History of Tokyo のアーカイブ

Nakamise (仲見世) is one of the oldest shopping avenues in Japan. 
After the Tokugawa Shogun settled in Edo (江戸, the former name of Tokyo), the population of Edo grew, and visitors to Sensoji temple (浅草寺) increased.  Afterwards, neighbors of Sensoji were granted permission to set up shops on the approach to the temple.  This is the origin of Nakamise, and it is said that this was around 1688 to 1735. 

Near Sensoji were cafes (though it is very different from the Western ones), and near Kaminarimon (雷門), the entrance gate of Sensoji, were shops of toys, sweets, and souvenirs.

In 1885, the government of Tokyo ordered all shop owners to leave.  The area was reconstructed in Western-style brick in the same year.  During the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, many of the red-brick shops were destroyed.  They were rebuilt in 1925 using concrete, only to be destroyed again during the bombings of WW2.

After the war, the people of Asakusa restored Nakamise, and in 1985, they celebrated the 100th anniversary of the modern Nakamise.  Illuminated signs were renovated, and the pavements were repaired.
In 1989, having Ikuo Hirayama, professor of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music as editorial suprvisor, the shutters of Naakmise were painted with drawings of events in Asakusa.

The length of the street is approximately 250 meters and contains around 89 shops.  Take your time, and enjoy the shopping street and its history!

 

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The Bank of Japan is located in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.  Currently, the new wing, which is a modern building, is used for most the operations.  The old wing, designated as important cultural property, can be visited as a guided tour.  The tour includes an introductory video about the Bank and a visit to exhibits of historical interest and the underground vault of the Old Building, which is registered as an important cultural property.

The old wing of the Bank of Japan was completed in 1896.  In the Edo period, there was a gold mint in the site.
The building was very modern for that age.  It was the first building in Japan to install a flush toilet, and the 2nd elevator made in Japan was used.
In the basement is a vault, which was used for more than a hundred years from 1896 to 2004.  Expansion work was made in the early Showa period, which expanded the width of the vault to about 1426 sqm.  The door is 90cm thick, and weighs 25t.  It takes 2 men to open the door.  Inside the vault are rails, which were used for lorries.

English guided tours of the Bank of Japan are available free of charge.  Reservations by phone is required.

Day/hour of English guided tour: Tuesday, 11:00-12:00
Tour will not be held on a holiday of the Bank of Japan

For more information, visit the website of Bank of Japan.
http://www.boj.or.jp/en/type/etc/annai.htm (Eng)

 

By the way, the old wing of Bank of Japan looks like the Kanji ‘Yen’ (円), the Japanese currency, when seen from above.  This is merely a coincidence, but isn’t it interesting?  You can see this ‘Yen’ from Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, which stands right next to the building.

 

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Monjayaki (もんじゃ焼き), or Monja, is a Japanese fast food.  Monja is a fried batter with various ingredients.  It is similar to Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き), another Japanese fast food, but Monja is made with a more watery dough.
The ingredients are finely chopped and mixed into the batter before frying.  After heated up, it is eaten directly off the grill using a small metal spatula.  The appearance is not so nice (it can be said that it looks like slop), the taste is delicious

Many Monja restaurants can be found in Tsukishima (月島), where Monja is said to have originated.  On a shopping street which is called ‘Monja street’, there are about 75 Monja restaurants.  Most also serve regular Okonomiyaki.
Monja was at first simple snacks for children in Tsukishima, a district that started as a downtown with many row houses.  Today, the range of ingredients are very wide, including vegetable, meat, cheese, and sea food.  There are even sweet Monja with fruits in it!

 

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There are many small museums in Sumida-ku, Tokyo.  Most of these museums are ran by old shops and craft centers, willing to show their techniques from hundreds of years ago.  They are very small, and not so popular, but the exhibitions are very unique.  Most of the shops are still open, so if you are interested, you can purchase a souvenir
Below are some of the relatively-well-known museums.

 

Bekko Museum (べっ甲資料館)

Bekko (鼈甲) is a material produced mainly from the shell of hawksbill turtle. It was widely used in the 1960s and 1970s in the manufacture of items such as combs, guitar picks, and sunglasses.  It is a translucent material with red and yellow colors, and is much more light than plastic.  Many accessories are shown and sold at the museum.

Location: 5-5-2, Yokozuna, Sumida-ku
Open Hours: 10:00-17:30
Shop closed on Sundays, holidays.

 

Nomen Museum (能面博物館)

Nomen is a mask used in Noh (能), one of the oldest Japanese theatrical arts.
At this museum, about 50 Nomen are displayed.  You will see that every one of them have different expressions.  You can also look around the manufacturing process of Nomen.

Location: 5-10-5, Narihira, Sumida-ku
Open Hours: 9:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00
Closed on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and the 4th Sundays

 

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Ameyoko (アメ横) is a shop street along the Yamanote line rails between Ueno and Okachimachi Station.  The 400m long street consist of more than 400 stores.

Ameyoko is short for Ameya Yokocho (アメヤ横丁).  There are several explanations regarding this name.  One possible origin is that, because this street was a black market selling items disposed of by the US Army gathered here after WW2, this street came to be called Ame (short for America) - Ya (屋, shop).  Another is that Ameya means Ame (飴, candy) - Ya (shop), and the street was named this because many candy stores are gathered here.
Any way, Ameya Yokocho is usually called by its short term Ameyoko today, and the sign of the streets also reads Ameyoko, as is in the photo above.

Today, various goods, such as food (mainly sea food and dried goods), clothings, and fashin items are dealt in Ameyoko.  The number of sports equipment stores for youths increased in recent years.  On the basement floor of Ameyoko Center Building is a market of ethnic goods, where many of both the clerks and customers are Chinese.

In the photo above is the feature of Ameyoko, ‘Tatakiuri (叩き売り)’.  Tatakiuri is a limited-time sale at a highly discounted price.  In the photo, a bag of chocolate is sold at 1000 Yen, and the shop will give you one more chocolate as a bonus.
Besides Tatakiuri, you can ask for a discount at many shops in Ameyoko.

Ameyoko changes its face in the year’s end.  Many people visit Ameyoko for articles of food for celebrating the new year.  It is so crowded that it may even take an hour to walk through this 400m street!

Opening hours and closing days depend on individual stores, but most stores open around 10:00 and close around 19:00.  Many stores remain closed on selected Wednesdays.  Some stores change its handlings in the year’s end.

 

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Sengakuji Temple (泉岳寺) is located in Takanawa, which is near Shinagawa.
Sengakuji was founded in 1612 by Monan Sokan (門庵宗関),  on the command of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康).  After the first temple was burnt down in 1641, it was rebuilted in the present location.

Sengakuji is famous for the episode of the 47 Samurai of Ako (赤穂四十七士).
In the 18th century, Asano Naganori (浅野長矩), the Daimyo (大名, feudal lord) of Ako (赤穂) was forced to Seppuku (切腹, suicide, the word ‘Harakiri’ may be better known), due to the plot of Kira Yoshinaka (吉良義央), Asano’s superior.  47 of Asano’s men killed Kira for revenge.  For committing  the crime of murder, the 47 Samurais were sentenced to Seppuku.  The graves of Asano and the 47 Samurais are in Sengakuji.
This true story gained big popularity, matched to the Japanese ideal of loyalty, sacrifice, persistence, and honor.  Dramatized stories were made, and were out on theaters.  “Chushingura (忠臣蔵)”, the fiction story of the Ako Samurais, is still a famous play of Kabuki (歌舞伎).

At Sengakuji, there is a memorial hall of Ako Samurais, where items connected to Ako Samurais are exhibited.  Also, Gishisai (義士祭, festival for Ako Samurais) is held every December 13th and 14th.

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Ginza has been the leader of culture since the late 19th century.  Mainly in fashion, and also in food culture.  Many Western foods were first introduced in Ginza, and some Western-Japanese fusion foods were born.

You may have seen the store in the photo above, near Mitsukoshi and Matsuya.  This is the flagship store of Kimuraya (木村家, the sign in the photo reads 家村木, for Japanese was read from right to left in the past), a famous bread company.
Kimuraya, first named Buneido (文英堂), was founded in 1871.  The famous Anpan was invented here, as the harmony of Japanese and Western food culture.  Anpan is bread with sweet bean paste inside, and a salted cherry blossom on top.

What occured afterwards in Ginza?
In 1895, the first Western-food resraurant, Rengatei (煉瓦亭) opened.
In 1897, Ginza Sembikiya (銀座千疋屋) opened as a fruit store selling imported fruits, and also started the first soda fountain in Japan.
In 1902, Shiseido, the now famous cosmetic brand, opened a soda fountain (currently named Shiseido Parlor) in its shop, and started selling soda and ice cream.
In 1911, Cafe Printemps, a cafe mocking a cafe in Paris opened, and became the watering hole for cultural figures.
After WW2, many luxurious restaurants from all over the world opened in Ginza.  With Lecrin and Maxim’s de Paris, and many exclusive clubs, Ginza came to be concerned as the area of luxury.

Soda fountain machine, displayed in Ginza Shiseido Building.

Though the appearance has changed a lot, there are many old stores and restaurants still open in Ginza.  While walking around Ginza, look for the trace of history, and you sure will find a lot!

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Ginza is known as a luxurious shopping area, always crowded with shoppers and tourists, but it is not that this area had been this glamorous throughout its history.

Ginza (銀座) was named after the silver (銀) mint established in the area in 1612.  Today, there is a monument ‘Birthplace of Ginza (銀座発祥の地)’ near Matsuya department store, where the mint was.

After the Tsukiji area burnt to the ground in 1872, the Japanese government started the development of Ginza as a modern area.  The plan of the government was to build a fireproof city, and to make the area connecting Shinbashi station, the terminal of the railways, and Nihonbashi, the center of economics, the model of modernisation.

The government constructed brick buildings, and larger, better streets connecting Shinbashi Station and Tsukiji.  In 1873, the bricktown along Ginza Street was completed, and the completion of the whole town was in 1877.

In 1923, most of Ginza was burnt down because of the Great Kanto Earthquake.  Afterwards, the brick buildings were torn down, and were replaced by more modern buildings.  Many department stores, theaters, and cafes were built, and many fashionable people strolled about the streets.

Most of the old Western buildings of this age disappeared, but some still remain.  Most famous must be the Wako building with the iconic Hattori Clock Tower. The building and clock tower were originally built by Kintaro Hattori (服部金太郎), the founder of Seiko, a famous watch company.

Another symbol of the history of Ginza is the colonnade of Willows.  The Willow colonnade was made in 1877.  Afterwards, the colonnade was transplanted to Gingko, which is seen today, but still, Willows are thought to be the symbol of Ginza.  Every May 5th since 2006, Ginza Yanagi Matsuri (銀座柳まつり, Ginza Willow Fesitival) is held.

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Hanazono Shinto Shrine (花園神社) is a Shinto Shrine in Shinjuku, which was founded more than 500 years ago.  It is located in the center of Shinjuku, and is enshrined as the guardian god of Shinjuku since the Edo period.  It is called Hanazono (花園, flower garden) because the site was formerly a flower garden.

Many festivals are held in Hanazono Shinto Shrine, almost every month.  Even when no festival is on, the site is full of people, offering prayers, taking a rest, and meeting someone.  It is a very popular place among the people in Shinjuku.

Another thing famous about Hanazono Shinto Shrine is Hanazono Manju (花園饅頭).  It is a Japanese sweets shop founded in 1834, and moved to Tokyo in 1920.  This shop advocates its own Manju (饅頭, Japanese sweet buns) ‘the most expensive, and the most delicious in Japan’. 
The shop and cafe is right next to Hanazono Shinto Shrine.  One small Manju costs 367 yen, but it surely is delicious!

 

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Kagurazaka (神楽坂) is a district, near Iidabashi Station, accessible by Tozai Line, Oedo Line, and JR Sobu Line.  
Kagurazaka  has a sloping street at its center, lined by numerous cafes and restaurants.  This area has always been busy because of this privileged location: the main road of Kagurazaka was once at the outer edge of Edo Castle (江戸城, the present Imperial Palace), opposite the Ushigome bridge (牛込橋) over the castle moat.

Currently, Kagurazaka is experiencing a popularity boom due to its traditional, sophisticated atmosphere on the edge of modern Shinjuku ward.
In the early 20th century, the area was renowned for its numerous Geisha houses (置屋, Okiya), of which several remain today.  It is said that Kagurazaka is the only area which preserves the characteristic alley of fleshpots.
Kagurazaka is also widely regarded as an important center of Japanese cuisine. Several old and famous Ryotei (料亭, exclusive Japanese restaurants) are found in the back streets, often accessible only by foot. These ryotei provide expensive Kaiseki cuisine (懐石料理), which is generally regarded as the pinnacle of Japanese food. Ryotei also allow diners to invite Geisha to provide entertainment during the course of the evening.

While it retains a traditional Japanese atmosphere, Kagurazaka also boasts Tokyo’s largest concentration of French eateries.  Many French expatriates living in the area, for l’Institut Franco-Japonais de Tokyo and the Lycée franco-japonais de Tokyo (both French schools) is located very close.

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