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The sidewalk in Chuo-ku is interesting! 34.Momiji Street in Edo
Hello, this is Minato kid.
The sidewalk in Chuo-ku is interesting! It's No. 34.
Three years have passed since the last issue of No. 33 ...
This is the first time in a long time.
Thank you very much.
In Chuo-ku, a total of 99 routes (as of August 2023), including 43 routes in the Kyobashi area, 46 routes in the Nihonbashi area, and 10 routes in the Tsukishima area, are nicknamed.
The nickname of the road tells the history of the town, has the thoughts of the local people, and gives the people who pass the road an opportunity to have interest and attachment to the town.
Minato-ko loves the sidewalks of Chuo-ku.
This time, we will walk along "Edo Momiji-dori".
It is the street from Nihonbashi 1-chome 18, Nihonbashi River to Nihonbashi 3-chome 15, Yaesu Street.
In 2003, it was nicknamed "Edo Momiji-dori".
The street tree is nicknamed Japanese maple.
It changes color according to the season and colors the street.
Now, the summer green is vivid.
By the way, Toshin Beltway runs on the east side in parallel with Edo and Momiji Street.
The cars run one way down the road.
A number of bridges across the car.
Yes, this road was originally a river.
It was called Kaedegawa.
It is a waterway connecting the Kyobashi River and the Nihonbashi River, and is on the eastern coastline of Edo Maejima. It feels like the Kaede River has been left as a waterway, and the landfill has progressed east.
Therefore, there was also the residence of Shogen Mukai Tadakatsu, the head of Mifune. Now, the main pillar of the shipping bridge remains.
Until then, boating, which had been the main part, ended its role over time, and instead increased traffic such as cars and trucks.
As the town changed rapidly toward the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Kaedegawa changed its appearance to an expressway.
By the way, do you know that in Chuo-ku, the names of the rivers include maple (Kaede), cherry blossoms (Sakura), and autumn leaves (Momiji)?
It's a stylish combination that is typical of Edo Chuo-ku.
The first Kaedegawa and the second Sakuragawa are Hatchobori.
Originally, Hatchobori was called Hatchobori Funairi, a Funairi moat located inside the jetty built to protect Edo Castle and Edo City against attacks from the sea.
Because the length was Hatcho (872m), it was named.
At the entrance, there was a boatman Shogen Mukai.
Yes, as the coastline moved, the gatekeeper of the sea also moved.
At this time, there were no gunshops or Tsukiji yet.
Since then, Hatchobori has been active as an important waterway for boating, covering the Kamejima River and Kaede River.
Then, in the Meiji era, I changed my name to Sakuragawa.
Even now, the land reclamation of Tokyo Bay has progressed, the fact that the names of Hatchobori, Minato, and Irifune remain, is very valuable for understanding the history of Tokyo.
By the way, what is the best Momijigawa?
There are no Hatchobori or Kaedegawa yet, and it goes back to the early Edo period.
There were nine moats between the Nihonbashi River in the north and the Kyobashi River in the south, from the coastline (later Kaede River) toward outer moat.
There was one by one between the towns from 1-chome to 8-chome, and the Kyobashi River and the Momijigawa River as bypasses to outer moat.
It had the role of a "wharf" dug for the construction of the Edo Castle retrenchment.
The Momiji River is just on the current Yaesu Street. It's a line from around Kuyasu Bridge to outer moat.
You can see that in 1632 (1632), which is said to be the oldest map in Edo, Edo Shozu, Bushu Toyoshima-gun (Edo figure in Kanei era).
The name Momijigawa is derived from the fact that water was flowing from Momijiyama in Edo Castle.
Right now, just around Kuyasu Bridge was the confluence.
There was a bridge called Nakahashi on the Momiji River. Just around the intersection of Chuo-dori and Yaesu-dori.
Nakahashi…Speaking of which, the birthplace of Edo Kabuki!
In 1624 (1624), Saruwakaza and later Nakamuraza began raising a tower in the southern part of Nakahashi.
After that, the western half of the Momiji River will be Nakahashi Hirokoji Temple, and will change its character to a bustling area as a firebreak area and with the birth of Saruwakaza.
Speaking of the Genroku era, it was just 100 years since Ieyasu entered Edo.
The coastline goes further east, and the gunshot and Tsukiji are also showing.
At that time, these moats became inland and finished their role.
The only remaining items are the Kyobashi River, which has the radish riverbank, and the Momiji River.
The Kyobashi River continued to help boat transportation and remained until the war, but the Momiji River disappeared during the Genroku era, as if it were other moats.
In addition, I found a monument that tells the true existence of the Momiji River.
It was the site of the Tokyo Metropolitan Momijigawa High School.
On the east side of Kaedegawa (now Toshin Beltway), there is a stone monument about the height of the feet in the planting facing the sidewalk at the Central Police Station.
Tokyo Metropolitan Momijigawa High School was established in 1928 and was a school in this area until it was relocated in 1984.
In the monument, it is also mentioned that the former Momiji River is the origin of the school name.
There is also Ohara Inari Shrine, which is also the main shrine of Hie-jinja Shrine and the guardian angel of boat transportation.
Between the buildings, he is sitting quietly.
Look at the Momijigawa River in Maboroshi…。
There are no traces now, but it is interesting to think about that, the name of "Edo Momiji-dori" remains.
♪References "Chuo-ku Monoshiri Encyclopedia" Chuo-ku Tourism Association / "Kyobashi Library Local Room Newsletter No. 57 Port Pier '16-Edo Minato no Narita-" Masao Suzuki 1987/ "Kyobashi Library Local Room No. 152 River in Edo / Tokyo = Chuo-ku 1 River" Kenji 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 5
Correspondent Minato kid, Chuo-ku Tourism Association
No. 191 August 1, 2023