Chuo-ku Tourism Association correspondent blog

　Among the many Edo pictorial maps, the oldest one with certain content is the Kanei era Edo map.

　Two islands are lined up in the lower center of the figure, slightly to the right, between which "Niihori" is written.

　Niihori is the estuary of the current Nihonbashi River, Reigishima on the left and Hakozaki on the right. It is written as "town".

　The figure refers to the one listed in [Chuo-ku History Chart, Nihonbashi Hen, '' but it seems that it shows the appearance of Edo city around Kanei 9 (1632), and by this time, the island and town It is certain that it has already been done.

　On the other hand, in the "Chuo-ku Chronology" section of Genwa 6 (1620), there is a description that means that Niihori was excavated and Machiya was established around this time, but this is based on the "Tokyo Prefectural Shiryo". There is no doubt that it reflects the fact that Kita Niiborimachi and Hakozakicho were already on this island at this time.

　If it was founded during the Genna period, it would be natural that it was named as the so-called "Edo Furumachi 300 towns".

Ume-san.

Today is the second good place in Chuo-ku @ Nihonbashi.

This is the famous water Shirakiya well behind Cored Nihonbashi. Residents of Nihonbashi during the Edo period While struggling to secure good water, it seems that Shimizu was made sideways so that Hikotaro Omura, the second generation head of Shirakiya, who was a kimono merchant, dug a well and offered it to the Shoguns. At present, a stone monument stands in Designated Cultural Property, Tokyo. (Refer to the official Textbook of Chuo-ku Tourism j Certification)

There is also a place behind the main street where you can feel the history of the Edo period, so be sure to go there!  

It's early this year and half is about to pass. It's the turning point of the year.

Since ancient times, at the end of June, Shinto ritual has been held at shrines around the country in order to remove half a year's filth and eliminate evil diseases as "Nago Shinohara E". It is also mentioned in <Engishiki> during the Heian period.

It seems that <Chinowa Gourmet> is often held at this event. There are many historic shrines in Chuo-ku, which can be seen in several areas.

On this day, I visited [Tsukiji Namiki Shrine]. On the afternoon of a holiday when the drops of the rainy season fell quietly, it was a time to look back quietly half a year.

"I hope there will be good things in the second half of this year" ... I just pray for the development of a peaceful and bustling area.

From 6:00 pm on June 20 (Saturday), I saw a classical performing arts appreciation party at Nihonbashi Theater in Nihonbashi Kumin Center.

When I was young, my grandmother on both sides was playing geisha Waltz with the shamisen in the evening, and I think that it was not very good because one of the grandmother was accidentally stopped in the same place, but I didn't think it was very good, but I loved the pleasant sound of the shamisen.

As you walk along the path of Ningyocho, you can still hear the sound of the shamisen occasionally. When there is a performance of Meijiza, a shamisen shop in amazake Yokocho is playing. In such a case, I stop and listen to the sound of the shamisen.

I had always wanted to go to a shamisen concert, but I learned about the classical performing arts appreciation party with a poster in Chuo-ku and watched it for the first time. It took less than two hours, but I was impressed by the sounds and dances of my favorite shamisen, with lectures on culture and history of Edo, stories about Joruri Tokiwazu, dance Yamato Raku, Gitayu, and dance Kiyoharu. You can see performing arts in various fields at once, so it is recommended for beginners like yourself.

Those who perform or perform are members of the Chuo Ward, who follow the tradition from the Edo period, and perform wonderful arts once a year. There were also interesting stories such as "June 6, 6, is good to start performing arts," and "Kanetsugu Naoe's mansion is the current Metropolitan Police Department." And there are many kimonos who come to see them, and I am deeply moved to think that during the Edo period, I was watching the play of Edo Yoza around here. I'm looking forward to the next time. 

Ginza is one of the most famous downtown areas in Japan. There are long-established stores that have been around since the Edo period and trendy luxury brand shops, and even in the bustle, it is an adult town where you can feel a unique dignity.

　4-chome intersection

By the way, have you ever lost your way in Ginza? Ginza is a grid-like city where most streets cross at right angles. Every intersection looks the same in terms of four corners, and I think there are times when you don't know where you are before you get used to Ginza.

So why did Ginza become such a grid-like city? The reason goes back about 400 years ago when Ieyasu built a city called Edo. Ginza was developed by Ieyasu as a "town area" in 1612 in the early Edo period. Ieyasu landed the land, which had hardly lived, in a grid pattern and gave it to the townspeople. The relationship between the Tokaido (= current Ginza Street) and its back streets (= current Namiki-dori St.), and the street that crosses them at right angles (at that time it was called Yokocho), Ginza Yanagi-dori St., Marronnier Street, Harumi-dori St., etc., is almost the same as 400 years ago. By the way, the current main street of Ginza, Ginza Street (I think there are surprisingly many people who do not know that this street corresponds to the old Tokaido....About 16 meters wide of the roadway is almost the same as the road width of the Edo period. During the Edo period, it was the path of the daimyo of sankin kotai who climbed Edo Castle and the Korean correspondents who were known for their gorgeous gorgeousness. At the time of a pedestrian paradise, I think it's fun to try silver brushing while thinking about 400 years ago. Ginza, where the cutting edge of modern fashion and the weight of 400 years of history blend in a very natural way. There may be a secret that this city attracts people in such a place.

  Ginza (Chuo) Street 

 Even though "the highest place" is not "land price" or "building height", it is about "elevation".

The terrain of Chuo-ku is flat without mountains and valleys, and it is relatively easy for cycling and walking around the town. Walking around Chiyoda-ku and Minato-ku, you can see that there are many slopes. You can realize that most of Chuo-ku was landfills.

In the first place, the place that became the standard for measuring altitudes across the country was the first place. It was a water mark in Chuo-ku. In the early Meiji era, tide level was observed to determine zero (A.P.), and based on this, the average sea level of Tokyo Bay (T.P. = 0m above sea level) was determined, and a "standard marker" was installed.

From this historical benchmark, the current Japanese benchmark (24.4140m) in the Kensei Memorial Park in front of National Diet Building was surveyed.

The remnants of the city's historic site, the remnants of the city's historic site, are well-known, but what can not be overlooked is the "first-class benchmark" Komushi "" (above photo) located slightly away from it. . It was relocated to its current location in 2006 (2006), and an explanation board was installed in February 2009 (2009). The altitude here is 3.24m.

By the way, What is the highest altitude in Chuo-ku?

According to the document ("Standard Base Survey Results Table", July 2008, Tokyo Civil Engineering Technology Center), 20 altitudes (Tokyo Bay average sea level (T.P.)) are listed in Chuo-ku. .

The high altitude point is 4.7619m at Nihonbashi Honishicho 3-chome. Next is Ginza 5-chome 4.7562m and Ginza 8-chome 3.8337m (lower photo = Ginza 8-chome standard base). After all, Ginza has a high "land price", but the "ground" seems to be high.

On the other hand, the altitude at the low point is 0.7360m. Therefore, the height difference of the altitude in the ward is about 4m, about the height of the first floor of the building.

As you follow the high altitude, it seems that you are along the ridgeline, which was called Edo Maejima from the ancient Hongo Plateau. It seems that the former Tokai route was also passed here, and was there a city that made use of the terrain?

■"History here in Chuo-ku" series
The 1st "I still have Reigishi Island" here>>
The 2nd "A bridge that remains at the intersection" here>>