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Episode 3 steam of Tsukudani tells the winter

　On a cold winter day, my secret pleasure is to stand in front of the Tsukudani-ya and receive the warm steam with a sweet and fragrant smell coming out of the ventilation opening.

　From the ventilation opening, steam must come out every day, but the hot season is not visible. Even in the fall, when the temperature is falling, I still can't see it. The most visible is the middle of the cold winter.

　Every year there is a moment when a pure white steam sprang out vividly every day. When I found it, oh, winter came again this year.…I think so. It's a tradition in me.

　In the morning, I walked along Tsukuda-ohashi Bridge with a yellow little bird.

　It's the most beautiful season of the year. Light grains swimming in the Sumida River, clear air, and sparkling morning reflections on the windows of River City 21.

"Something, what is this delicious smell?"

　A little bird made his nose snug.

"Oh, over there!"

　And I refer to a seasonal shop at the foot of the bridge with a girder roof.

"Let's go!"

　And the little bird flutters his wings on my shoulder.

　Stand with a little bird in front of the ventilation opening. Stand and receive a sweet and fragrant steam on his face.

"Tsukuda Island was a fisherman's town. During the Edo period, Magoemon Mori and fishermen, who were taken to Edo by Ieyasu Tokugawa, reclaimed 100 tidal flats and built Tsukuda Island here. They offered white fish fishing to the Shogunate. The offering box I used at that time is on display at Time Dome Akashi."

"That's right. Tsukuda-jima is the beginning of Tsukuda-jima."

"For everyone who goes fishing by boat, I want to give them food so that they can keep them on the sea for a long time, and it's the beginning of boiling down small fish with salt."

　Suddenly, there was a lot of sparrows on the edge of the basket of a little bicycle.

　When the sparrow descends to the ground with caution from time to time, he rushes over the tree with something. And then come back to the ground again, poke something and go home.

"Do the sparrows also like the sweet smell of Tsukudani?"

　And I slap my face.

"Look, Chun, Chun, Chun, Chun…」

　And squatting,

"Good, little bird. I have a lot of friends!"

　And he called out to the yellow little bird.

　Then the yellow little bird had a face saying that he was really good,

"You shouldn't look too sweet to the sparrow,"

　Said in a harsh tone.

"Why?"

"There's a place where they've got a little hawk,"

　I say it.

　Then, petan…And the top of my head got cold.

　…What?

　When I looked up, there was a sparrow on the wire. And I am staring at me, looking at me, Maybe…And he had a hand over his head,

"Wow! ！」

　He was pooping.

"Oh, I can't tell you,"

　Said the yellow little bird, in an interesting way.

　Cross the red Tsukuda Kobashi and go shopping at the supermarket.

　When you pass through Tsukuda Park, you will suddenly become a stylish cityscape with bricks.

　This area was once called Ishikawajima, and there was a crowd in the Edo period. In 1790, Heizo Hasegawa, a pirate of fire, began with the aim of helping them become self-reliant, with the poor who had no jobs or those who had committed light crimes. In 1877, the name was changed to Ishikawajima Prison.

　The shipyard must also be forgotten. In 1853, the Ishikawajima Shipyard was built by Nariaki Tokugawa, Mito feudal lord. Street of Chuo-ohashi Bridge…The people of the town call it "River City Street" rather than on the north side. With Perry's arrival, the Shogunate was forced to fight against Europe and the United States. The construction of Japan's first Western-style sailing warship, Xuri Maru, began.

　River City 21, which was built in 1986 on the site.

　A group of ultra-high-rise apartments on the 40th floor above the ground, and Tsukuda, full of downtown atmosphere. This area, where contrasting landscapes are perfectly harmonized, never attracts tourists. The best thing is to look at the moat of Tsukuda and the red Tsukuda Kobashi over it in a frame.

　And a brick building appeared in front of my eyes.

　It's piled up in an arch shape, but the bricks are not neatly arranged, broken, chipped, or fallen in some places. There was a lot of bricks on my feet.

"What do you do, this?"

　I can't stop.

"I don't think it was listed in" Chuo-ku Monoshiri Encyclopedia ". It wasn't listed in the brochure of town walks or cultural properties?"

　There seems to be no sign here.

"In Akashicho, there are brick walls left when Meiji period was a foreign settlement, and after all, the red bricks used on the sidewalk of Ginza Brick Street remain on Ginza Street. Is Ishikawajima something to do with bricks?"

　And the yellow little bird also hangs his neck.

　Is this something remain? Or…

"It's relatively new. It might be an object I made recently. What's interesting is that it looks like an old-fashioned way."

"Yes, it's a decaying feeling as if it's been left behind in many years."

　Yeah…I think.

"Now, this area is a state-of-the-art residential area with Super dike and River City 21, but since there were prisons and shipyards all the time, the town is still young."

"It was in 1978 that Ishikawajima Shipyard, later Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries, relocated to Toyosu. It seems that this has been a vacant lot for a long time. It was in 1989 that the first high-rise apartment was completed. Now there are eight high-rise apartments."

　And the yellow little bird.

"At that time, the machiju was new and shiny. Then there is no old, left behind, or left behind, so I might have asked the object for such things."

　I thought it.

"That's a different way, isn't it history? Even if it's an empty can that someone throws away, a styrofoam box instead of a flower pot somewhere, or a signboard that looks like a dog dropping, I think it's the expression of the town. If you go there, there will be that, it will always change, and it will be forever."

"I can say that it's an attachment to the town."

"I don't think everyone has that kind of thing that can't be named somewhere. I might have wanted that kind of thing."

"Do you mean 'history'?"

　And the yellow little bird.

　Yes, I nodded.

"People who gather in Tokyo come in search of something new, but I still think people are thin if they don't have a "source."

"The source of this is history,"

　And a sparrow came there. In the brick in front of my eyes. He was a grandfather, wearing glasses and a loop tie of toeshells.

"Suzume!"

　And I remember a little while ago, and I am frustrated.

"Oh,"

　And the sparrow's grandfather laughed.

"Do you care about this brick?"

　Said in a shy voice.

"Yes,"

　And nodding,

"Ishikawajima Prison was made of bricks."

　Yeah! He said.

"Is it a coincidence?"

　I and the yellow little bird take care of her.

"At that time, there were only a few shipyards, and the rest was a field.…」

　The sparrow's grandfather gently closed his eyes, as if he missed it. Soon after it was wrapped in dazzling light, and when we noticed, we stood in the middle of a spacious vacant lot.

　Wow…

　I and the yellow little bird flutter their eyes.
Around the area, green weeds are growing, and many yellow and white flowers are blooming. On the other side, the Sumida River is bathed in the sunshine.

　But something strange. There is no Chuo-ohashi Bridge, and there are no tall buildings or warehouses on the opposite bank. In addition, Tsukishima is still under reclamation, and there is no Kachidoki or Harumi. A wide sea continues all the time…。

　Now we are standing in the place where River City 21 should be.

"In 1886, after the prison was closed down on Sugamo, the building was destroyed. The broken bricks were piled up everywhere, and they were left untouched."

　Said the sparrow's grandfather. I'm sitting on my head. Really, like the object I saw earlier, the broken or chipped bricks made a big mountain.

"How did you call the brick mountain, Akayama, Akayama?…」

　The children are playing up there. Something seems to be carrying a box on his back. The word "Asahi" is written.

"It's an empty box of cigarettes. Like that, I bought a empty box at a tobacco shop and imitated the soldier's back. The children's play at this time was Begoma or Menko, or soldiers."

　Said the sparrow's grandfather.

　dragonfly was flying. A lot.

　We seemed to be dreaming. It was as quiet as a silent movie, and sometimes only the children's laughter sounded. Something was hazy, and the outline and color of the scenery were shifted or mixed.

　Children in kimono ran in front of their eyes, following dragonfly…。

　I decided to go back across Chuo-ohashi Bridge.

　Chuo-ohashi Bridge is a bridge that was built in 1994 with the development of River City 21. At the shaping bridge, the top of the white tower is shaped like a helmet. Ishikawajima is derived from the fact that it was once called Kabutojima.

　And it was the one who made this Chuo-ohashi Bridge…Yes, it's Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries.

　In the meantime, the sunset is swimming in the Sumida River.

　Indeed, in the other buildings of River City 21, there were pillars like ancient Greece. In another building, there are large works of art, and there are bronze statues like insects in the bowlerd. It seems that each area has a different motif design.

"Maybe that brick building is not a historic site, but a decoration of an apartment!"

　I wonder.

"Perhaps, yes!"

　And the yellow little bird.

"I think we've read too much,"

　We looked at each other, and began to laugh.

"I wonder if anything I see is related to the history of Chuo-ku, it's such a beginner's syndrome."

"I'm really laughing!"

　But…And the yellow little bird stares at the distance, as he thought.

"I wonder how many people are thinking of Ishikawajima Prison after seeing that object like the old sparrow's grandfather.…」

"Is it inevitable to be buried?…」

"At that time, only those who were there can feel,"

　And I think.

"At least, I don't forget what we see and hear now."

　And…。

　Then suddenly, the yellow little bird said as he remembered.

"Speaking of that, you seem to have been very careful with me."

　…I put my hand on my head.

"Hey! See you again!"

　The yellow little bird smiled very satisfactoryly.

Continue

♪Reference "Chuo-ku Monoshiri Encyclopedia for Walking" Chuo-ku Tourism Association / "Talking the Oldness of Chuo-ku 1 Hatchobori / Tsukudajima" Chuo-ku Board of Education 1989

Correspondent Minato kid, Chuo-ku Tourism Association
No. 121 April 4, 2021