うまいち） Horse market

Uma Ichi was a horse market that was held in mid-December every year.
Traders would bring 100-150 南部駒 nanbukoma horses aged two or three
from the Nanbu domain to trade at the market.
In Yabunouchi, there were three horse dealerships which worked for the stables of the Nanbu clan.
The horse market used to be held in three locations,
which were Fuchū Rokusho-no-miya, Asakusa, and Azabujūban,
but it ceased being held in Fuchū Rokusho-no-miya Shrine during the Kyōho years (1716-1736),
and it was subsequently held only in 浅草薮の内 Asakusa Yabunouchi and 麻布十番 Azabujūban.
The location of the horse market pictured is in what is today 花川戸 Hanakawado 2 chōme, Taitō-ku.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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. Temple 観音寺 Kannon-Ji .
新宿区高田馬場3-37-26 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku

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Takadanobaba Station (高田馬場駅 Takadanobaba-eki)
is a railway station in the Takadanobaba area of Tokyo's Shinjuku ward, situated between the commercial districts of Ikebukuro and Shinjuku.
新宿区高田馬場一丁目
- it serves
Yamanote Line
Seibu Shinjuku Line
Tokyo Metro Tozai Line (T-03)
It is mostly frequented by the students of Waseda University.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Waseda University (早稲田大学 Waseda Daigaku), abbreviated as Sōdai (早大),
is a Japanese private research university in Shinjuku,
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

- Astro boy relief at Takadanobaba station -
Astro Boy, Mighty Atom 鉄腕アトム Tetsuwan Atomu

To bring back more life to the area, the local shop owners decided to use Astro Boy as their mascot.
Tezuka Osamu had lived in Takadanobaba for a long time and had his office there.

. Osamu Tezuka 手塚治 Tezuka Osamu 手塚治虫 .
(1928 – 1989)
自分のスタジオを高田馬場に持った時、手塚プロも高田馬場にあった

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. Shinjuku　新宿区　Shinjuku Ward .

. 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 .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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- - - - - ###takadanobaba #takatanobaba #baba - - - -
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6/29/2018

Neribei district Kanda Chiyoda

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Neribeichoo, Neribei-chō 練塀町 Neribei-cho, Neribei district
千代田区神田練塀町 Chiyoda ward, Kanda-Neribeichō

neribei 練塀／煉り塀
is a fence (mud wall) constructed with alternate layers of dried clay bricks and kneaded mud.
tile-and-mortar wall.
. tsuijibei 築地塀 Tsuiji fence and Neribei .

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- quote
Neribeichō (練塀町), officially Kanda-Neribeichō (神田練塀町),
is a district of Chiyoda, Tokyo. As April 1, 2007, its population is 246. Its postal code is 101-0022.
Kanda-Neribeichō is located on the northeastern part of Chiyoda.
It borders Akihabara, Taitō to the north, Kanda-Matsunagachō to the east, Kanda-Aioichō, and Soto-Kanda to the west.
Located to the north of the Akihabara Station, Neribeichō is home to several skyscrapers ...
- source : wikipedia

In the Edo period, this district was better known as 下谷練塀 Shitaya Neribei, as part of Akihabara.

秋葉原練塀公園　Akihabara Neribei Park
Akihabaraneribei Park
81 Kanda Neribeicho, Chiyoda

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Neribei kooji 練塀小路 Neribei koji district
千代田区神田練塀町 Chiyoda ward, Kanda-Neribeichō, 外神田 Soto-Kanda 4th district, since 1964

During the Edo period, there were many Samurai estates with stately mud walls, so the district was also called
下谷練塀小路 Shitaya Neribei Koji.

Around 1700, the estate of 新発田藩 Shibata han (now Niigata) the Mizoguchi clan, 溝口家屋敷 Mizoguchi Yashiki was located here with a special large mud wall, which soon gave rise to the name
"Alley of the Mud Wall".

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6/28/2018

Kohinata Myogadani district

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Kohinata Myogadani choo 小日向茗荷谷町 Kohinata Myogadani district
"Myoga Ginger Valley"
文京区 Bunkyo ward, 小日向1丁目と3丁目、4丁目, Kohinata first, third and fourth sub-district.

In former times there was a shallow valley between the higher areas of 小石川 Koishikawa and 小日向 Kohinata.
There were a lot of Myoga fields in the valley, hence the name. Nowadays, there are no more Myoga fields, but in the compound of 拓殖大学文京キャンパス Takushoku University in Bunkyo ward they still harvest Myoga.
Until around 1713, there were farmers in the district, but then it came under the jurisdiction of the Edo City government and some Samurai estates were established here, like 旧大垣野村藩戸田淡路守屋敷,
and the 十二軒屋敷 Juniken Yashiki.

This district used to be part of the former 小石川区 Koishikawa ward, now 文京区 Bunkyo ward.
In 1966, the district became part of the Kohinata area.

At the Myoga Valley, there used to be a stone statue of a small Jizo Bosatsu.
When villagers went get a doctor for a very ill person, they came past this statue. If it was there as usual, the ill person would be all right, but if the stone statue faced the other side, the doctor could not help any more.
. myooga 茗荷 Japanese ginger, Zingiber mioga .
- Introduction -

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shibarare Jizoo 縛られ地蔵 string-bound Jizo
林泉寺 Rinsen-Ji

- reference source : s.webry.info/sp/navalin.at.webry... -

. Shibarare Jizō 縛られ地蔵, String-Bound Jizō .
More statues in Japan.

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There is a train station named
Myogadani eki 茗荷谷駅 Myogadani station

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Myoogadanizaka 茗荷谷坂 / 茗荷坂 Myogazaka slope
3 Chome-4 Kohinata, Bunkyō

. saka, sakamichi 坂道 the slopes of Edo .

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- quote -
The Name Has Nothing to Do With Ginger
There is another theory.
This one says there was never any myōga growing in the area. Instead this theory claims the name derives from myōga 冥加 a Buddhist term that means divine protection.
On the other side of the tracks from Myōgadani Station
is an area called 小石川 Koishikawa. This area was a very elite area in the Edo Period because the Mito Tokugawa clan had a massive residence here. There were other daimyō residences and samurai residences located in the vicinity. The residence of the tansu bugyō 簞笥奉行 the magistrate of the shōgun’s arsenal was also nearby, as were the barracks his samurai staff.
The idea is
that the samurai who lived in the barracks town of 御箪笥町 Go-Tansu Machi would make offerings at the 稲荷神社 Inari Jinja Inari Shrine at the top of Myōgadani Hill (where the station stands today) and pray for good luck in marksmanship. The shrine was called Myōga Inari Jinja 冥加稲荷神社 Shrine of the Inari of Divine Protection. Since this area was the valley where Myōga Inari Shrine was, the locals called it 冥加谷 Myōgadani.

This theory states
that the Meiji government changed the kanji. After winning the Boshin War against the last Tokugawa supporters, they kicked out all of the samurai and daimyō from the area and began repurposing the land. They hated the association of the name with the Tokugawa Shōgunate and so they changed the kanji from 冥加谷 Myōgadani Valley of Divine Protection to the less “confrontational” 茗荷谷 Myōgadani Valley of Japanese Ginger.
-
In nearby Jinkō-ji 深光寺 Jinkō Temple,
the author of Nansō Satomi Hakkenden 南總里見八犬傳 the Tale of Eight Dogs 馬琴 Bakin Bakin is buried. Interestingly, there is a small stone lantern hidden on the side of the temple called the Kirishitan Tōrō 切支丹灯籠 the Christian Lantern. It uses the word Kirishitan which is a direct reference to the Christians of Pre-Modern Japan. I’m not sure if this monument has been commemorating them since the Edo Period or if it’s a recent thing. Judging from pictures, the statue doesn’t seem very old – but it could be a replacement.
Even more curious
is that another nearby temple, 徳雲寺 Toku'un-ji, which seems to make most of its money off funerals, offers a
キリスト教プラン Kiristo-kyō Puran Christian Plan. At first, I thought this was related to the hidden old Kirishitan monument at Jinkō-ji, but then I saw it came under the heading 無宗教・キリスト教のプラン Mushūkyō/Kiristo-kyō Puran non-religious/Christian plan.
- and the connection between the Myōgadani temples and Christianity.
- source : japanthis.com/2014... -

茗荷稲荷神社 Shrine Myoga Inari Jinja

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. Temple 清水山 Seisuizan 　専教院 Senkyo-In .
文京区小日向3-6-10 / Bunkyo ward, Kohinata 3-6-10

. Seiganji 清巖寺 Seigan-Ji, Nishi-Sugamo .
It was first built in 1615 in 小日向 Kohinata.

. Legends from Kohinata 小日向 .

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. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

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

. Japanese Architecture - The Japanese Home .

. Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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- - - - - #myogadani #kohihata #kobinata - - - -
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6/27/2018

Chiyoda ward

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
. Legends from Chiyoda ward - densetsu　伝説 .
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Chiyoda ku 千代田区 Chiyoda ward - "Fields of Eternity"

- quote
It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Kanda and Kōjimachi wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis. The modern Chiyoda ward exhibits contrasting Shitamachi and Yamanote geographical and cultural division. The Kanda area is in the core of Shitamachi, the original commercial center of Edo-Tokyo. On the other hand, the western part of the Kōjimachi area typically represents a Yamanote district.
- source : wikipedia

source : tokyo_chiyodaku...

- quote
The area that comprised the grounds of Edo Castle is roughly that of modern 千代田区 Chiyoda Ward. The name of the area predates the Edo Period. In fact, the original name of Edo Castle was Chiyoda Castle since it was built in the Chiyoda area of the small fishing village, Edo.
The kanji 千代 (sendai or chiyo)
means something like “1000 generations.” The kanji 田 tanbo (rice paddy) can also refer to 田園 denen (something like cultivated fields or fertile district). The name is very auspicious and conveys an idea of “Fields that can feed people for eternity.”
In 1547, Ōta Dōkan
chose the Chiyoda area to fortify and build what would eventually become Edo Castle. He was killed in 1486 and the castle fell into disuse.
In 1590,
the imperial regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi transferred Tokugawa Ieyasu and his clan to Edo. Ieyasu renovated the derelict castle and built it up. After Ieyasu was made shōgun in 1600, the castle soon became the largest and most important castle in Japan. By this time Edo wasn't a backwater village, but a thriving city of which Chiyoda was just one small part.
So the name Edo Castle superseded the original name. ...
- source : japanthis/2013

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Kōjimachi area 麹町地区
former Kōjimachi Ward (Kōjimachi-ku)

. Banchoo, Banchō 番町 Bancho district .

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 Six district

Chiyoda 千代田
"1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda-ku" is the official address of the Imperial Palace

Fujimi 富士見
location of the Philippines embassy as well as several schools

. Hayabusachoo, Hayabusachō 隼町 Hayabusacho district .

. Hibiya Kōen 日比谷公園 Hibiya Koen Park.
Address for Hibiya Park, a large park south of the Imperial Palace

. Hirakawachō 平河町 / 平河 Hirakawa district .

Hitotsubashi 一ツ橋（1丁目）

. Iidabashi 飯田橋 and Iida-machi　飯田町 .

. Kasumigaseki 霞が関 "checkpoint in the mist" .
The nerve center of Japan's administrative agencies

. Kioichō 紀尾井町 .
The name takes one kanji each from the names of the Kishū Domain, Owari Domain, and Ii clan.

Kitanomaru Park 北の丸公園
North of the imperial palace, location of the Budokan
. Kitanomaru Park 北の丸公園 - Photos .

. Koojimachi, Kōjimachi 麹町 / 麴町 Kojimachi district .
Older residential and commercial neighborhood on the west side of the Imperial Palace, home to the embassy of Ireland

Kōkyo Gaien 皇居外苑
large open gardens in front of the Imperial palace
- - - . Wadakura 和田倉 Wadakura - park and bridge .

Kudanminami 九段南 and Kudankita 九段北 districts
around the station of Kudanshita - Northwest side of the Imperial Palace, home to Yasukuni Shrine.
. Kudanzaka 九段坂　Kusansaka, Kudan slope .

Marunouchi 丸の内 / 丸之内 / 丸ノ内 / 丸内
一丁目 - 三丁目 first to third sub-district
"inside the castle circle", surrounded by a moat along Edo castle.
Located between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, one of Tokyo's traditional commercial centers

Nagatachō 永田町
The location of the National Diet; also houses the Hie Shrine
Named after the Nagata family which lived here around 1680, 永田善次郎 Nagata Zenjiro and 永田庄八 Nagata Shohachi are known.
The estate of 井伊直弼 Ii Naosuke was also in this district.

Hiyoshisannō no Jinja 日吉山王神社 Hiyoshi Sanno Shrine

日吉山王神社 Hiyoshisannō Shrine (also known as 山王権現 Sannō Gongen) is the former name
of what is now the 日枝神社 Hie Shrine in Chiyoda Ward's Nagata-chō 2-chōme.
It changed its name after the Meiji Restoration.
In Edo times, the shrine housed the guardian deity of the Tokugawa shogunate,
thus it enjoyed the Shogun's favor with visits by his family
and the families of other leading lords.
Its religious festivals were considered great public occasions,
and conducted in the height of luxury.
In the "Guide to Famous Spots of Edo" as well,
the shrine was described as "the most important in Edo".
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

. Ochanomizu 御茶ノ水 / 御茶の水 / お茶之水 / 御茶ノ水 "water for tea" .
- quote -

The name Ochanomizu came from an high-quality spring
which was used to make tea for the Shogun in the early Edo period.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

. Ōtemachi 大手町 Otemachi district .
North of Marunouchi, a district of key financial Japanese institutions and major national newspapers

Uchisaiwaichō 内幸町
close to the Hibiya Park, location of the Imperial Hotel, as well as head offices of banks (especially Mizuho Financial Group).

. Yūrakuchō 有楽町 Yurakucho district .
South of Marunouchi, part of the Tokyo Station business district.

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Marunouchi 丸の内 / 丸之内 / 丸ノ内 / 丸内

Daimyō kōji, 大名小路 Daimyo Koji, the "Daimyo Alley" is located in Marunouchi. It was the residential area of important Daimyo, with walled estates and large gardens. It was not a part of the Edo castle area. Now many importand companies have their high-rise buildings there.
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. Kanda 神田地区 Kanda area .
- - - including Kanda sub-districts featured in the Edopedia.
The land was under the directive of Ise Jingu Shrine to grow rice for the Shrine offerings.
Kanda has a lot of sub-districts, one of the most famous modern is
Jinbōchō 神保町 Jinbocho - the largest bookstore district in Japan.

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. Hie Shrine Festival 日枝神社祭礼 .
Sannoo matsuri 山王祭 Sanno festival
2 Chome-10-5 Nagatacho, Chiyoda

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. Legends from Chiyoda ward - densetsu　伝説 .

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. 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 .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #chiyoda #chiyodaward #kanda #hieshrine #sanno #ochanomizu - - - -
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Bunkyo ward

- quote
Bunkyō is a special ward located in Tokyo.
Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there. Bunkyō is home to the Tokyo Dome, Judo's Kōdōkan, and the University of Tokyo's Hongo Campus. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Bunkyō City. Bunkyō has a sister-city relationship with Kaiserslautern in the Rhineland-Palatinate of Germany.
It was formed in 1947
as a merger of Hongo and Koishikawa wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis. The modern Bunkyo ward exhibits contrasting Shitamachi and Yamanote geographical and cultural division. The Nezu and Sendagi neighborhoods in the ward's eastern corner is attached to the Shitamachi area in Ueno with more traditional Japanese atmosphere. On the other hand, the remaining areas of the ward typically represent Yamanote districts.
- source : wikipedia

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- reference source : city.bunkyo.lg.jp... -

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- Sub-districts of Bunkyo ward -

Hongō, Hongoo 本郷　Hongo

. Hongō 本郷 Hongo district, "original hometown" .
. . . . . Kikuzakachō 菊坂町 Kikuzakacho, Kikusaka district
. . . . . Yumicho / Yumi machi 本郷弓町 Hongo Yumi district "Arrow district"

. 薬王山 Yakuozan　遍照院 Henjo-In　三念寺 Sannen-Ji .
文京区本郷2-15-6 / 2 Chome-15-6 Hongō, Bunkyō ward

. Yayoi 弥生 Yayoi district .

. Yushima 湯島 Yushima district .
文京区 Bunkyo ward, 湯島 Yushima 1 - 3, 本郷 Hongo 2. - Legends from Yushima

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. Hon-Komagome / 駒込 Komagome district .
. Kasugachoo 春日町　Kasugacho District, Kasuga-Cho .
. Kohinata district 小日向 - Myogadani .
. Koishikawa 小石川 .
- and - Koishikawa Hakusan 小石川白山
. Kōraku, Kooraku 後楽 Koraku .
. Mejirodai　目白台 .
. Morikawajuku 森川宿 Morikawa rest station / 森川町 Morikawa cho .
. Mukōgaoka, Mukoogaoka 向ヶ丘 / 向丘 Mukogaoka .

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. Nezu district 根津 .
- #nezu - - - - - - Nezu Jinja 根津神社 Nezu Shrine

. Nishikata 西片 and Suidō 水道 Suido district .

. Sendagichoo 駒込千駄木町 Komagome Sendagi district .

. Sengoku 千石 Sengoku district "one thousand stones" .

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

. . . . . . Legends from Koishikawa 小石川, Bunkyo .

. . . . . . Legends from Denzuuin 伝通院 Denzu-In, Denzuin, Dentsu-In .
文京区小石川3-14-6 / 3 Chome-14-6 Koishikawa, Bunkyō ward
..... 久米蔵 Kumezo and 文作 Bunsaku, working for 藤田廉平 Fujita Renbei

.................................................................................　Bunkyo 文京区

....................................................................... 小日向 Kohinata

. Amazake Baba Jizo 甘酒婆地蔵尊 .
東京都文京区小日向 Kohinata - 日輪寺 Nichirin-Ji

boozu 坊主 a priest
In 1814 the adopted girl of a 旗本 Hatamoto retainer met a pale priest in a striped robe and soon lost her mind. This priest even turned up in her dreams. This priest had been a servant turend out of her father's home. They had some rituals performed to appease the soul and the girl got well again.
Since he had left the house in the 12th lunar month, they made this day his death anniversary.

. kori 狐狸と伝説 Legends about fox and Tanuki badger .
In October of 1783, a farmer met an old lady, wearing a beautiful Kimono, and he promised to take her in and care for her.
She never took any meal and sometimes disappeared suddenly. This must have been a fox or a Tanuki!

. ryuu, ryū 龍　竜　伝説　Ryu - dragon legends .
Around 1790, in 小日向大曲 Hinata Daigoku there was a dragon flying toward heaven. Before that, an old priest had been walking in the roads of Hinata, warning the farmers about this event.
The priest was invited to the home of a Hatamoto Tsuchiya 土屋, where he told the Samurai, that he himself was the dragon. He had been to earth because there was not enough water.
Tsuchiya took the water of his inkstone, poured it into a ritual Sake container and gave it to the old priest, who took it with great pleasure.
A few days later the blue sky turned dark and a long strong rain started. The raindrops were all black, they sy.

- - - - - 本所深川小日向 Honjo Fukagawa Kohinata
In former times there was a shallow valley between the higher areas of 小石川 Koishikawa and 小日向 Kohinata.
In former times children's songs were used to predict the fate.
In 1657, on the 18/19 of the New Year, there was a great fire. At that time a song from 越後 Echigo about fire had been popular.
In 1728, there was a large flooding in Honjo Fukagawa Kohinata, and there was a song to go with it.

. Fukagawa 深川 Fukagawa district / Kōtō 江東区 Koto Ward. .

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. dokuro どくろ / sharekobe 髑髏 skull legends .
At the slope 服部坂 Hatorizaka there was a Zen temple called しうりん院 Shorin-In.

. hikigaeru 蝦蟇 toad legends .
At 江戸の関口 Sekiguchi in Koishikawa.
. Sekiguchi 関口 Sekiguchi district .

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. Ochanomizu 御茶ノ水 / 御茶の水 / お茶之水 / 御茶ノ水 "Water for Tea" .
reikon 霊魂 soul of a dead person

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reimu 霊夢 oracle dream
Koogenji 光源寺 Temple Kogen-Ji
2 Chome-38-22 Mukogaoka, Bunkyō

A person was visiting one of the Inari shrines in the compound, when he found a rare mask. He took it home, but that night his wife has a strange oracle dream.
Since there was some construction going on at the Inari shrine, the mask wanted to be taken good care of and had been found by her husband.
When he went back to the temple Kogen-Ji, there were indeed construction workers. They had stapled all the old ema 絵馬 votive tablets and put kudan no men くだんの面 / 件 a mask of a Kudan on top of it.
He took the mask of the Kudan home and kept it as his protector deity. Every time he had a problem and prayed for guidance to it, he got an answer.

kudan 件 is a "human-faced bovine" kind of Yokai monster.

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. Yaoya no O-Shichi 八百屋の七 Greengrocer's Daughter Oshichi .

.................................................................................　Hongo 本郷

Fuji Gongen 富士権現 Fuji Deity
There was a shrine for Fuji Gongen in Hongo, but about 100 ago it was relocated to 駒込 Komagome. Thre was a small mountain, looking similar to Mount Fujisan, with some large trees.
On the first day of a certain sixth lunar month, it was suddenly snowing, which looked like blossoms on the branches. The villager nearby had a divine inspriation telling him that Fuji Gongen wants to go back to his original place in Hongo. So they relocated the shrine again.

. Gyoki 行基 Saint Gyoki .
From 富士浅間社の縁起 the records of Shrine Fuji Sengen Jinja in Hongo :
In the year 1573 Kimura had a dream: From 古塚 an old mound in 本郷 Hongo they had found various carvings, like 牛王板, a plank carving of the Go-O Bull Deity, made by Gyoki.
To venerate them properly they built this shrine.
Fujisengen Jinja , 7 Chome-2-6 Hongo, Bunkyō

. Gyooki Bosatsu 行基菩薩 Gyoki Bosatsu . (668 - 749)

kyoo o yomu mokuzo 経を誦む木像 wooden statue reading Sutras
In a home of a Samurai living in 本郷元町 Hongo Motomachi there was a special hall for reading Buddhist sutras. One day they heard the statue of Amida Buddha reading the sutras.
When taking a closer look, there was a swarm of bees making the sound of sutra reading.
。

sennen mogura 千年土竜 a mole of 1000 years
At the house of a rich merchant living in Hongo Daikonbatake 本郷大根畑 the big radish fields of Hongo they captured shiroi mogura 白いもぐら a white mole.
It was about 30 cm long.

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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春暁のレールひかれり文京区
shungyoo no reeru hikareri Bunkyooku

榎本冬一郎 Enomoto Fuyuichiro (1907 - 1982)

. shungyoo 春暁 morning light .
- kigo for all spring -

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. 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 .

. Japanese Architecture - The Japanese Home .

. Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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