All the town girls this Meguro Fudo visit [Arched bridge with Edo Hatchobori] by Minatokko-chan | Chuo-ku Tourism Association correspondent blog

2025.2.26 15:00

This Meguro Fudo visit [Arched bridge built by Edo Hatchobori]

Minato kid prepares the trip…

I came to Gyoninzaka in Meguro-ku, Tokyo!

During the Edo period, Edo townspeople turned their feet to Meguro along with seasonal features to enjoy visiting Meguro fudoson.

From the city of Edo, pass through Shirokane, go down Gyojinzaka and cross the Taiko Bridge.

This is the path of that time.

Gyojinzaka was opened in the early Edo period by the high priest of Oshu Mt. Yudono, Oshu. Ieyasu gave the name of "Daienji". Since the practitioners gradually gathered at the temple and worked hard to train, it was said that it was called "Gyojinzaka".

In addition, Gyojinzaka was also a way of living for crops.

Around Meguro, radish, eggplant, melon, etc. were made.

The vegetables that climbed up this steep slope are sloppy.

I wonder if it was transported to the Daiko riverbank green market in Kyobashi and the Tamachi market in Kanda.…？

This Meguro Fudo visit [Arched bridge built by Edo Hatchobori]

The shii tree that Hiroshige drew was still at the foot of Arched bridge.

Gyojinzaka is, of course, steep!

It has a total length of 240m, and the height difference between the starting point and the end point is 18.2m.

That's why the scenery on the hill was so beautiful that it was called "Sunset Oka".

Overlooking Mount Fuji and autumn leaves, the sunset was clear in autumn as the name suggests.

It is also depicted in Hiroshige Utagawa's ukiyo-e "Edo boasting 36 performances Meguro Gyojinzaka Fuji" and "Famous Edo Hundred Views Meguro Arched bridge Sunset Oka".

There is "Fujimi Chaya" in the sunset Oka, where visitors and travelers walking from Edo took a break here.

"Edo Famous Places", "Sunset Oka Gyojinzaka" and "Fujimi Chaya" are written, and according to the brush of Yukidan Hasegawa, you can taste the famous amazake, bamboo shoots, chestnut rice, etc. at the fair. There was also a loquat herbal bath.

At the sunset hill, Minato kid also plays dumplings!

When you go down Gyojinzaka, you will meet the Meguro River. And here is the Arched bridge.

The origin of the bridge is said to be due to the "Mokujiki Shonin", which carved more than 1,000 Buddha statues while traveling around the country. After that, there were floods and fires, and it would have been replaced many times.

At present, it was made of reinforcing bars, but in the old days of the Edo period, it was a wooden bridge called "Ganshikyo".

In fact, this "Arched bridge" is a bridge built by merchants of Edo Hatchobori, sharing materials.

According to the town,

Kita-Hatchobori Okazaki-cho owner Mori Taya Mobei

In the lecture of the artillery shop pavilion

May 14th of the Holy Calendar

September 30, 2016

Yes, it is.

"Okazaki-cho" is the name of the old town located in Hatchobori, Chuo-ku.

"Tepposhu" means "Tepposhu Inari Shrine" enshrined in Minato, Chuo-ku. In the past, it was called "Minato Inari", and it was deeply worshiped by sailors as a god watching the gateway to maritime traffic, "Edo Minato".

Tepposu Inari Shrine is the god of the north-south Hatchobori.

Speaking of Hatchobori at that time, it was a town of power and concentric, and at the same time, there were a lot of timber wholesalers, charcoal firewood wholesalers, and Aitama wholesalers. It was surrounded by Kaede River, Hatchobori, Kamejima River, and Nihonbashi River on all sides of the town, and was also the center of water transportation.

That's why Hatchobori was good for wood.

It took about six years and was completed in 1769 (1769).

It was from Tenpo in the late Edo period to the Ansei era that Arched bridge was depicted in Hiroshige's ukiyo-e and Edo famous places.
It was stone arched, worthy of the name of Arched bridge, and was one of Edo's specialties for its beauty.

But why is the Edo townspeople Arched bridge?

For the people of Edo, one of the reasons is the attachment of the road leading to Fudo-sama (fudoson Meguro) and the familiar road.

But there is another episode of concern.

"Fire of Oshichi Yaoya."

He loved the temple's small name, Kichiza, and just wanted to see him at a glance, he arsoned.

Yoshizo later became Buddhist monk and changed his name to Nishiun.

Then, in order to mourn the Seven Bodhi, the round trip of Juri (about 40 km) from Meguro fudoson to Asakusa Kannondo was accomplished over 54 years, singing a memorial Buddha from night to dawn.

At the entrance of Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, there is a well that Nishiun cleans itself.
Until the Meiji era, there was Meioin here.

By the way, Nishiun is said to have donated clean goods to many people in Edo on the way.

With that as a fund, he built a paving stone road in Gyojinzaka and built a Arched bridge over the Meguro River.

And he said…。

I imagine Minato kid.

Even now we have not spoken by the West, the history of the matter will never be heard by the people.

There is no reason for Edo kid to listen to such a story!

He must have fallen in love with the spirit of West luck.

`I'll let you cry!'

Does the 10,000-day go across that river (Meguro River)?

Then, it's not a cheap bill that you're on now.

Let's build a magnificent bridge here!'

In addition, it is a hand for Edo kid to build a bridge!

There were hundreds of banks in Edo City, and a large amount of goods were unloaded every day through waterways stretched like a mesh.

And the rivers and waterways had countless bridges built by the hands of the townspeople.

"I'm going to see you!"

Then you can see the appearance of rolling up your arms.

…What?

At last, Minato twisted his neck.

…It may be a little different.…？

When the people of Hatchobori built the bridge, Nishiun's 10,000-day line had already been over.…？

Tohoho…。

Moreover, in 1772 (1772), three years after the completion of the bridge, there must have been a great Edo fire "Fire of Meguro Gyojinzaka".…。

Arched bridge, of course, must have been burned…。

Again, tohoho…。

It's hard to unravel the history.

But that's an interesting place.

Let me do this for my homework.

Ah…Oh, sir.

Speaking of which, Meguro is Sanma, isn't it?

There is an interesting story here as well, but it has become a little longer, so it's time again.…。

The way to Edo is far away…。

After visiting the Meguro fudoson, let's take a break at the sunset hill and return home.…。

The town daughter Minatokko looked for the shadows of Edo across the clear sky at Gyojinzaka, sandwiched by an office building.

It's almost spring.

♪3 References "Chuo-ku Monoshiri Encyclopedia" Chuo-ku Tourism Association / "Slope Walking" Meguro-ku Health Promotion Section / "Meguro-ku Historic Site Walk" Kazuo Yamamoto Student Company 1992 / Meguro-ku Cultural Property Homepage / Meguro-ku Board of Education Information Board / Hotel Gajoenbori Tokyo Collection Tokyo Collection Tokyo Metropolitan Library / Tendai sect Tokyo Metropolitan Library Cultural Heritage City Museum 1

Correspondent Minato kid, Chuo-ku Tourism Association
No. 239 February 23, 2025

Hundred Views of Chuo-ku

History, culture

Around Tsukiji and Hatchobori

Others