Edo - the EDOPEDIA -

7/15/2018

Shibuya ward

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Shibuya, literally "Astringent Valley",
is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial and business center, it houses the two busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station.
The name "Shibuya" is also used to refer to the shopping district which surrounds Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo's busiest railway stations. This area is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.
- - - - - History
Shibuya was historically the site of a castle in which the Shibuya family resided from the 11th century through the Edo period. Following the opening of the Yamanote Line in 1885, Shibuya began to emerge as a railway terminal for southwestern Tokyo and eventually as a major commercial and entertainment center.
The village of Shibuya
was incorporated in 1889 by the merger of the villages of Kami-Shibuya, Naka-Shibuya and Shimo-Shibuya within Minami-Toshima County (Toyotama County from 1896).
The village covered the territory of modern-day Shibuya Station area as well as the Hiroo, Daikanyama, Aoyama and Ebisu areas. Shibuya became a town in 1909.
The town of Shibuya merged with the neighboring towns of Sendagaya (which included the modern Sendagaya, Harajuku and Jingumae areas) and Yoyohata (which included the modern Yoyogi and Hatagaya areas) to form Shibuya suburban ward of Tokyo-fu (outside of the central Tokyo City) in 1932. Tokyo-fu became Tokyo Metropolis in 1943, and the present-day Shibuya-ku was established as an urban special ward on March 15, 1947.
- source : wikipedia

- - - - - Shibuya districts - - - - -

幡ヶ谷地域 Hatagaya
笹塚、幡ヶ谷、本町 - Sasazuka, Hatagaya, Honmachi

. Yoyogi 代々木 Yoyogi district .
上原、大山町、西原、初台、元代々木町、富ヶ谷、代々木神園町、代々木
Uehara, Ōyamachō, Nishihara, Hatsudai, Motoyoyogichō, Tomigaya, Yoyogikamizonochō

千駄ヶ谷地域 Sendagaya
千駄ヶ谷、神宮前 Sendagaya, Jingūmae
. Ondenmura, Onden mura 隠田村/ 穏田村 Onden village "with secret fields" .
..... Jingumae 神宮前 Jingu-mae first to sixth sub-district
. 恵比寿 . 大向地域 Ebisu-Ōmukai .
神山町、神南、宇田川町、松濤、神泉町、南平台町、桜丘町、鉢山町、鶯谷町、代官山町、
Kamiyamachō, Jinnan, Udagawachō, Shōtō, Shinsenchō, Nanpeidaichō, Hachiyamachō, Uguisudanichō, Sarugakuchō, Daikanyamachō
. Dōgenzaka 道玄坂 Dogenzaka slope .
. Maruyama 丸山町 Maruyama district .
. Uguisudanichō 鶯谷町 Uguisudani .
. Sarugakuchoo 猿楽町 Sarugaku Cho, Sarugaku district / 神田猿楽町 .
. Shootoo, Shōtō 松濤 Shoto district .
. Udagawachō 宇田川町 Udagawa district .
. Uguisudanichō 鶯谷町 Uguisudani .

氷川・新橋地域 Hikawa-Shimbashi
渋谷 Shibuya、東 Higashi、恵比寿 Ebisu
. 広尾 Hiroo .

. Aoyama 青山 Aoyama district, "Green Mountain" .
港区 Minato ward

Daikanyama 代官山, former 代官山町 Daikanyamacho district
Daikanyama, the Brooklyn of the Japanese capital.
- More about Daikanyama ! -

. Miyamasu 宮益 Miyamasu district .

. Shrine Konno Hachimangu 金王八幡宮 .

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Sakuragaoka

When 新田義貞 Nitta Yoshisada started 関戸の戦い the Battle of Sekido
against the Kamakura Shogunate in 1333, the entire area became a battlefield.
It is said that Yoshisada located his headquarters here after his army had defeated the army of 北条泰家 Hōjō Yasuie.
This is the origin of the name 関戸天守台 Sekido Tenshudai (Sekido keep tower)
and the area around 金比羅宮 Kompira Shrine in the present-day 桜ヶ丘 Sakuragaoka, Tama City
is called 関戸天守台 Tenshudai and the hills surrounding this area are called 城山 Shiro-yama (castle hills).
Facing 多摩川 the Tama River, the area was also a scenic spot allowing visitors to have panoramic views
of the entire 武蔵野台地 Musashino plateau.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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Shibuyakawa, Shibuyagawa　渋谷川 Shibuya-gawa, River Shibuya

広尾ふる川 River flowing through Hiroo
広重　Hiroshige　(名所江戸百景)

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Hiro-o Water Wheel 広尾水車 Hiro-o Mizuguruma

The dammed up water upstream of 渋谷川 Shibuya River flowed through the water wheel hut
and turned the water wheel.
The Hiro-o water wheel, which is also called the 玉川水車 "Tamagawa Water Wheel,"
is said to be the oldest water wheel in Shibuya area and the largest of its kind.
. source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library .

. River 宇田川 Udagawa .
a tributary of the river 渋谷川 Shibuyagawa.

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Hiro-o no Hara 広尾原 The Hiro Plain

During the Edo period, there was a plain that spanned two villages,
Shimo-Shibuya and Shimo-Toyosawa, and the farmland on this plain was home
to a number of Daimyō villas and retainers' mansions.
This plain was supposedly renamed Hiro-o during a land survey in 1699.
The plain also served as a falconry ground.
Shibuyagawa River, which ran through Hiro-o Hara,
was named after the various places it passed through before reaching the sea.
So, depending on the place, it was named 古川 Furukawa, 新堀川 Shinborigawa,
赤羽川 Akabanegawa, and 金杉川 Kanasugigawa.
. source ; Tokyo Metropolitan Library .

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. 渋谷ハチ公　Hachiko statue of the faithful dog !

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渋谷金王丸伝説 The Legend of Shibuya Konnomaru - Kabuki play

. 金王八幡宮 Konno Hachimangu Shrine / Azabu Kogaicho 麻布笄町 .
and the legend of 金剛夜叉明王 Konno Yasha Myo-O.

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Shibuya 渋谷区

. Hatagaya Fudo 幡ヶ谷不動 / 荘厳寺 Shogon-Ji .
藤原秀郷 Fujiwara Hidesato came here to pray for victory against 平将門 Taira no Masakado.

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bakemono ばけ物 Monster
In 1929, there were rumors about a monster at the student's dormitory of 青山の大学 Aoyama University.
Someone heard a strange voice, puffing「はっ、はっ、はっ」 haff-haff-haff.

Later the origin of the voice became clear. It was an old white dog passing by.

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Aoyama Gakuin University (青山学院大学 Aoyama Gakuin Daigaku, AGU) is a private university in Shibuya, Tokyo.
Originally established in 1874 by missionaries from the Methodist Episcopal Church, it was reconfigured in its current form in 1949 as part of Aoyama Gakuin. Aoyama Gakuin University celebrated its 140-year anniversary in 2014 and is one of Japan's oldest higher education facilities.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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hitokui matsu 人喰松 "man-eating pine"
At the 渋谷道玄坂 Dogenzaka slope in Shibuya there is a pine tree with this name.
During the restructuring of modern Tokyo, this tree had to be moved. Two sisters living in Setagaya were very pious, chanting the 法華経 Hokekyo Sutra and got a message from the Deity.
In former times something bad had been buried under the roots of this tree and cursed the people. When they eventually dug below the roots, they found the bones of a hebi 蛇 serpent. During the recital of the Sutra, the serpent turned all white and made its way up into the heaven.

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ishi no zoo 石の像 stone statue
At the temple Chokoku-Ji (Hasedera) in Shibuya there was a stone statue of an onigo 鬼子 "demon child". It used to grant wishes and was thus quite popular. But after about 6 month, nobody came any more. This statue had originally been in the private garden, but this family had gone extinct.
When the statue was moved to another estate, the people also got ill . . . so the statue was placed in the temple.

長谷寺（ちょうこくじ）Chokoku-Ji
東京都港区西麻布二丁目 now Minato ward, Nishi-Azabu / former 下渋谷村 Shimo-Shibuya mura
The temple was founded in 1598, but was completely distroyed in the second world war.
The new modern building houses a statue of Kannon Bosatsu which is 10 meters high.

It is Nr. 22 of the pilgrimage 江戸三十三箇所観音霊場

. . Kannon Bosatsu 観音菩薩 Avalokiteshvara .

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. 河童 / かっぱ / カッパ - Kappa, the Water Goblin of Japan! .

Once 折口信夫 Orikuchi Shinobu gave a lecture in Shibuya about the literature of Kappa.
Suddenly all became quite dim and dark and people heard the footsteps of a Kappa walking over the desk, leaving wet spots on it. Then the footsteps went on to the door and out.

Shinobu Orikuchi (1887 - 1953),
also known as Chōkū Shaku (釋迢空 Shaku Chōkū), was a Japanese ethnologist, linguist, folklorist, novelist, and poet. As a disciple of Kunio Yanagita, he established an original academic field named "Orikuchiism" (折口学 Orikuchigaku), which is a mixture of Japanese folklore, Japanese classics, and Shintō.

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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. kori 狐狸と伝説 Legends about fox and Tanuki badger .

The lord of the castle from 下総国印旛郡佐倉 the Sakura domaine in Chiba, 堀田備中守正篤 Hotta Masahiro (堀田正睦 Hotta Masayoshi), had his Shimoyashiki residence in Edo in Shibuya.
Once late at night, the doctor 三輪玄春 Miwa　Genshun had been visiting and on his way back, he got lost and did not come home. A few days later they found his dead body in the weeds way back in the garden. He must have been bewitched by a fox or Tanuki.

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. Oman enoki オマンエノキ nettle tree of Lady O-Man .
O-Man お万の方, concubine of 徳川家康の側室 Tokugawa Ieyasu

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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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 .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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- - - - - ##shibuya #shibuyaward - - - -
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Chuo ward

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is a special ward that forms part of the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself in English as Chūō City. It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Kyobashi and Nihonbashi wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis.
Chūō-ku, as a combination of Kyobashi and Nihonbashi, is the core of Shitamachi, the original downtown center of Edo-Tokyo. Literally meaning "Central Ward", it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II.
The most famous district in Chūō is Ginza, built on the site of a former silver mint from which it takes its name. The gold mint, or Kinza (金座), formerly occupied the site of the present-day Bank of Japan headquarters building, also in Chūō.
- - - - - History
1612: Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, planning to establish Edo as the de facto capital of Japan, begins work on a new commercial district surrounding the eastern end of the Tōkaidō, the main road connecting Tokyo and the Kansai region. During the Edo period this area is known as Edomachi—the town center of Edo. Much of the area (particularly Ginza and Tsukiji) was loose sand piled at the delta of the Sumida River before being filled in by the shogunate.
1657: After a fire consumes much of the city, the area is re-planned with more canals to accommodate more maritime commerce. .....
- source : wikipedia

Nihonbashi Area (日本橋地区)
. Nihonbashi and Haiku .
- Higashi-Nihonbashi (東日本橋)
Arashio stable (荒汐部屋)
. Fukiyachoo 葺屋町 Fukiyacho District .
. Hakozakichō 箱崎町 Hakozaki-Cho district .
. Hamacho 浜町 and Hisamatsucho 久松町 .
. Honcho 本町 / Itabashi Honcho .
. Honfunacho 本船町 (Honfunecho) .
. Hongokucho 本石町 .
. Horidomecho (堀留町) .
. Isecho 伊勢町 / Komekashi 米河岸 "Rice river bank". .
. Kabutocho (兜町) .
. Kakigaracho 蛎殻町 and Kamimakicho 上槇町.
. Kayabacho (茅場町) .
. Koamichoo 小網町 Koamicho, Koami district .
. Kodenmacho (小伝馬町) .
. Kuremasacho 榑正町 Kuremasa .
. Muromachi, Murocho 室町 Muro Cho .
. Nagahamacho 長浜町 Nagahama .
Nakabashi Hirokoji 中橋広小路(八重洲通り)
. Nihonbashi (日本橋) .
- and Motoosakachoo 元大阪町 Moto-Osaka district
. Ningyocho (人形町) .
. Odenmacho (大伝馬町) .
. Suitengu Shrine (水天宮) .
. Tomizawacho (富沢町) .
. Yokoyamacho (横山町) .
. Yoshicho 芳町 .

Nihonbashi Yuki no Akebono 日本橋雪のあけぼの
Dawn at Snowy Nihonbashi Bridge

Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重

kidai shoran 熈代勝覧 Glorious views of Edo in the shining rule

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. Legends from Chuo 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 .

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - - - #chuoward #chuo #tsukishima #nihonbashi #motoosaka #ningyocho #koami - - - -
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7/14/2018

Samegahashi district Shinjuku

江戸名所図会　Edo Meisho Zue

- Various explanations for the name are known :

Samegamura 鮫が村 "Shark village"
Samegahashi, Kitacho 鮫河橋北町 Northern District of Samegahashi.

The bridge over a river called Samegawa 鮫川 / 鮫河 "Shark river".
In the Edo period the district was on a plateau above the sea, and shark could be seen from above.
Nearby was 豊島の入江 Toshima no Irie inlet.

- - - - - Another hint for the naming:
In the Edo period, a horse with white eyes was called
sameuma, same-uma 𩥭（さめうま）

- - - - - sameuma kanji with horse and fish
A tale knows this:
Once a priest from the temple 牛込行願寺 Gyogan-Ji in Ushigome had brought such a Sameuma as an offering.
But he fell down from the bridge and both were killed. The bridge was then called after the horse,
さめ馬ヶ橋 Samegahashi.

- - - - - Another hint for the naming:
The bridge was located over tani 谷 steep valley, which was only filled with water when it rained a lot
- 雨 ame .. same - 雨（さめ）ヶ橋 - - - 雨ヶ橋 "Rain Bridge".

Maybe
it was a 駮馬 Sameuma horse belonging to 源義家 Minamoto no Yoshiie.
or
Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu had a 駮馬 Sameuma and when it died, it was carried from 千駄ヶ谷村 Setagaya village for a burial. While crossing the bridge the horse fell into the valley.
or
samizu 冷水（さみず) cold water was flowing below the bridge.

- Another district with the name SAME
. Samezu 鮫洲 "Shark sand bar" district . - Shinagawa

In the Edo period, there were various Samegahashi districts
元鮫河橋表町
元鮫河橋仲町 - 旧字仲殿田
元鮫河橋南町 - 旧鮫河橋千日谷町
元鮫河橋北町
元鮫河橋八軒町
元鮫河橋陽光寺門前 - 江戸時代後期には空き地化
鮫河橋新伊賀町 - 後に鮫河橋谷町

In the beginning of the Meiji period, the following names were used

元鮫河橋町 - 明治5年（1872年）元鮫河橋表町南部、元鮫河橋仲町、武家地が合併
元鮫河橋南町 - 明治2年（1869年）元鮫河橋八軒町、明治5年武家地を合併
鮫河橋谷町一丁目 -(1872年）鮫河橋谷町南部、元鮫河橋北町、元鮫河橋陽光門前、武家地、寺地が合併して成立
鮫河橋谷町二丁目 - 明治5年（1872年）鮫河橋谷町北部、寺地が合併して成立

In 1911, the district of Samegahashi was split into districts in Yotsuya ward:
四谷区元町、南町、谷町一丁目、谷町二丁目
- reference : wikipedia

In 1696, the village along the bridge had become quite large and got the name
Samegahashitanichoo 鮫ヶ橋谷町 Samegahashi Tani Cho "Valley of the Shark bridge"

. Edo goyaku　江戸五役（ごやく）　the five official worker groups of Edo castle .
御駕籠之者 okagonomono, o-kago no mono
They had to look after the kago 駕籠 palanquins for the Shogun and his heirs.
Their quarters were relocated to 四谷鮫ヶ橋 / 鮫河橋 Yotsuya Samegahashi.

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赤坂御用地鮫が橋門 Akasaka Samagahashi Gate

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鮫ヶ橋せきとめ稲荷 Samegahashi Sekitome Inari Shrine
9-9 Minamimotomachi, 新宿区 Tokyo

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Ke Brigade, Fifth Group, Samegahashi
Actor Jitsukawa Enjaku I as Yomoshichi,
from the series Flowers o Edo and Views of Famous Places (Edo no hana meishô-e)
「江戸の花名勝会　け　五番組」「与茂七　実川延雀」（初代実川延若）
The term “flowers of Edo” (Edo no hana) can refer, among other things, to fires. The title panel for each print in this series shows the lanterns and identifying standard (matoi) for one of the brigades of firefighters (hikeshi) assigned to various districts. On the west side of the Sumida River were 48 brigades named for the symbols of the kana syllabary and grouped into 8 numbered groups (1 to 10, minus the bad-luck numbers 4 and 7). On the east side of the river, brigades were numbered and assigned to directional groups. Outlying districts were covered by special brigades, here designated “extra” (bangai).
Each title gives the name or number of a brigade, its group, and its district, followed by the kabuki scene chosen to match it.
- source : Museum of Fine Arts, Boston -

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7/12/2018

Aoyama district Minato

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Aoyama (青山 "Green Mountain" or "Blue Mountain")
is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Tokyo, located in the northwest portion of Minato Ward. The area is well known for its international fashion houses, cafes and restaurants.
Kita-Aoyama (北青山) or "North Aoyama" refers to the area on the north side of Aoyama-dori (Aoyama Street) between the Akasaka Palace and Aoyama Gakuin University, while Minami-Aoyama (南青山) or "South Aoyama" refers to the area to the south of Aoyama-dori and extends to the northern edge of Roppongi, Azabu and Hiroo.
During the Edo period,
Aoyama was home to various temples, shrines, and samurai residences. The name Aoyama derived from a samurai named Aoyama Tadanari who served the Tokugawa Shogunate and held his mansion in this area. Today, along with Shibuya and Harajuku, it is one of the most popular entertainment and shopping areas "Omotesandō",
for young people in Tokyo. It is well known for its fashion houses, restaurants, and shopping.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Cushion Pine at Aoyama 青山円座松 Aoyama enza no matsu
Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎

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Aoyama Tadanari 青山忠成 (1551 – 1613)
was a Tokugawa general and chief retainer at the end of the Sengoku and start of the Edo period. He was the father of Aoyama Tadatoshi, and the Aoyama region of Shibuya is named after him.
- - - - - History
The Aoyama clan were provincial lords of Dōdo village, Nukata District in Mikawa Province (present Okazaki, Aichi). Aoyama Tadakado, Tadanari's father, served both Matsudaira Hirotada and Tokugawa Ieyasu, and thus Tadanari served near Ieyasu since he was young. In 1572, his father died in battle with Takeda Shingen and Tadanari inherited the estate.
Tadanari was highly trusted by Ieyasu,
and in 1585 he commanded him to guard his son Hidetada. In 1588, Tadanari accompanied Hidetada to the capital where he was granted Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade of Hitachi Province by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1590 Ieyasu relocates to Kantō and promotes Tadanari to magistrate of Edo with lands worth 5,000 koku (increased by 2,000 koku in 1593). His estates centered on Harajuku village and extended from part of Akasaka to Shibuya. Present day Aoyama is so named because one of Tadanari's mansions was located there.
In 1600,
Tadanari joined Hidetada's army at the Battle of Sekigahara and obtained 15,000 koku of lands between Kazusa Province and Shimōsa Province. In addition to being the Edo magistrate, he also served as the general magistrate for the entire Kantō region. After the start of the Edo shogunate, he was heavily involved in shogunate policy along with Honda Masanobu and Naitō Kiyonari. Along with Naitō in 1606, he is temporarily sentenced to house arrest but is soon pardoned.
Tadanari's son Tadayoshi was to fall out of favor with Shôgun Tokugawa Iemitsu, though the family's name would be restored during the time of Tadanari's grandson, Munetoshi.
- source : wikipedia -

When Shogun Ieyasu was hawk hunting together with Tadanari, they passed the area and Ieyasu told him:
"I will give you all the land you want around here!"
So Tananari took a long rope, sat on his horse and begun a long ride, connecting the trees on the way. It reached from Akasaka to Shibuya.
The area had been called 原宿 Harajuku, but when Aoyama Tadanari begun to built his estate here, it was re-named after him.
To the South-West was the sub-district 青山御手大工町 Ote-Daiku machi, where soon many carpenters came to live.
In the East was 青山百人町 Hyakunin cho. This was a district of low-ranking Samurai, who had to work for their living, mostly making paper umbrellas. There were at least 12 shops selling umbrellas in the area.

. Hyakuninchoo　百人町 Hyakunincho district .
(hundred-member town)

Harajuku, Omotesando 原宿 - 表参道

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Omotesandō 表参道 "frontal approach"
is a zelkova tree-lined avenue located in Shibuya and Minato, Tokyo, stretching from the Meiji Shrine entrance to Aoyama-dori (Aoyama Street), where Omotesandō Station can be found.
Omotesandō was originally created in the Taishō era as the frontal (表 Omote) approach (参道 Sandō) to Meiji Shrine, which is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.
Omotesandō is the main vehicle and pedestrian thoroughfare for Harajuku and Aoyama. .....
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

明治神宮外苑の紅葉 Autumn at Meiji Jingu Gaien (outer park)

- quote
Omotesandō 表参道 Main Approach to the Meiji Shrine
Today, Omotesandō is one of Tokyo’s most fashionable and expensive neighborhoods. It’s famous for Japanese and international brand shops and world-renowned hair salons. Its location next to Harajuku, a fashion center for young people, serves a balancing act making Omotesandō a fashion playground for adults.
But what does Omotesandō mean?
A 参道 sandō is the general word for a road that leads up to a shrine.
Every shrine has a sandō, even if the word isn’t preserved in a place name. 表 omote means “front” or maybe better put into English as “main.” If you go north from Harajuku on the Chiyoda Line, you’ll find a station called 北参道 Kitasandō (North Approach to the Shrine).
The area was a sparsely populated suburb in the Edo Period and Meiji Period. The shrine was finished in the mid-1920’s and the area began to attract business and residences.
omotesando nogi maresuke
The main street that leads up to the Meiji Shrine is called 青山通りAoyama dōri and not Omotesandō.
Aoyama dōri is not the Omotesandō. It has been Aoyama-dōri. But beginning in 1920, a bus that traveled up Aoyama dōri to the 表参道 omote sandō began service. The name of the bus was the “Omotesandō Bus.” This is when the connection with the shrine’s omote sandō began. The station that is now Omotesandō Station was originally called 青山六丁目駅 Aoyama roku-chōme eki. Later it was renamed 神宮前駅 Jingū-mae eki.
By the 1970’s the neighborhood had a personality of its own, distinct from Harajuku, Aoyama and – of course – the Meiji Shrine, so it was renamed 表参道駅 Omotesandō eki.
- soruce : japanthis 2013 -

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- - - - - Sub-districts of the Edo period

青山原宿町 Harajuku - 青山緑町 Aoyama Midori cho
青山御掃除町 - 慶応4年青山掃除町に改称
青山御手大工町 - 慶応4年青山手大工町に改称
青山善光寺門前
青山御炉路町
青山浅河町
青山若松町
青山久保町
青山六軒町
青山百人町
青山五十人町

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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- - - - - Subway stations
Aoyama-itchōme Station (Ginza Line, Hanzōmon Line, Toei Ōedo Line)
Omotesandō Station (Chiyoda Line, Ginza Line, Hanzōmon Line)
Gaiemmae Station (Ginza Line)
Nogizaka Station (Chiyoda Line) – located in the southeastern corner of Minami-Aoyama adjacent to Roppongi

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. Aoyama Gakuin 青山学院大学 University .
private university in Shibuya 渋谷区

. Meiji Jinguu 明治神宮 Shrine Meiji Jingu .
and the Shrine festivals

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. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Aoyama 青山　東京

. hitodama　人魂 / 人霊 / 人玉 spirit of a dead person .

hitodama ヒトダマ / Aoyama bochi 青山墓地 cemetery
Sometime ago, after a rainfall, on a quiet evening a person saw a human spirit. It was all round and green-white, with a flaming border around it. It also had a small tail like a triangle and swayed loosely in the air.
Another person had also seen this kind of Hitodama at the Aoyama cemetery. In fear he had poked it with his umbrella and it soon disappeared. On the umbrella were trails of burning.

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Aoyama Cemetery (青山霊園 Aoyama reien) is a cemetery in Aoyama, Minato, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The cemetery is also famous for its cherry blossoms, and at the season of hanami, many people visit.
- - - - - History
The cemetery was originally the land of the Aoyama family of the Gujō clan (now Gujō, Gifu) in the province of Mino (now Gifu). The Japan's first public cemetery was opened in 1874, and in the Meiji era the main locations of foreigners' graves.
The cemetery has an area of 263,564 m2.
- - - - - Grave of Hachikō
One of the cemetery's most famous graves is that of Hachikō, the faithful and dutiful dog whose statue adorns Shibuya Station, was buried alongside with his two owners, Hidesaburō Ueno and Yaeko Sakano.
..... The Japanese section includes the graves of many notable Japanese, including: .....
..... The cemetery includes a gaikokujin bochi (foreign cemetery), one of the few such plots in Tokyo.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Kiku 菊 Lady Chrysanthemumm, 青山主膳 Aoyama Shuzen and the Sara-yashiki
O-Kiku had claimed to be 青山の子 the child of Aoyama.

. Sara yashiki　皿屋敷 "the Dish Mansion" .
- where the ghost of O-Kiku comes out of a well.
The story of Aoyama Daihachi and Okiku.

歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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7/10/2018

Tameike district Akasaka Minato

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Tameike, 赤坂溜池町 Akasaka Tameike district

Akasaka tameike choo 赤坂溜池町 Akasaka Tameike district
Minato ward, Akasaka first to third sub-district

tameike 溜池 irrigation pond, "dammed pond", Akasaka Pool

This district does not exist any more.
The name "Tameike" is now only used for subway stations, road crossings and bus stops.
The original irrigation pond of the Edo period does not exist any more.
The pond used to be even bigger than the Shinobazu no Ike pond in Ueno.

Tameike is located on the Sanno Daichi 山王台地 plateau.
It was created in 1606 to provide drinking water for Edo.
Daimyo 浅野幸長 Asano Yoshinaga got the rights from Tokugawa Ieyasu to create this artificial lake and waterways.
It was a pleasant sight and with many lotus flowers in the pond in summer provided a great spot for relaxing.

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The nearby river was fashioned into a moat around Edo Castle, with some of it channeled into a pond used as a reservoir in present day Tameikesanno - Tameike meaning "dammed pond."
The ready water supply meant a cluster of eateries developed in Tameikesanno, and in the post-feudal Meiji era (i.e., from 1868) Tameikesanno became a pleasure quarter, with well over 100 geisha houses by the 1930s, frequented by nearby Nagatacho bigwigs, among others.
... the United States Embassy Tokyo is accessible from Tameike-Sanno subway station on the Ginza and Namboku lines.
- source : japanvisitor.com/tokyo... -

Tameike Sannoo, Tameike Sannō 溜池山王 Tameike-Sanno, Tameikesanno

The Tameike Sanno station is also located at
千代田区永田町二丁目 Chiyoda ward, Nagatacho 2chome.

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Edo Meisho Zue 江戸名所図会

溜池 Tame Ike, which was located in Akasaka, was an artificial lake
constructed in the foothills of Sannō by a daimyo called 浅野行長 Asano Yukinaga in 1606.
It was supposedly a very large lake stretching eastwards to
Toranomon, Shinbashi, and Shiodome, and westwards all the way to 赤坂御門 Akasaka Gomon.
At the time when the Kanda waterworks and the Tamagawa waterworks had not yet been constructed,
water sourced from this lake was used as supply water.
The lake began to be filled in from as early as the Jhō-ōh years (1652-1655),
and there were hastened works from around 1875, which drained the lake of its water
and turned it into tideland.
The works finished in 1910, and a narrow creek is now all that remains of Tame Ike.
- source : Tokoy Metropolitan Library -
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Sannoo Jinja, Sannō Jinja 山王神社 Tameike Sanno Shrine
. Sanno Gongen 山王権現 Sannō Gongen .
and Hiei Jinja 日枝神社 Tokyo // Sannoo matsuri 山王祭 Sanno festival
- Hie Shrine, also called 日吉神社 Hiyoshi Shrine.

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. Katsushika Hokusai . 葛飾北斎 (1760-1849)

Tootoo Aoigaoka no Taki 東都葵ケ岡の滝 Aoigaoka Waterfall in Edo
Now near 赤坂溜池 Akasaka Pool, Nagata Cho 永田町
During the Edo period, this was a kind of resort area for rich samurai to have a villa for summer.

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Kinokuni-zaka Akasaka Tameike enkei 紀の国坂赤坂溜池遠景
- Hiroshige 広重

. Akasaka 赤坂 "the red slope" district .

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- quote -
Asano Yoshinaga 浅野幸長 (1576 – 1613)
was a Japanese samurai and feudal lord of the late Sengoku and early Edo periods. His father served as one of the Go-Bugyō in the late Azuchi–Momoyama period.
- Career
Asano Yoshinaga was born at Odani, in the Asai district of Ōmi Province, in 1576, the eldest son of Asano Nagamasa, the adopted brother of O-Ne, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife. He married a daughter of Ikeda Tsuneoki.
His first action was at the Siege of Odawara, in 1590. In 1593, together with his father, he was granted Fuchu, in Kai Province. Though the Asano family was to be sent to Noto Province as a result of their implication in the alleged treason of Toyotomi Hidetsugu, the good offices of Maeda Toshiie kept them in Kai Province.
Yoshinaga achieved distinction together with his father in 1597, during the Siege of Ulsan, when they held the fortress under the command of Katō Kiyomasa. Though the Asano family was secure following its service under Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara, it would be moved to Wakayama Domain, in Kii Province. The family would again be moved, to Hiroshima Domain, in the early 17th century.
Yoshinaga's three-dimensional battle standard, a gold-plated basketlike object, was well known during the Korean campaign. His daughters, Hanahime married Matsudaira Tadamasa and Haruhime (Haruhime was his daughter with Ikeda Tsuneoki’s daughter) married Tokugawa Yoshinao.
- source : wikipedia -

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7/08/2018

Aoto district Katsushika

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
- for 葛西 Kasai, see below
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Aoto 青砥 /　青戸 Aoto district, Katsushika
葛飾区青戸 / 青戸一丁目から青戸八丁目 from the first to the 8th sub-district

alternative writing for おおと Aoto in old manuscripts : 「青津」「大戸」「大津」
Aoto mura 青戸村 Aoto village in the Edo period.
The villagers grew rice and also vegetables and flowers and sold them in Edo.

ao 青 blue, green
to 戸 door, in this case a river crossing or sluice gate
to 砥 polishing

This area has been a flourishing harbour along the river 利根川 Tonegawa since olden times, already mentioned in 1288.
In 1288, 青戸二郎重茂 Aoto Jiro Shigemochi was the 代官 Daikan governor of Katsushika

At 青戸七丁目 Aoto seventh sub-district along the road 環七通り沿い Kanshichidōri-zoi there are the remains of 葛西城址 Kasai castle. Now all is left of this is 葛西城址公園 Kasai Joshi Koen Park.
7 Chome-28 Aoto, Katsushika

During the Kamakura period, the area was governed by 青砥藤綱 Aoto Fujitsuna.

In the Edo period, Aocho was always under the supervision of the Edo Bakufu government.
In the Edo period, the area was used as a hunting ground by the Shoguns Ieyasu, Hidetada and Iemitsu and the castle of Kasai 葛西城 became their resting place,
Aoto goten 青戸御殿 Aoto palace.

In 1889, 青戸村 Aoto village was merged with 亀有村 Kameari village、砂原村（西亀有付近）、上千葉村 as the village 東京府南葛飾郡亀青村 Kameao mura.
In 1918, 青砥駅 Aoto station was built.
In 1932, when the ward of Katsushika was created, 青戸町1 - 4丁 Aoto cho was allocated from the first to the fourth sub-district.
After WWII, the population increased sharply and Aoto got 8 sub-districts 青戸町一丁目・二丁目、本田淡之須町、亀有町二丁目、本田立石町、本田中原町のそれぞれ一部が再編され現在の青戸一-八丁目

Since 1973, the construction of the 環七通り city highway begun and was finally finished in 1985.

Aoto eki 青砥駅 Aoto station
is a railway station in Katsushika, operated by the private railway operator Keisei Electric Railway. The station is served by the Keisei Main Line and the Keisei Oshiage Line.

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Aoto Jinja 青砥神社 Aoto Shrine
7-34-30, Aoto, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo

- source and more photos : ambassador.localinfo.j -

In the 万葉集 Manyo-Shu poetry collection about the good quality of the early rice harvest
にほどりの葛飾早稲を贄すとも　そのかなしきを外に立てめやも

The area also had suitable clay and was known since 古墳時代 the Kofun period for its pottery items.

The main deity in residence (apart from 8 others) is
猿田彦命 Sarutahiko no Mikoto

It relates to the story of Aoto Fujitsuna, see below, who said about his lost coins:
『落とした十文は永久に失せることなく、　松明を買った五十文は　
諸家が利益を得ることになり、これは天下の恵みではないか』

- HP of the shrine
- reference source : aoto-jinja.com... -

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Aoto Fujitsuna 青砥藤綱
councilor of the Kamakura Shogunate (1192-1333)

source : wikipedia

Aoto Fujitsuna's coins
The Taiheiki mentions the Namerigawa in a story well known to all in Kamakura. The stele on the spot near Tōshō-ji where events are supposed to have taken place describes the story as follows:
According to the Taiheiki,
Aoto Fujitsuna was judge in Kamakura at the time of Regents Hōjō Tokimune and Hōjō Sadatoki. One evening, having lost 10 mon (文) in the Namerigawa, he bought a torch for fifty mon, entered in the water and started looking for the lost coins, finally finding them. Heard the story, people made fun of him saying that he ended up spending far more than he had lost. Fujitsuna replied that ten mon were not many, but losing them forever would have been a great loss. He had personally lost fifty mon, but he had done that for the benefit of all.
- source : wikipedia -

- quote -
Aoto Fujitsuna
from the series Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition - by Inoue Yasuji, 1885
Aoto Fujitsuna 青砥藤綱, a councilor of the Kamakura Shogunate (1192-1333), directing the search for a few coins he has lost in the Namerigawa River.
... Aoto Fujitsuna was a minister under the Hōjō regents Tokiyori and Tokimune in the 13th century, famous for his thrift and uprightness. One night he accidentally lost a small amount of money, 10 mon, in the Namerigawa River [滑川]. He ordered his servants to look for the money in the river, handing 50 mon to a servant to buy flaming torches. While the money was found, many people could not understand why Fujitsuna would spend 50 mon to find only 10 mon and they called him a fool.
Fujitsuna replied:
"It only shows that you are interested in neither public interests nor charity. If I had not looked for the 10 mon in the river, it would have been lost forever. The 50 mon that I payed for the torches profited the merchant.
There was no loss at all. It was a benefit to the public, wasn't it?"
His critics became speechless with admiration and he was thought very wise.
This story is first told in the Taiheiki (太平記), a Japanese historical epic written in the late 14th century. There are numerous versions of this story, involving various amounts of money and slightly different circumstances.
- reference source : myjapanesehanga.com - The Lavenberg Collection

- CLICK for more photos !

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Kasai 葛西 The Kasai district
. 江戸川区 Edogawa ward .

with the following sub-districts in the North, Central, West, East and South:
Kitakasai / Nakakasai / Nishikasai / Higashikasai / Minamikasai

Kasai Rinkai Koen 葛西臨海公園 Kasai Seaside Park
- quote -
Opened in 1989, Kasai Rinkai Park (葛西臨海公園, Kasai Rinkai Kōen) is the largest park in central Tokyo, located just across the Edogawa River from Tokyo Disney Resort. It was built on reclaimed land and developed in an effort to restore and preserve natural Tokyo Bay habitat.
The park
offers a nice break from the surrounding cityscapes and has a number of walking trails that crisscross the gardens, lawns and beaches. In addition, the park features an aquarium, a ferris wheel, a seabird sanctuary and an observation building.
... Near the center of the park is the Tokyo Sealife Aquarium
... the Diamond and Flowers Ferris Wheel
... the Sea Bird Sanctuary
- source : japan-guide.com... -

. Kasai, Edo period print .

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葛西城 Kasai jo, Kasai castle

The 葛西氏 Kasai clan dates back to the 桓武平氏 Kanmu Heike.
They left Kyoto and build a castle here in what is now Katsushika, Aoto and the park is all that remains of it.

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. 葛西三郎 / 葛西清重 Kasai Saburo Kiyoshige (1161 - 1238). .
and the Horikiri district 掘切 "digging a moat"

. 堀江町 Horie Cho district .
Located in the South of 江戸川区南部 Edogwa district, 葛西地域 Kasai area.
The name has been used until 1932 and later (1979) became part of the Kasai area.

. Nagashima no Fujizuka 長島の富士塚 .
at Shrine 香取神社 Katori Jinja at 東葛西 Higashi Kasai

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