London Olympics this summer. After the closing, the parade of British national players was filled with a hugely successful citizen of 1 million people. The Ginza parade of Japanese medalists was 500,000, so it's really here. Soseki Natsume (1867-1916) was the first Japanese to study abroad in London. This time, I visited the relationship between this writer and Chuo-ku.
Soseki has no relationship with Chuo-ku (Nihonbashi-ku + Kyobashi-ku), but there are three monuments in the city. Both were built by officials from Waseda University near the birthplace of Waseda, and are located in a place related to Soseki's work.
①Monument to the site of Masago-za, a place where Soseki 'Cat' was performed.
(2003 5-1 Nihonbashi Nakasu)
From January 1905 to August 1939, "I'm a Cat" published in the magazine grayheaded cuckoo became very popular and performed at the Masago Theater from November 3 to 30, 1906 by the Yoho Ii group. (I don't think Soseki has seen this stage.)
②Monument of "The Stage of Soseki Masterpieces"
(2005, Nihonbashi 1-4 Coledo Nihonbashi Annex Square)
Before the earthquake, there is a vaudeville called Kihara store in this narrow Yokocho, which appears in "Sanshiro" and "Kokoro". Soseki himself likes rakugo and often visited when he was young.
③Monument to 'Echigoya in Soseki'
(Rooftop of Mitsukoshi Main Store, 1-4-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, 2006)
Echigoya kimono shop (Mitsukoshi) appears in "Dokusa" and "Genetic of Hobbies". In addition, "Gobijinso Yukataji" will be sold and it will be a great reputation.
Soseki, a Tokyoman born in Edo. He should have been very interested in Nihonbashi and Ginza in the city center, and his works include many famous stores and long-established stores that continue to this day, such as Takebatei, Tenshodo, Shiseido, Meijiya, Maruzen, etc. You may have visited yourself several times.
Looking at Soseki's diary, there is a description of walking around Ginza like a day. In 1910, immediately before the so-called "Shuzenji Great Tribulation", he was admitted to Nagayo gastrointestinal Hospital near Hibiya Park (with Zenro Nagayo's brother as director) from June 18 to July 31, but one week before he was discharged It seems that he walked around Ginza every night. On July 28, he climbed to the roof of the Tenshodo, and looked at his legs and felt like he was scooping himself. (In this diary during hospitalization ... Continue the rare therapy of warming the abdomen with hot konjac for gastric ulcer treatment for two weeks, and the skin becomes blunder, but 15 konjac per week It is said that he paid 25 yen. In addition, Takuboku Ishikawa, who worked for the Asahi Shimbun in Takiyama-cho (Ginza 6-chome), visited twice on July 1 and 5 for a company visit ... There is an interesting description.)
Okura Shoten and Hattori Shoten, which published a book on Soseki's success story "I'm a Cat", are located in Nihonbashi and Kyobashi wards, respectively, and probably came and went several times. In addition, the Asahi Shimbun, who joined the company, was also in Takiyama-cho, so the relationship between Soseki and Chuo-ku seems to be unexpectedly deep. There may be a monument in the city from now on.
