Official

Well, Meiji period, the U.S. Embassy was located in a foreign settlement in Tsukiji. It's wrapped in a riddle.

When it was a two-story wooden, elegant, creamy Western-style building, there is nothing other than this stone monument that retains the remnants of the United States Missionary, despite the small number of foreign settlements in remain itself.

By the way, what role did this monument play at that time?…。

Among the “Chuo-ku inhabitant cultural properties Chuo-ku Board of Education, 1991”, “Chuo-ku inhabitant cultural properties”

‐The following

"The only thing I'm sorry is that it's completely unknown when and for what these stones were made."

‐

And I'm talking about it.

Whether it was a decoration or a symbol, then where on the premises and how were it arranged?

"Tsukiji Foreign Settlement - Foreign in Tokyo, Meiji period— In Oshodo Publishing 2002, the author Haruaki Kawasaki guesses this way.

-The following:

"July 4, 1876 marks the 100th anniversary of the independence of the United States. Minister Bingham may have come up with (omitted) the Japanese mason to engrave a memorial stone. The design of the stars, eagles, and shields that symbolize the United States must have been ordered by July 1876 to engrave several pieces of each design on Komatsu stone.

(Omitted) The stone is carried into the courtyard of the Imperial House and kept in the vicinity of artificial hill as instructed by the Ministers and his wife and daughters. I imagine that such a scene was developed in a corner of Tsukiji during the peaceful era of the early Meiji era. "

-

It's wonderful. The scenery of that time and the expressions of the people seem to spread in front of the eyes with colors.

In addition, there is this in "Walking in Chuo Ward-Asking Historic Sites and History-Public Relations Division, Chuo-ku Planning Department, 1992".

‐The following

"The garden is really well-maintained, and there is a small place where the star flag is raised every morning, but there are several carved in a large square stone below it, but I don't know what I used it for.

(Omitted) Perhaps it was brought from Azabu Zenpukuji Temple, which Harris used as a missionary," he said.

‐

This is a different theory, but at the time this sentence was written, it proves that artificial hill still remained on the ruins of the United States Mission.

And the second riddle.

I don't think there's much left in the photos of the American Embassy. "Tsukiji Reservoir: The Origin of Modern Culture— The monochrome photo is included in the book called "Tsukiji Reservation Study Group".

However, this building is exactly the same as the one that existed in the same Tsukiji foreign settlement.

Yes, it's the Hotel Metro Paul.

It is a hotel owned by the Yokohama United Club, and it is said that after the U.S. Embassy relocated in 1890, the building was used as it was and turned into a hotel.

Well, it's the best riddle.

In fact, there are actually eight monuments at the site of the United States Mission.

Where did the other three go?…。

It was donated to the American Embassy in Akasaka in 1984. One by one. It seems that it is still displayed in the front yard of the embassy.

Then, even after the building of the American Embassy became the Hotel Metro Pole, and even the times changed, this monument had been placed in artificial hill for many years.

Well, in a good way, I think it was a relaxing time. Such a peaceful era where someone's memories are rolling in someone's place, and you can recognize each other without thinking about throwing it away or throwing it away.

It will become the expression of the town and lead to "memory of the town".

In the above-mentioned "Chuo-ku inhabitant cultural property", there was such an explanation.

‐The following

"In the place where the envoy was located, Toysler later had a residence, and until recently, a nurse dormitory at St. Luke Hospital was built, but now (as of March 1999), civil engineering work is underway as a redevelopment site. Before the construction, there was a garden with artificial hill, where a stone monument made of Komatsu stone was placed."

‐

Civil engineering work is exactly the construction of St. Luke Garden.

Indeed, there was a garden with artificial hill.

There was also a photo on that page. At present, it was not the scenery of the well-maintained monument that we see, but it was like that in the lush nature, it was really like Potun and Potun.

In addition, in the "Walking in Chuo Ward-Asking Historic Sites and History-Chuo-ku Planning Department Public Relations Division, 1992", the United States Missionary was there before the St. Luke Garden was still built. As a scenery that tells a faint story of what was there.

—The following

"There are small Western-style churches or some kind of buildings and walls that seem to be blocked. This is the trace of the American Embassy in the Meiji era."

‐

There is a description. It seems that this sentence was written around 1991.

However, the cod in this chapter adds that in December of the same year, even its remnants disappeared completely.

Now, looking at the place where the American Embassy was located, the St. Luke Garden is heading towards the sky over the fresh green trees.

However, a little, until the Heisei era, there was a memory that was a foreign town. In fact, for 100 years…。

Even now, when walking in Akashicho, you may feel a foreign wind somewhere.

It may be the Tsukiji Catholic Church, one of the few remains, a brick wall made of gas lamps and U.K. piled up from the monument, and this monument of the United States and the ruins of the city hall of the United States.

When the memories of such a town talk to us, I think we will like the city of Chuo-ku more.

Correspondent Minato kid, Chuo-ku Tourism Association
No. 185 June 27, 2023