Official

The Kanda River, whose water source is Inokashira Pond (spring) in Mitaka City, Tokyo, is a first-class river with a length of about 25 km that meanders through the city center and flows eastward.

From Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku, which joins Edo Castle outer moat, it flows straight along the JR Line (Chuo Main Line) and flows eastward from Manseibashi to the Sumida River.

This waterway, which flows directly to the Sumida River, is based on an artificial digging (Hirakawa Floodway) excavated in 1620 (Genwa 6), and then widened by the Sendai Domain (4th Tsunamura Date). Construction was carried out, and the Kanda River boat was improved.

The Kanda River, where supplies were distributed using Funairi moat, had many river banks facing the river.

In particular, Yanagibashi, the lowermost stream of the Kanda River, has become a base for water traffic and boating because of its location at the mouth that joins the Sumida River.

In the surrounding area, rent a boat to Shin-Yoshihara / Mukaijima (a small boat with a pointed bow like a wild boar fan) and a boatman on the Sumida River (Tsukimi, fireworks, river climbing, etc.) A boarding house that tailors a boat gathered, and Kawayanagi also said, "It's so lively that a gamma was shown to the Yanagibashi River."

According to the "Remarks in Gofu", Yanagibashi, which passed between Shimo-Yanagihara Doho-cho (currently Higashi-Nihonbashi 2-chome) and Asakusa Shimoheiemon-cho (currently Yanagibashi 1-chome, Taito-ku), was Genroku 11 (1698) It was said that it was called "Kawaguchi Exitnobashi" at the beginning of the building.

Later, it was called Yanagibashi, and the surrounding area quickly became a downtown area during the late Tokugawa shogunate and Meiji eras, and along with Shimbashi, the popular Hanayanagi Street (called "Takashin Nibashi") was formed.

The bridge of Yanagibashi itself was rebuilt several times throughout the Edo and Meiji periods, and became the first steel truss bridge in 1887.

After that, the steel bridge, which was rebuilt in the Imperial Capital Reconstruction Project after the Great Kanto Earthquake, will be the current Yanagibashi.

Yanagibashi, completed in 1929, has few piers so as not to hinder the navigation of ships, and a bridge with a low-way steel solid rib tiered arch structure with a road surface under the bridge body (bridge length about 38m, width about 11m).

In addition, the design of the Eitai Bridge (completed in 1926) is adopted, so you can see the masculine and heavy design and the high level of bridge technology.

The scenery of the former Yanagibashi, which is rich in the atmosphere, is also depicted on Ryuhoku Narushima's "Yanagibashi Shin Magazine", Ougai Mori "Youth", Kafu Nagai "Peony Guest", Riichi Yokomitsu "Crestsho", etc. There are several boathouses, Ryotei, Ishizuka 1 Shrine in Taito-ku (1 Ishizuka) that run near Yanagibashi.

※　At Tamagaki of Ishizuka Inari Shrine, "Kamesei [= Kameseiro: A restaurant famous for holding the sumo wrestling Yokozuna Deliberation Committee, it seems that it is not currently open]", "Takakotei", In addition to the name inscription of "Fukagawa-tei", there are also letters "Yanagibashi Geibuki Association" and "Yanagibashi Ryotei Association".

-From the Chuo-ku homepage public relations magazine column "Cultural assets in the ward"-

Yanagibashi is a ward Tangible Cultural Property building.

The above two images, the actual scenery of Yanagibashi, and the cover of the book "When the Prayer Curtains Fall" are the same.

Yanagibashi is a bridge that spans the mouth of the Kanda River.

It is an angle from the estuary side.

As a means for my father, Tadao and daughter, Hiromi, to secretly meet, it was the last resort to change the bridge (place) that meets every month with "12 bridges" and face each other across the river.

At first, in front of the monkey mountain in Ueno Zoo, but Hiromi is noticed by fans.

Next is a city hotel in Tokyo, where Hiromi is also tailed, and Tadao is rugged, causing NG.

And as soon as I settled down on the bridge.

Nihonbashi is close to Meijiza, where Hiromi took his first stage.

・・・ "When the curtain of prayer descends" was such a story from the original novel.

On the balustrade of Yanagibashi, there are a number of reliefs (embossed) of "Kanzashi" after Hanamachi.

"Tama Kanzashi." I photographed the ball, the so-called red gemstone part, but this was also decorated with blue one.

Yanagibashi used to be the best entertainment district in Edo, very close to Ryogoku, and was a ferryboat for Yoshiwara.

In addition, Yanagibashi itself was also a geisha's town, so it was a very emotional place with restaurants and lodgings.

Even now, there are departure and arrival points for houseboats on both banks of the river.

This image is Ryogokubashi, next to Yanagibashi.

The river opening in both countries is the roots of the Sumida River Fireworks Festival.

The Sumida River is the oldest bridge after Senjuohashi, and was bridged in the first year of Manji (1659) (also known as the first year of Kanbun (1661)) following the great fire of Meiji 3 (1657). .

At that time, it was called Ohashi, but it was changed to Ryogoku Bridge because it was a bridge connecting Musashi and Shimousa across the Sumida River.

In 2008, it was selected as Historic buildings by Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The river opening in both countries~

Kyoho 17 (1732) was an unprecedented bad harvest, and the epidemic of plagues caused many deaths.

It is said that the 8th Shogun Yoshimune Tokugawa, who was worried about the situation, held a water god festival on the Sumida River in 1733, praying for the eradication of illness and memorial service for the dead.

The festival was held for three months from May 28 to August 28 in old calendar.

On the first day, boats and restaurants under Ryogokubashi paid for the money, and with the permission of the Shogunate, held a Kawasegaki (a memorial service for the spirit of the dead) and launched fireworks.

At that time, pyrotechnician was Kagiya Yahee, the sixth generation of Yokoyamacho, and about 20 fireworks were launched.

Although the number of fireworks was small, the impact on Edokko was large, and the fireworks on the river open became an annual event.

In pyrotechnician, Tamaya Ichirobe of Yokawacho, Ryogoku, independent of Kagiya, joined the Tamaya upstream from Ryogoku Bridge and Kagiya downstream from Ryogoku Bridge to compete for skills.

The river opening in both countries develops into a feature that represents the summer of Edokko.

・・・ (Omitted) However, it was canceled in 1962 due to deterioration of traffic conditions, etc., and after a 17-year blank period, it was revived as the "Sumida River Fireworks Festival" in 1978.

The launch site once at the base of Ryogoku Bridge moved upstream, and ... (Omitted)

　-From Chuo-ku Monoshiri Encyclopedia - you can see by walking

Higashi Nihonbashi 2-chome to Yanagibashi 2-chome, Taito-ku

It's a red circle bridge on the map above.

Ryogoku Bridge is a large bridge under its red circle.