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The figure above is an ukiyo-e that hopes for "Edobashi" from "Nihonbashi" in "Hundred Views of Edo" and "Nihonbashi Edobashi" by Hiroshige Utagawa. The date of its establishment is unknown, but Edobashi is described in "Edoshozu, Toshima-gun, Bushu Toshima-gun" in 1632 (Kanei 9). There is also a document that it was built in 1631 (Kanei 8). It is said that the bridge name was named Edo because it is located next to Japan (bridge) in the west, and that Edo was probably the name of this area, but none of them are certain.

(Photo courtesy of Kyobashi Library)

In 1875 (Meiji 8), it was replaced with the above stone arch bridge.

(Photo courtesy of Kyobashi Library)

It will be replaced by the above-mentioned steel arch bridge in October 1901 (Meiji 34). Until this time, "Edobashi" was located at the junction of the former Kaede River and Nihonbashi River, about 60 meters below the current location. It is located on the east side of Nihonbashi Diamond Building.

On September 1, 1923 (Daisho 12), the Great Kanto Earthquake occurred. The earthquake was a main shock with a magnitude of 7.9 at 11:58, 7.2 magnesium 3 minutes later, and 7.3 magnesium 5 minutes later. It was a large fire that occurred immediately after the shaking that made the damage of the earthquake more serious. In Chuo-ku, the seismic intensity of the earthquake was "5 or more", and the entire area was in the area of Edo Maejima and the ground was strong, so the damage caused by shaking was small, but almost 100% of Chuo-ku was burned down by fire, The burnt field has become Hara. For the reconstruction of the Imperial Capital, the government will take the initiative in land readjustment, maintenance of arterial roads, maintenance of bridges, maintenance of parks, etc. And "Taisho era street (Yasukuni Dori)". "Edobashi" is a bridge built by "Showa-dori" to cross Nihonbashi River. Although private houses and shops were dense, "Showa-dori" was created by land readjustment of the land where the burnt field was Hara and creating a new road, which is an extension of "Edobashi". . We have posted the target maps before and after land readjustment in the figure below, so you can understand them.

(Source: Chuo-ku history map book [Nihonbashi Hen], bridge name is added.)

The figure above is the figure before land readjustment.

(Source: Chuo-ku history book [Nihonbashi Hen], the name of the bridge is added.)

The figure above is the figure after land readjustment. The black-filled line from left to right is Showa-dori. You can see that the place where there was no road before became a road due to land readjustment. In addition, "Edobashi" was newly built about 60m upstream.

(Photo courtesy of Kyobashi Library)

The above photo is a photo of around 1957 (Showa 32) when it is not yet covered with an expressway.

Construction was started on January 4, 1925 (Daisho 14), with a construction period of 1076 days, and completed on December 15, 1927 (Showa 2). The total construction cost was 828,850 yen (approximately 4 billion yen). The model is a steel solid rib arch with a bridge length of 63.4m and a width of 44m.

The photo above is the current "Edobashi". Except for the bridge over the Sumida River, it can be said that it is the largest bridge over the Kanda River, Nihonbashi River and Kamejima River. It is also a point where the Toshin Beltway, Mukaijima Line, and Ueno Line of the Metropolitan Expressway intersect, making it a major transportation hub. According to the history, the current "Edobashi" may be different from the previous bridge because a new bridge was built on a newly built road after the Great East Japan Earthquake, but such It may be good to think about history and see "Edobashi".

Reference: Chuo-ku History Book [Nihonbashi Hen] Chuo-ku Board of Education, Tokyo

　　　　　Bridge, Hashizume Plaza in Chuo-ku (Chuo-ku Cultural Properties Survey Report No. 5)

　　　　　remain (Part 2) for the Great Kanto Earthquake in Tokyo

　　　　　Internet