Official

In 1920, when Takeko's songbook "Kinsuzu" appeared, it was a great response, and Takeko's name as a poet was widely known. At that time, my husband, who had been abroad for a long time, came back, and a new life began near Tsukiji Honganji Temple in Chuo-ku.

Since I came to Tsukiji, a major turning point has come to her life. She was affected by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. I managed to escape and survived my life, but after that, her sense of life changed, and she continued to actively engage in various welfare activities, including relief charitable activities for the injured person earthquake orphans.

Takeko, like a goddess, appears in front of her when she was in great sadness. Those who were comforted were given great courage and supported their hearts in their lives.

This year has been just 100 years since the Great Kanto Earthquake occurred.

Takeko's long letter written a few weeks after the disaster remains, but it is now a valuable historical material at the time of the earthquake, so at this milestone, some of the contents I'd like to introduce you.

The outline of the beginning of the sentence written in the letter is roughly as follows:

September 1 was after the storm.
⇩
When I came home after 11:30 and read a book on the sofa, I came with Yurayla.
⇩
The earthquake shakes without interruption. My home was like a sloppy shop in about five minutes, but main hall in Tsukiji Honganji was still fine.
⇩
The sad news of the headquarters Fukagawa was reported.
⇩
I could see a fire, but I was careless because the Tsukiji side was upwind.
⇩
Then the sun went down, and the wind changed in the evening.

On this day, the typhoon was just passing from Noto Peninsula to Sanriku, and it was raining the day before, the south wind heading for the typhoon at the time of the earthquake, and in the evening, the typhoon passed through and a strong north wind blowing.

From this timing, Takeko is hunted down by the sea of fire and escapes from the fire begins a long and long night.

Below, we will introduce the text from Tsukiji Honganji to his brother's Gwangmyeong House in the Aoyama area in the original text.

『
The sun went down, and in the evening of a man's face, the wind suddenly turned down, this time downwind, one from Hatchobori, one from Ginza, and one from the Ginza, and so on, I was caught in the attention of the front, and I was ready to wear a kimono in the evening, with only the few precious metals of the hands, Just accompany the Buddha. At that time, there was no ridiculousness in all things, abandoned the house, divided into many old things that had been cherished for many years, and once gathered in front of main hall, with the wife and children of the office's family, and fifteen six men, ran away in front of the statue of Arisugawa Palace and in front of the navy reference hall, and the fire went out to the sparks of Kabukiza. While refugee grew more and more, the road was gone rather than going to Shiba. As I proceeded, at the gate of the Navy Band, I looked like a favored person, opened the gate, and entered us. So I saw the fire of Seiyoken and the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, and found that I couldn't help anymore, and this time I fled to Hamarikyu again, but now I was prepared to die if there was a fire in the Shiba area . I can't talk very much about the greatness of the flames around Honganji as soon as it was on fire. Just in front of the gate of Hamarikyu, by chance, Gwangmyeong had come to see him with a rickshaw, and once again went out to see the situation of Tsukiji, so it was so hot that I could not stop by, and the fire was already burnt. Occasionally, when you look back, you are in the sea of fire. I arrived at Takagicho's house around 11 o'clock, thinking that it was a terrible thing, but here it was almost as quiet as a different world, there was no wind, and the moon was quiet and clear like autumn . I felt like I was born. The next day ...
』

On the other side of the Sumida River, it is the Tsukiji / Ginza area seen from Kachidoki (May 6, 2021).

Tsukiji is now known as a market city, but when Takeko was there, there was a navy facility instead of the market. In addition, there are many small temples around the out-of-market today, and there were no large arterial roads around Tsukiji, such as Harumi-dori St. and Shin-ohashi-dori St. Of course, at that time, Kachidokibashi was not built.

From Ginza in the north and from Hatchobori in the east, a storm of fire approaches, and the Sumida River is behind. Takeko had no choice but to escape in the direction of Hamarikyu in the west.

Escape to the Naval Reference Museum, where the statue of Arisugawa Shrine is located
　→The fire is near the Kabukiza Theater.
⇩⇩⇩
Enter the gate of the navy band
　→See the fire of Seiyoken and the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce
⇩⇩⇩
Escape to Hamarikyu again
　→Honganji was lit.
⇩⇩⇩
Aiming for Shibakoen
　→Looking back, the sea of fire

Chuo-ku used to be a waterside city. At this time, there were still many waterways left. If you do not cross the bridge, you will not be able to escape, so it seems that the escaping people have flooded the bridges over it.

North Gate Bridge leading to the Naval Facility

After that, it will continue as follows.
『
The main hall was built at 9:40. The vicinity of Shibakoen, where we ran away, was burned afterwards, and the bridge of the palace, the gate, and the ship of evacuation, all of the refugee, which was finally over 10,000 people, went into the inner garden, did not become irritable. ・・・
』

Some people don't like these stories very much.

However, there have been many natural disasters in recent years, especially Japan is constantly exposed to dangers such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and tsunamis. Everyone knows that they do not know when a natural disaster will occur, but it is better to think about the time when you actually encounter the scene and reconsider your usual preparations and attitudes. May be.

『
At the same time as the great natural disaster of the day, I was revived and became the same nakedness as I was born. From now on, I think that I have given myself a good lesson if I have to put my heart into it and wear it sufficiently plainly.
』

Finally, since Takeko is a poet, I will post a song about her earthquake disaster.

From Takeko Kujo's Muyuka

<Information referenced>
"Ms. Takeko Kujo Letter Collection", Nobutsuna Sasaki / Business Nipponsha / 1929
"Noyuka," Takeko Kujo / Business Nipponsha / 1927