Chuo-ku Tourism Association correspondent blog

Hello. This is a new correspondent, Hanes.
What do you think of when you say "Night View of Chuo-ku"?
There may be typical things such as the eight night views of Chuo-ku and the scenery from Harumi Wharf.

However, even if it is not very famous as a night view, Chuo-ku makes you want to take pictures.
There are a lot of spots that are fascinated by the radiance of the night.
Among them, this time, I would like to introduce 4 spots that I recently photographed.

[Building]
■PLUSTOKYO
"Adult social space" opened brilliantly on the 12th floor/RF of Kirarito Ginza in November last year.
Globally popular DJs such as STEVE AOKI and R3HAB also perform performances.
It is a hot spot that will also create a nighttime economy for Tokyo 2020.



DJs may have a strong image of a club, but they may have a strong image of a club.
PLUSTOKYO also has restaurants, bars, and galleries.
It can be enjoyed for various purposes day and night, such as providing a slightly luxurious branch.

I've never been there yet, but this floor, which is eye-catching on Chuo-dori, is on the street.
As you can see in the photo, it definitely shows the radiance unique to the night.

■Park City Chuo Minato The Tower (completed in November 2017, 36 stories above ground)
In recent years, the redevelopment of Minato has progressed, and the number of tower apartments is increasing.
Among them, one of the most eye-catching rooftops is the unique shape of this roof.
When I looked into it, I found that there was a sky garden here.
Because there are no tall buildings around, it seems that the space is very open.



From here, I would like to see the night view of Chuo-ku once.

[Bridge]
■Takahashi
Among the bridges over the Kamejima River, there are bridges that are beautifully lit up at night.



The bridge lit up in blue is also a highlight, but please pay attention to the river surface.
Despite the fact that there are many buildings that are not illuminated.
The scenery reflected in the river is a fantastic blue and white scenery reminiscent of an "underground empire"....
I can just imagine it.



■Minami Takahashi
Among the bridges in Chuo-ku, design is one of my favorite bridges.
If a part of the bridge is used as a subject, it will be finished as if it were taken at night overseas.



There are many places in Chuo-ku where you can see beautiful night views, and such places are already well known, but they are still well known.
Just a little change in your eyes and perspectives, apart from them, you will find a wonderful place that shines at night.
Why don't you look for a "My Night View Spot" that is not listed in the guidebook when you leave work or go sightseeing at night?

 

 

The third episode of Kyobashi Monogatari. It's a continuation from the last time.

Until the last time →　[Kyobashi Monogatari 1] [Kyobashi Monogatari 2]

　

In the middle of the Taisho era, a building with a circular dome tower appeared at the Kyobashi intersection where the current Chuo-dori and Kajibashi-dori intersect. This time, I will start talking from this building.

This building was designed by Kingo Tatsuno, famous for the station building of Tokyo Station and the head office of the Bank of Japan. It is a building owned by Dai-ichi Life Insurance and is named "Daiichi Mutual House". Construction began in 1915, the year after the completion of Tokyo Station.

　

At that time, the high-rise buildings around this area were five stories, including the Mitsukoshi Main Building in Nihonbashi and the Okura Gumi Main Building in Ginza. Once the first mutual building is completed, it will be a large building with a seven-story building that exceeds that and a height of 45m to the rooftop tower.

　

At that time, it was a booming era brought about by World War I, but construction was difficult due to a shortage of building materials due to inflation, and it took two years to build steel frames. As you can see, there is a steel-framed first mutual hall that boasts an unusual height, but it seems that it was sometimes called a haunted house due to the interruption of construction.

Meanwhile, Kingo Tatsuno died suddenly without waiting for completion. In March 1919, it was just 100 years ago. Due to the subsequent recession, construction work is extremely difficult.

　

While the first mutual hall was under construction, in May 100 years ago, a celebration tower stood in Kyobashi. This celebration was called the three major celebrations. It is a celebration that combines the adult ceremony of the Imperial Highness of Higashimiya, the 30th year of municipal organization, and the 50th year of Dian capital. His Imperial Highness Higashimiya was later Emperor Showa, and at this time he was 18 years old.

On the right side of the street is the first mutual building under construction, but on the left side of the street, construction of the building has begun behind the Daido Life Building. The building, which was originally a four-story building, is being renovated into a seven-story building, and seems to have been completed this year.

This building was built at the head office of Hoshi Pharmaceutical, an emerging pharmaceutical company, and was built by its founder, Hajime Hoshi. Hajime Hoshi was a person who started this company after studying abroad in the United States, demonstrated management skills such as adopting the method of a dealer for the first time, and pushed this company to a pharmaceutical company called Toyoichi.

　

Hajime Hoshi's son is Shinichi Hoshi, known as a science fiction writer, but the fate of Hoshi after that can be heard from the sad story he wrote.

This building was built diagonally opposite the first mutual building under construction. From the Ginza side, it is characterized by the shape of a window close to a square, and after this, it often appears in the landscape of postcards. On the rooftop, the signboard "Kusuri wa Hoshi" glowed in red letters.

　

After seeing the completion of such a Hoshi Pharmaceutical building, Kingo Tatsuno's work, Daiichi Mutual Hall, will finally be completed. The construction was uncompromising, three years behind schedule, and the construction cost was twice the budget and completed after hardship. It was in March 1921.

It was a building that made use of the classic red brick style, which is a characteristic of Tatsuno Kingo architecture, everywhere, but the biggest feature is the height of the building, which is 45m. From that tower, you should have overlooked the current entire Chuo-ku.

　

This photo shows the direction of Ginza as seen from the first mutual hall in Taisho 10 (1921).

Photo provided: Chuo Ward Kyobashi Library

　

As you can see, Ginza-dori curves at Kyobashi, so the rooftop of Daiichi Mutual Hall was a great location overlooking Ginza-dori from the middle. You can see that the only tall building that can be seen in Ginza at this time is the Okura Gumi Main Building on the right side of the street. At that time, Ginza was a time when cafes were very prosperous.

　

On the other hand, the view of Nihonbashi. It will also be around 1921. It seems that there are not many large buildings here too.

In the lower left, you can see Tamura's hat shop. The location of Konosu in the restaurant, where correspondent yaz, previously reported, seems to be near here. You can understand the situation at that time, so please take a look at it.

★The article by correspondent yaz　→　Here

　

And the postcard below, probably the scenery of Minami Temmacho seen from the Ginza side in Taisho 11 (1922) the following year.

Minami Temmacho is transformed into a landscape of a big city. Among them, the "three dome roofs", which appeared in a short period of time, must have been seen as a symbolic building of Minami Temmacho from Ginza. In the meantime, there is a square building of "Thirty-four Bank" in front of the Daido Life Building, and a new building is under construction beyond the Hoshi Pharmaceutical building.

　

If you look closely in the foreground, you can also see that road construction is being done. Minami Temmacho entered the Taisho era and took a great look in the field of architecture, but that also responded to the field of civil engineering. This is probably the work related to the replacement of Kyobashi.

　

Kyobashi decided to widen the bridge in 1922 and stop the main pillars of the traditional Edo giboshi. And we decided to have a main pillar of modern design. I guess I wanted to have a modern design that matched the cityscape of Minami Temmacho. One of these main pillars is still left at the site of the Kyobashi site, so some of you may know.　

Looking at this way, the design of this main pillar is in harmony with the cityscape created by the "three dome roofs", and Minami Temmacho, which can be seen from the Ginza side through the main pillar, looks like a city heading to heaven, extending upwards.

　

There are many buildings around. The upper left building of the postcard is Katakura-kan (Katakura Life Building), completed in 1922, along the Kajibashi Bridge Street in the current Tokyo Square Garden, and until a few years ago it was the Katakura Industries Building.

On the other hand, the "Chiyoda-kan (Chiyoda Seimei Building)" is built at the innermost end of the street. Completed in 1923, the following year, it is the place where the current Kyobashi Trust Tower is built.

　

In this way, during the Taisho era, life insurance and financial companies were prosperous in the boom of World War I, and many high-rise buildings were built in Minami Temmacho ahead of Ginza. From our point of view today, the cityscape of Minami Temmacho made at this time is such as the full opening of the Taisho era romance, but it seems to have been known to the people at that time as a representative urban cityscape of Tokyo.

　

But after this, Tokyo and Minami Temmacho will be attacked by the events of that day.

Followed.

　

 

 

This is Edamame, a correspondent with children.

On February 3 (Sun), the 11th Chuo-ku Tourism Certification was held.

Although I applied for it, I realized that there was an extreme lack of preparation.

"Isn't it better to stop receiving it?"

I felt like I heard the devil's whisper

"It's meaningful to participate!" He inspired himself, saying, "It's meaningful to participate!", And the day before he violently solved the past questions and challenged it.

And now it's over.

I don't think it's good if I finish it with "I'm over, okay?"

What you care about from the lost or wrong problems?

I would like to focus on some of them.

That's why please associate with the "Edamame One Remorse Meeting" series for a while.

First of all, it is a question from this year's theme problem "Heisei no Chuo-ku".

Question 5 Of the following buildings in Chuo-ku, they were designated as important national cultural properties.

　　　Which of the following is not Heisei?

A. Kachidokibashi A. Nihonbashi U.S. Mitsui Main Building E. Main Building of the Bank of Japan


・・To be honest, I wonder if there is such a point! It was a big sweat.

It is true that the historical value of modern buildings has been recognized as a matter of recent years.

In this way, all of them have the impression that they have been certified in Heisei (sweat like a waterfall).

That's why I removed it in the actual production.

I'll check it out.

A. Kachidokibashi

This Kachidokibashi is often used for the certification.

It was called "the best movable bridge in the Orient" and originally jumped five times a day.

Currently, opening and closing is suspended due to a decrease in the volume of ship operations.

Yeah.

Based on evaluation of "highly technically completed structure with the largest movable branch in Japan", etc.

It was designated as a national important cultural property in June 2007! ! !

So this is not the answer.

B. Nihonbashi

Nihonbashi, where the current bridge was built in 1911 (Meiji 44).

It's a place where there's no shortage of topics.

There are squares, docks and docks in the four Hashizume.

There's also a tourist information center.

However, the bridge itself that has exceeded the 100th anniversary of the bridge is also a frequent problem and must be checked.

The lion in the photo symbolizes "protection of Tokyo City" (frequency problem).

So Nihonbashi was designated as an Important Cultural Property in May 1999! !

That's why this is not the answer.

C. Mitsui Main Building

As you can see from the photo, the order column of "Colint type (which is frequent here)" is the order column.

The Mitsui Main Building is impressive.

The building was completed in 1929 as an office building for major Mitsui companies.

It seems that there is a large safe with a circular door weighing 50 tons underground.

(This is also questioned in the past.)

So, the Mitsui Main Building was designated as an Important Cultural Property in December 1998! !

So this is not the answer.

D. Main Building of the Bank of Japan

・・・ Don't say, "E is answered by the erasure method!"

In 1882, the Bank of Japan began its operations as a central bank in Japan.

I used the building of the Hokkaido Pioneering Envoy Tokyo branch office located under the Eitai Bridge.

Your design is Josaiah Condor. I'm a foreigner who was in charge of the design of Kanarukan.

(This is also a point that has been frequently asked for a long time.)

However, the facilities were narrow and the transportation was poor.

In Meiji 29 (1896), a new building was built and relocated.

This is the current main building of the Bank of Japan head office in Nihonbashi Honishi-cho, where "Koza" was located in the Edo period.

Kingo Tatsuno was in charge of the design. He's a disciple of Condor.

The model was the Belgian central bank (this has also been questioned in the past).

The design style is "Neo Baroque architecture" that combines the Baroque style and the Renaissance style.

About half of the building was burned down by the Great Kanto Earthquake, but repairs were made three years later.

An extension was made in the early Showa period, and it continues to this day.

And ... It was designated as an important cultural property in 1974! ! ！！

Surprisingly, it was a long time before the other three.

So the correct answer was "E. The main building of the Bank of Japan Main Store"!


There are also many interesting exhibits at the "Mont Museum" right opposite the main building of the Bank of Japan.

After reviewing the test, why don't you take a walk around here? ？

"Edo Sakura-dori St.", where senior correspondent "CAM" was used the other day.

/archive/2019/02/11-12.html

It is a road that passes from the main building of the Bank of Japan to Choredo Muromachi.

This also includes "Depa Underground" at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store.

It's also perfect for a walk while looking for something delicious.

It is especially recommended because the row of cherry blossom trees is beautiful as the name suggests.

 

 

Hello. This is a new correspondent, Hanes.
In no time, the first month of 2019, and Setsubun passed, and it was spring.
In the Hokuriku region, the first spring has blown quite early, and the footsteps of spring may have begun to be heard in Chuo-ku.

Over the years, senior correspondent Gimini the other day ☆I think that the number of people who are aware of twenty-four season old calendar that Mr. Cricket introduced is decreasing.
Did you know that about 18 days before the beginning of spring are also called "Doyo"?
I tend to think, "Eel's ox day is summer, so isn't it summer?"
In fact, it refers to the period that can be said to be the turning point of the season that goes around four times a year before spring, summer, fall, and winter.
During those periods, as you all know, there is a day of the ox, like eel, udon, and dried plums.
There is a custom of eating something with "U" to get nutrition, and to be careful about your physical condition.



Nevertheless, it is a food with a strong summer image on earth, the day of the Ox, and the food with "U".
The flu is just prevalent now
It also includes the meaning that if you are sick, you can get a little better.
This time, I would like to make the theme of eel from a different perspective than modern Japanese people.

Time is 1885...Three years after Japan's first electric light turned on in Ginza....
Later, Eliza R. Sidmore, an American woman known as a person who realized the row of cherry blossom trees in Washington, stepped on the Japanese soil.
(Click your name to go to the National Geographic site.)
There is a description of eel cuisine (pp. 129-130) in "Sidmore Japan Journey", which includes the experiences of visiting Chuo-ku, and it is written as follows.

"The luncheon with an elaborate shoulders that is not suitable for the lookout is an eel dish party. Japanese hosts will entertain foreign friends as well as fellow luncheons. Sir Edwin Arnold, a British poet, also praised the deliciousness of eel at the restaurant "Golden Koi". Such delicious eel dishes are also entertained at other teahouses. When you enter the restaurant, all guests are guided to the aquarium, check that eels are slapping in the clean water, and seriously instruct your favorite prey. It looks as uncertain as if it was a lottery, but the board-mae, who watches with a long kitchen knife in his hand, quickly understands the selection of the customer, grasps the sacrifices of the sacrifices, and heads up the kitchen [chopping board] I'm sorry. "

From here, the eel was feasted about 100 years ago, but you can see that it was more casual than it is now.
In the first place, "Unagi Meshi", the predecessor of Unadon, was born around the cultural period (1804-1818) by the ingenuity of Nakamuraza's Kinshu Okubo Imasuke.
It is said that when Onoya in Fukiya-cho sold it, it became a popular dish of Edo in an instant.

"The luncheon for eel dishes begins with eel soup [Kir-sucking], and black eel and white eel are alternately served, and you can order as much as you want. The eel is split flat, cut into short fragments, and baked over charcoal fire. The substitute called black eel is originally dark brown, but since it is soaked in soy sauce before it is baked, it becomes such a color, and white eels are baked without soy sauce. Snow-like rice and eat eel bowls are the best delicious foods offered to people. A large number of foreigners, especially English poets who recognize their true value, are willing to compliment this outstanding taste. At the teahouse on the banks of the river [Oguro-ya in Reigishijima, Kyobashi (center)-ku], while waiting for the eel cooking course, the delightful performances by magicians and Maiko will excite the hospitality of Japan as much as possible."



From here, you can see that liver sink has been served since then, and that eel was a popular dish for overseas people.
It is also mentioned in Oguroya on Reigishima Island, which senior correspondent CAM introduced earlier.
(It is said that Reigishi Island is commonly called "Konjac Island". It sounds delicious, but if you are worried about the origin, please see CAM's article.)
Unfortunately, this eel shop doesn't remain now, but at that time, hospitality to overseas people seemed to be wonderful.

It is said that in the early 19th century, the habit of eating eels became widespread on the day of the ox.
It seems that eel was delicious not only for Japanese but also for overseas people.
And now over time, eel is loved as a slightly luxurious food for us living in the 21st century.
So, as the title suggests, it can be said that eel crosses the times and borders.

In Chuo-ku, there is a long-established eel shop that has been around since the Edo period, like Nodaiwa, the fifth generation.
It's still early for summer soil use, but I guess it's a good idea to look for a specialty eel shop from now on.

[References]
Eliza R. Sidmore (author) / Katsuhisa Tonosaki (translation) "Sidmore Japan Journey" (Kodansha, 2002).

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