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At the Chuo Ward Folk Tenmonkan (Time Dome Akashi), "Chuo Kumin Cultural Properties 20 Buried Masu and Kihi", which conveys the history of water purification technology in the Edo period, is displayed.
This buried basin and wooden gutter are the remains of Kanda Josui discovered at the subway construction site at 1-2-2 Nihonbashi Muromachi in 1975.
Kanda Josui has been supplying water to the current area of Chuo-ku from the Edo period to the completion of the improved water supply in 1901.
The buried basin is equivalent to the current water pipe fitting, and the wooden gutter is equivalent to the water pipe, so it is not difficult to imagine how important Edo infrastructure they were.

I wonder if such precious remain is preserved and managed only indoors, and in fact it can be observed up close in the city!

As a wooden gutter that can be observed in the city, a night train used to have a wooden gutter (water pipe) from the Edo period at the storefront in Ginza!" I'd like to introduce you to Kinharu Street.

This was excavated during the construction of a building in Hatchobori.
The town of Edo was filled with water from the Tamagawa River.
Not only around Nihonbashi, which is close to Edo Castle, but also to Hatchobori, water was maintained.

On the other hand, I was concerned about the aging of wooden gutters.
While it became possible to supply water more stably, was there any problem with water quality?
The answer to such questions was taught by the exhibition panel of the History Museum.

According to the exhibition panel of the History Museum, the water used by wooden gutters used since the Edo era is severely contaminated due to urbanization near waterways, decay of wooden gutters, contamination of sewage, etc., and is at risk of infectious diseases. It seems to have been.
This brilliant situation has been featured in newspapers, including the Tokyo Nichi-Nichi Shimbun (December 11, 1879), and the modernization of water supply facilities in the capital Tokyo has been called for.

In addition, Katai Tayama, which is related to Chuo-ku, describes the state of the water supply at that time in the novel "Time passes" that includes a description of the transition of the city of Tokyo in about 50 years from before and after the Meiji Restoration to the early Taisho era. I draw as follows.

It was a long time ago by a person who was scarce in the water to the city of the city, and the dust (dust from the dust to the dust) was sent to the outside of the city. Nonetheless, the old tubs were thrown away, the old teacups were thrown in, and sometimes the cute girl who had picked up the tsubana on the bank, and fell over and drowned. I can't help it with water. I have to make the water a little better. I've been talking about it for a long time.

(For the relationship between Katai Tayama and Maruzen, please see "Bungo and Maruzen Koyo Ozaki, Last Shopping" by senior correspondent Yotaro.)

Newspapers and this novel show that many problems had already occurred in the water supply facilities of the Edo period during the Meiji era.
New challenges have been highlighted.

Among those who stood up in the early Taisho era to manage such clean water, Eiichi Shibusawa is also included.
He established a Tokyo Water Supply Company with his friends and embarked on full-scale water supply maintenance, such as requesting Henry S. Palmer, a British person who was involved in the design of the Yokohama Water Supply, to design and investigate the water supply.
The results were submitted as the "Tokyo Water Supply Report" in 1921, and were used in the later "Tokyo City Water Supply Improvement Design".
(The Tokyo Water Supply Company's committee was sometimes held at the Sakamotocho Bank Meeting House in Sakamoto-cho, Nihonbashi-ku at the time.)
Reference: Eiichi Shibusawa Memorial Foundation "Tokyo Water Supply Company", Digital Version "Experimental Discussion (30)" "6. Relationship with Tokyo City Waterworks", Digital Version "Eiichi Shibusawa Biography Material" 15 volume text 2 Business Guidance Namini Social Public Works Effort Period 1 Division Business and Economics 3 Commerce and Industry Section 29 Other 6 Tokyo Water Supply Company

Looking back briefly until the revolutionary water supply equipment introduced in the Edo period became a convenient water supply today, I was able to see the wisdom and technology of old people there.
In particular, the appearance of the people of the Edo period who are really pleased with the water supply, depicted on the mini theater of the history of clean water viewed at the History Museum, is impressive.
Taking this opportunity, I once again felt the gratitude of the stable supply of clean water.

As an aside, the remains of drainage ditch from the Edo period remain in Chuo-ku, and senior correspondent TAKKK....As you mentioned in "remain and fringed iris Flowers at the Tokyo National Taxation Bureau", it is quietly preserved on the premises of the Tokyo National Taxation Bureau.

This was excavated from Tsukiji, and was used until the early Showa era after it was established on the border between the Hagimoto Oshima family's residence and the road in the Edo period.
However, it seems that the use of the land has changed with the times, and a part of the drainage ditch has been rebuilt to fulfill its role while responding to changes.

When you visit the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau for final tax returns, be sure to look for this remain.♪