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Soy sauce culture and sauce culture standing on Tsukuda-ohashi Bridge, the boundary between two food cultures
Standing on the Tsukuda-ohashi Bridge over the Sumida River, you can see the Tsukuda Island area on the left and the Tsukishima area on the right.
Tsukuda Island is the birthplace of "soy sauce culture" = "Tsukudani" since the Edo period.
Tsukishima is a local gourmet of "source culture" from Meiji period.
Today, we will introduce two food cultures that can be seen for the first time by standing at Tsukuda-ohashi Bridge straight from Exit 7 of Shintomicho Station on the Metro Yurakucho Line, "soy sauce culture" and "source culture".
On the left side of Tsukuda-ohashi Bridge, as soon as you enter Tsukuda Island, the sweet and spicy smell of soy sauce and sugar drifts.
Tsukuda Island was Tsukishima in 1644 by fishermen who came to Edo from Tsukuda Village, Settsu Country (now Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka City) in connection with Ieyasu Tokugawa.
The preserved food, which fishermen boiled down small fish in salt so as not to rot, changed to soy sauce when soy sauce came in from Noda, Shimousa country due to the development of logistics. That's the current Tsukudani.
Tsukuda Island, the birthplace of Tsukudani since the Edo period, still has four Tsukudani shops. It's fun to find your favorite Tsukudani-ya while strolling through Tsukuda, where the downtown atmosphere remains strong.
When you enter Tsukishima on the right side of Tsukuda-ohashi Bridge, you will see a straight path. Tsukishima was reclaimed in 1892 by Mio Sarai's earth and sand in Tokyo Bay, and was the first city in Japan to be born through modern urban planning.
Monjayaki was popular as a snack to eat at a candy store for children in a town lined with many tenement houses where people working in the factory live.
Monjayaki was introduced as a local specialty when the Metro Yurakucho Line was opened in 1988 (Showa 63), and became very popular when the Toei Oedo Line was opened in 2000 (Heisei 12).
There are 60,70 Monjayaki shops around Nishinaka Shopping Street, commonly known as Monja Street. If you walk through the shopping streets and alleys, you will be invited by the smell of sauce. Every time you come to Tsukishima, you have the pleasure of opening up various shops.
Tsukuda-ohashi Bridge was a boundary where you could learn about two completely different food cultures. By all means, please stand at this viewpoint and enjoy "soy sauce culture" and "source culture".