Chuo-ku Tourism Association correspondent blog

The other day, I stopped by the Kachidoki Bridge Museum next to Kachidokibashi for the first time in a long time.

This museum was created by renovating the substations used to open Kachidokibashi, but it seems that this year marks its 10th anniversary.

 

On the way back, I received a limited postcard commemorating the 10th anniversary from my uncle at the museum, but I was glad that I was a good opportunity and asked my uncle about the questions I always thought when walking on the Sumida River Terrace .

 

What I asked about was "Kiyosu Bridge".

It is a suspension bridge built by a reconstruction project after the Great Kanto Earthquake and has become an important cultural property of the country.

While the "Eitai Bridge" built in the same reconstruction project is said to be masculine, this "Kiyosu Bridge" is said to be "female" because of its form, and is very popular and loved among the Sumida River bridges. I am.

 

It is this part that my eyes always come up when I walk on the Sumida River terrace.

Looking from a distance, the lower part of the suspension bridge is constricted, and it seems to break somehow with a delicate feeling. The pillars of the suspension bridge had the image of being thick and pierced to the ground, so I asked a super amateur question, "Why is it okay?"

 

I was taught gently, but it was a little difficult because I didn't have any prerequisite knowledge or talked about mechanics. I regretted that I should have studied a little more and asked, but I remembered the following and returned home.

 

・This part is a kanji called "Kutsu", which combines "water" and "day", and is read as "shu".

・Depending on the shoe, the direction of force due to the weight of the bridge is transmitted directly below the pier.

・The image of a bridge riding a shoe.

 

 

A few days later, when I looked up at libraries, etc., this part was called "Shisho", and in English it was the word "Shoo" and Shoo of shoes. Since "Kutsu" is read as "Kutsu", it seems that he reads "shu" in the architectural industry term with the kanji "Kutsu".

 

Although it is a member that conveys the weight of the bridge to the bottom, the bridge extends and shrinks due to temperature changes, so it seems that this bearing plays the role of "play" and adjusts well.

For Kiyosu Bridge, it is an image of wearing a shoe and riding a pier, so this part may be an Achilles tendon or ankle in humans.

Then, in the style of a woman Kiyosubashi, would it be like a "small woman's ankle"? I was strangely convinced (a little rude Kana?) 。

 

 

Kiyosu Bridge is a suspension bridge, but it is a rare suspension bridge when examined in various ways, and is a type called "autonomous suspension bridge".

 

The ordinary suspension bridge is a type called "other formula suspension bridge", and at both ends of the bridge there is a weight (Anka Reiji) for pulling the cable.

(The photo below shows the Rainbow Bridge of another set suspension bridge, with a huge white lump as Anka Reiji.)

 

However, a "self-built suspension bridge" like Kiyosu Bridge is a type that connects wires to both ends of the bridge girder. Since there is no weight at both ends of the bridge, it seems to have a refreshing look as a result (incidentally, Kiyosu Bridge is not a wire but a steel chain, which seems to be rare).

 

Also, I had the image of a suspension bridge with a sturdy thick pillar piercing the ground, but in the case of a "self-built suspension bridge", it seems to be related to the shape of a shoe. And my view of the pillars of Kiyosu Bridge was incorrect.

I felt that this way of making a bridge called "self-built suspension bridge" is creating the "female charm" of Kiyosu Bridge.

I don't have enough study yet, but I'm glad I was able to know a lot after asking my uncle. Thank you very much.

　

　

By the way, there are various types of bridges in the Sumida River, which is also called the "bridge museum".

At the "Chuo-ku Marugoto Museum" on November 1st (Sun), you can get on the boat for free, but why not take a boat and compare various bridges?

　

"Kiyosu Bridge" is sure to have a place where you can feel feminine compared to other bridges.

I hope you will find "female charm" by all means.

 

 

St. Luke International Hospital in Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku. Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, the honorary director of this hospital, turned 104 on October 4. Dr. Hinohara was appointed to this hospital in August 1941, just before Pacific War, and has been active in medical care for more than 70 years.

 

This fall, Professor Hinohara wrote a book entitled "War, Life and St. Luke's International Hospital Story."

I found this book at a bookstore and looked at the picture on the cover and found it at a glance, I was lined up at the cash register. Looking at the inside, the characters are printed in large prints, and the kanji is furigana. Yes, this book is written for the younger generation who will lead the future.

Through the history of St. Luke's International Hospital and Dr. Hinohara's own experience, this content conveys Professor Hinohara's desire to pass on the value of war and peace to the next generation.

  

Since St. Luke International Hospital was opened by Dr. Toysler in 1902, medical care centered on the spirit of Christianity has been carried out. At the same time, since it is a hospital closely connected to the United States, he has been forced into a delicate position before and after the opening of the Pacific War.

When the war broke out, the name of the hospital was changed and the cross was removed. Not only the hospital but also Dr. Hinohara himself is suspicious, and he is interrogated by Ken soldiers. After the end of the war, the building was managed by GHQ, and this hospital was tossed in the era of war. Such history and experience are written.

 

In addition, it is often said that the area around Tsukiji was not hit by a major air raid due to the presence of St. Luke Hospital, but many photographs were published in this book, such as leaflets scattered from the United States Air Force aircraft that prove it. It is also noteworthy that it is. I think it is a content that can be read not only by the younger generation but also by all generations in men and women of all ages, and as one of the wartime history of Chuo-ku, it is also a content that allows you to learn about the history of this hospital.

(The photo below shows a photo of the Sumida River displayed at the "Kachidoki Bridge Museum". The old building before the renovation was shown. )

 

 

The day after reading this book, my feet were heading to the old building of St. Luke's International Hospital. It's been a long time since I entered the chapel inside.

St. Luke International Hospital has a connection to me, helping my father-in-law who fell down due to myocardial infarction in Ginza about 15 years ago, and taking care of my family this winter. Especially when you come to the garden in front of this old building, it may be a relaxing place.

 

It is this place where you can feel peaceful air now, but there are places where traces of wartime remain.

Next to the entrance of this old building Chapel (left photo), it is Sada foundation stone from the 1930s when this old building was built.

 

For this stone

「ＳＴ．ＬＵＫＥ'Ｓ ＩＮＴＥＲＮＡＴＩＯＮＡＬ ＭＥＤＩＣＡＬ ＣＥＮＴＥＲ

ＤＥＤＩＣＡＴＥＤ ＴＯ ＴＨＥ ＧＬＯＲＹ ＯＦ ＧＯＤ

ＡＮＤ ＴＨＥ ＳＥＲＶＩＣＥ ＯＦ ＨＵＭＡＮＩＴＹ」

And the translation is written as "St. Luke's International Hospital for the glory of God and the service of humanity."

The old building was renovated in the 1990s, so this Sada foundation stone was originally in a different place. There are 12 traces of nail holes on this stone, which is traces of wartime. He was forced by the Ken soldiers to remove this stone, so it seems to be a scar when he was covered with thin granite as a response.

 

In addition, a chronology of this hospital is posted on the first floor of the main building next to the old building, so that you can see the history.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the war. Even in politics, there was a big event that made me think about war and peace.

 

As time has passed since the end of the war, I feel that it is becoming increasingly difficult to think about War and Peace.

The long night of autumn when sunset is early. It might be a good idea to read this kind of book.

 

 

 

 Shinohashi is one of the bridges that span the Sumida River. This bridge, which features an orange main tower, is located one upstream of Kiyosu Bridge, and connects Nihonbashihamacho in Chuo-ku to Morishita in Koto-ku. It is a relatively new bridge built in 1977 (Showa 52).

 

This time, it is the story of the previous bridge, an old iron bridge built over the current location in 1912 (Meiji 45), but this bridge is a rigid form called the truss bridge, but it has an elegant decoration. It is said that it was a bridge (the photo below shows the old bridge attached to the main tower of the current bridge).

 

Part of this old bridge is preserved and displayed as a registered Tangible Cultural Property in Meiji Mura in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture. I've always wanted to go to Meiji-mura, but finally my wish came true and I went to see this Silver Week.

 

At first glance, it was an impression that it was surprisingly large. About one-eighth of the Nihonbashihamacho side has been relocated to Meiji Village, but if you imagine that it was simply eight times as large as it was on the Sumida River, it was quite large at that time I think it was.
It is 173 meters long and 25 meters wide, and it seems that streetcars began to pass shortly after opening, and the traces have been reproduced in this Meiji village.

 

Also, the decoration that is a characteristic of this bridge. It was more delicate and beautiful than I expected. The bridge itself is heavy, so you may feel more like that. The most surprising thing was the bridge nameplate written by Motosuke Nomura. The color is gorgeous after passing through the elegant.

 

It seems that the colors of the bridge nameplate, lighting fixtures and sidewalk railings were previously painted with gray paint, but it was repainted in the spring of this year to restore it to the color at the time of construction (The photo below shows the decoration of the railing of the sidewalk that incorporates many curves).

 

The white granite railings and main pillars are made of majesty.

 

 

This old bridge was built during the Meiji era, but what is often mentioned was events during the Great Kanto Earthquake.

 

As other bridges fell in the earthquake, this bridge, which was relatively new at the time, did not fall, did not burn, saved many lives of the crowds who flooded this bridge. For this reason, it has come to be called "Human Help Bridge" or "Help Bridge".

 

At the side of the current bridge on the Chuo-ku side, there are the "Great Earthquake Evacuation Monument" and the "Humansuke Bridge Origin Monument".

 

The "Great Earthquake Evacuation Monument" is bigger than I expected and looks up. This may be a sign of the great appreciation of the people of the time for this bridge.

 

It was built in 1933, ten years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and it is written that many refugee was saved because of the power of the gods of neighboring shrines who had been evacuated to this bridge and the power of those who made appropriate decisions to throw away their luggage.

 

 

 On the other hand, the smaller one, "Monument of the Origin of the Human Assistance Bridge", is a monument built when the old bridge was replaced by the current bridge. At the time of the earthquake, it is described in honor of the appropriate judgment of police officers working at Shinohashi Nishizume Police Station at Hisamatsu Police Station.

 

At the same time as guiding a large number of refugee, he determined that all refugee would be burned down and dumped burning luggage into the Sumida River, saving more than 10,000 lives.

 

However, I think the best reason is that this bridge was also an excellent bridge for disaster prevention.

It seems that Meiji Village is the 50th anniversary of this year. Such historically valuable buildings are left as actual materials, can be seen and felt. I think it's a wonderful thing.
I came here and felt that when rebuilding buildings and buildings, not just bridges, it is necessary to make efforts to pass them on to future generations.