This was the main gate for those entering the main keep of Edo Castle, and the guards of the castle gate consisted of fudai daimyo (feudal lords who had supported the ruling Tokugawa house) with at least 100,000 koku (land was measured by the amount of rice produced; one koku was around 150kg of rice,
enough to feed one man for a year). The construction of the gate was carried out by Todo Takatora in 1606, and it was reconstructed in 1659 after it was destroyed in the great Meireki Fire (1657). The present Korai Gate (a small, three-roofed gate) in front of you dates to 1659, and the Watariyagura Gate (a two-story gate, with a tower or room on the upper story) was rebuilt in 1966.There is a shachihoko (a mythical tiger-headed carp) inside the gate from the former Watariyagura Gate, with the inscription "Meireki 3, year of the rooster"
During the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1867), the Otemon Gate served as the main gate of Edo Castle, and it was used by the shogun and feudal lords. It consists of two gates, one small and one large, set at right angles. This was a device to slow down the momentum of attackers, and to trap the enemy in an enclosed space where they could be fired on from the larger gate's upper story. The larger gate was rebuilt in 1967 after being destroyed in an air raid during World War II. The decorative mythical sea creature beside this panel is from the roof of the original gate, where it acted as a talisman against fire. The date 1657 is inscribed on its head.
This guardhouse is one of three that survives from the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1867). It was manned by low-ranking samurai known as doshin, or constables, hence its name. Their job was to check visitors to the castle, and to keep watch over the retinues of the feudal lords as they waited for their masters to return from inside the honmaru complex. There are three different types of crests to be seen on the roof tiles. The triple hollyhock design is
the family crest of the Tokugawa. In addition, there are Imperial chrysanthemum crests and the whorl of three commas of the mitsudomoe. The mitsudomoe crest dates back to the end of the Heian Period (794-1185), and was also used to ward off fires, since it represents water.
This is the largest of three guardhouses that have survived from the Edo period (1603-1867). Located between the San no Mon and Naka no Mon gates, this guardhouse controlled access to the honmaru main compound of Edo Castle. The
name means "100-Man Guardhouse." The 45-metre-long building was manned day and night by four shifts of samurai, each consisting of one hundred low-ranking doshin samurai and twenty higher-ranking yoriki samurai.
Obansho were guardhouses built at the strategically important gates of Edo Castle. This particular Obansho, one of three remaining at Edo Castle, is located near the back of the Naka no Mon, and was the final checkpoint for people going into the honmaru main compound of Edo Castle. Because of its important location, it was garrisoned by samurai of relatively high rank. It was converted into a workshop in the late nineteenth century after the fall of the shogunate, but returned to its original appearance in 1968 when the East Gardens were opened to the public.
The Stonewalls of Honmaru-Nakanomon Gate - Outline
The stonewalls of the Imperial Palace are designated as a special historic structure of "the Former Edo Castle." The restoration work of the Honmaru-Nakanomon Gate stonewall, was carried out from August 2005 through March 2007.
The purpose of the work was to restore the stonewall to its original
condition that had existed before it deteriorated and to conduct cultural assets investigation while performing the work. The Nakanomon Gate is built with stones larger than those used in other stonewalls in the Edo Castle and by employing a technique called "nunozumi," where rows of stones are horizontally laid on top of one another. As regards the Honmaru-Nakanomon Gate stonewall, the castle once had a barbican defense-house, Watariyagura-mon, constructed as an entry point to the Honmaru buildings.
Yagura turrets were built at strategic corners of the castle for the wide
firing arcs they provided. Yagura served as defensive turrets in wartime
and as weapon stores in peacetime. Edo Castle once had many yagura towers. The Fujimi Yagura is located on the southern corner of the honmaru main compound of Edo Castle, and probably dates from 1659, after the 1657 Great Fire of Meireki destroyed much of Edo, including the castle. Towering 16 metres above a 15-metre-high rampart, it became the symbol of Edo Castle after the loss of the main keep tower. The name "Fujimi" derives from the view of Mount Fuji, 100 kilometres away, which was once enjoyed from this yagura.
The damage caused by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923
In the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 some parts of the outer walls of Fujimi-yagura fell and many roof tiles were damaged. In the restoration works in 1925 reinforcing timbers were added inside the tower while mud walls finished with
stucco were replaced by mortar walls finished with white cement. Damaged roof tiles were replaced by new ones.
Repair Works in 1966-67
Prior to the opening of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace in 1968, Fujimi-yagura was repaired in 1966-67. The white cement of the surfaces of the outer walls was replaced by stucco. Some damaged roof tiles were replaced.
Fujimi-yagura, placed on 15-meter-high stone walls, was an important defence tower located on the south edge of Honmaru (the main compound) of Edo Castle. The tower's windows were firing points of guns and bows. The photographs below show additional concealed firing points. As Edo Castle was never attacked, Fujimi-yagura did not see any real battle.
Sama
Small windows were created in the side walls of the bay windows.
Ishi-otoshi
At the bottom of the bay windows holes were concealed with sliding floors.
It is said that in the period of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the sea nearby and Mt. Fuji could be viewed from Fujimi-yagura.
【Left: View from a south window】
In those days Edo Castle was very close to the sea. However, due to extensive reclamations and the emergence of high rising modern buildings it is impossible now to see the sea from Fujimi-yagura.
【Right: View from a west window】
'Fujimi' means viewing Mt. Fuji and 'Fujimi-yagura' means the tower to see Mt. Fuji. Today, high rising buildings block the view of Mt. Fuji, which, located 100km away from here, must have been seen in those days in the direction indicated by the red oval.
The Honmaru Goten palace complex once covered much of the bonmaru main compound of Edo Castle. This was the site of a corridor known as the Matsu no Oroka, the "Great Pine Corridor," after the pine trees painted on its sliding doors. The corridor was approximately 55 metres in length and 4 metres wide, and linked the large Formal Reception Room to the Shiro-shoin, the shogun's reception room. This was the stage for the Ako Jiken, a famous incident that is the basis for the Chushingura, a subject perennially popular in Japanese theatre, puppetry, fiction, and film. In 1701, Asano (1667-1701), a feudal lord of Ako, attacked and wounded Kira (1641-1702), one of the masters of ceremonies, in this corridor. For this crime, Asano was ordered to commit suicide. One year later, forty-seven of his retainers now ronin, masterless samurai-killed Kira in revenge. The shogunate was of two minds as to whether the ronin should be punished for murder or admired for their loyalty. By way of compromise, the masterless samurai were ordered to commit ritual suicide, an honourable death, rather than be executed.
A tamon generally refers to a single-storey gallery-like building that was
built on the ramparts of a castle compound. It would be used for firing on attackers in wartime, and for the storing of weapons in peacetime. Believed to date from 1659, this tamon is the only one of the tamon in this area of the castle that survives. The Fujimi Tamon was so named because you could once see Mount Fuji from here. It was also called the "Gokyusoku Tamon," because of its proximity to the shogun's daytime quarters (Gokyusoku), and might have served a special purpose.
The tamon began to appear in Japanese castles from the late 16th century. As the base of firing points it was more effective in fending off attackers than a simple defence wall. In many castles tamons were used for various purposes in peacetime, such as warehouse for weapons, tools or documents, and dormitory for female servants.
The function of Fujimi-tamon
By the time this tamon was built the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate had become stable and there was no acute need to fortify heavily Honmaru (the main compound) of Edo Castle. The tamon was close to Gokyusoku, the Tokugawa Shogun's living room of Honmaru Palace. Although its precise function is unknown, in view of the lintels and sills for fusumas (sliding doors) Fujimi-tamon might have been used for certain purposes other than simply storing goods.
Restoration Works of the Fujimi-tamon Defence House
The damage caused by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923
In the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 some parts of the outer walls of Fujimi-tamon Defence House fell. In the restoration works in 1925 mud walls finished with stucco were replaced by mortar walls finished with white cement. Inside timber braces were installed.
The restoration works in 1967-8
Prior to the opening of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace in 1968, Fujimi-tamon Defence House was disassembled and damaged materials were replaced by new ones in 1967-8. In its reassembling process mortar walls were finished with stucco. The restoration year was branded on newly installed timbers so that the house's restoration history could be easily traced in the future.
The exact purpose of this 20-square-metre stone cellar is not known. It is thought to have been asecret escape route for when the castle came under
attack, or perhaps was used to protect valuable articles and documents from frequent fires. Located close to the site of the women's living quarters in
the Edo Castle palace complex, it is possible that the shogun's consort and concubines used this cellar during fires.
This was the site of the keep of Edo Castle. The keep tower was the tallest
ever built in Japan. After the 1657 Great Fire of Meireki destroyed the third
tower to stand on this site, the fourth shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna (1641-1680)
immediately began work on a replacement, completing this foundation by 1658.
Construction of the keep itself was abandoned when Ietsuna's uncle pointed
out that a stable and peaceful Japan no longer needed such an enormous,
awe-inspiring structure. The foundation for the unbuilt tower consists of two
rectangles. The larger one-measuring 46 metres north to south, 42 metres
east to west, and 10 metres tall-was for the tower itself, while the smaller one
was for the entrance slope.
The large lawn and surrounding area seen from this Tenshudai (Base of the main tower) were formerly lined with the buildings of the Honmaru Goten Palace. The Honmaru Goten Palace consisted of three sections, namely, Omote, Nakaoku and Ohoku. Omote was the stage for general public ceremonies, and the place of work for various government officials of the Shogunate. Nakaoku was where the shogun lived his everyday life and administered the affairs of state. Ohoku was where the shogun's family, including the wife of the shogun called Midaidokoro, lived, and where other ladies or female staffs also lived.
Scale Model of the Third Edo Castle Keep (Scale 1:30) The Tallest Tenshu Ever Built (1638)
We are at the heart of the honmaru, the central part of Edo Castle, which embraced the palace of the shogunate and other buildings. The most fascinating construction was the castle keep, "tenshu." The initial castle keep was built in 1607 but completely refurbished twice in the early Edo period. This is a scale model of the last and the tallest castle keep built in 1638. The five-tiered-six-story keep with its stone base towered almost 60 metres above the ground, which is equivalent to a 20-story building, and is considered to be the tallest
keep ever built in Japan. The walls were made of white shikkui plaster and copper sheets coated with black plaster, while the gables were decorated with metal ornaments. The roof was copper-tiled and had a pair of golden shachihoko, mythical sea creatures, at the very top. People would mount the castle keep by a flight of stone steps accessible from the small keep base on the south side. The total height including the elevation of the honmaru was approximately 80 metres, making the castle keep a lofty and magnificent building towering over the city of Edo.
Transition of the Edo Castle Keeps Three Tenshu in the First 50 Years
The site of the honmaru saw three castle keeps-tenshu-in the beginning of the Edo period. The initial keep was constructed in 1607 (Keicho 12) by the order of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo Shogunate. The keep was subsequently rebuilt on two occasions: firstly, by the second shogun Tokugawa Hidetada in 1623 (Genna 9); secondly, by the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1638 (Kan'ei
15). By then, the purpose of the castle keep had gradually shifted from military use to a symbol of authority. The third keep only lasted for 20 years until it was burnt down in the Great Fire of Meireki which ravaged the city of Edo. Afterwards, the 16-metre Fujimi Yagura turret, which still stands above
a 15-metre-high rampart on the southern corner of the honmaru, served as the symbol of Edo Castle.
The Base of Edo Castle Keep Today The Lost Tenshu, the Fourth Castle Keep
The existing stone wall on the northern corner of the honmaru known as "tenshudai," the base of the castle keep, was built in 1658, a year after the Great Fire of Meireki. The construction was directed by a daimyo, a feudal lord called Maeda Tsunanori of Kaga-Kanazawa domain. The fourth shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna immediately began work on the fourth castle keep, but after completing the foundation, the construction of the keep itself was aborted when Ietsuna's uncle Hoshina Masayuki (stepbrother of Tokugawa Iemitsu) pointed out that stable and peaceful Japan no longer needed such a fortification. The priority was given to reconstructing the city. Since then, Edo Castle had not seen any tenshu for 210 years until the Edo period came to an end. The rebuilt base was mounted approximately 1.8 metres lower than the previous one, but it covers an area in which a building of the same scale as the preceding keep would fit. White andesite stones brought from Seto islands were used for the outer surface of the base. The previous base had black granite stones known as Izu-ishi stones. We can still find some black Izu-ishi stones within the interior of e rebuilt base; it is considered that previous stones were reused.
Making of the Scale Model Referring to Drawings Related to Master Carpenters of the Shogunate, etc.
In designing the building structure, "Koura-shi Bunsho," the Koura clan's document (owned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Library), was used as a reference. The Koura clan was a family of master carpenters. In choosing the materials and the colours of the roof, walls, and metal fittings, drawings of the castle keep on "Edozu-byobu," a folding screen map of Edo (owned by the National Museum of
Japanese History), was used as a reference. Shapes of detailed parts were estimated from the Nagoya Castle and Himeji Castle keeps, which were similar in terms of the construction period and scale; the Nikko-Toshogu Shrine, which Tokugawa Iemitsu was involved in the construction; and the existing turrets and gates of Edo Castle. The stacking of the stones was referred to the stone walls of Osaka Castle and Nijo Castle, which were built by the Tokugawa Shogunate around the same period. The colouring of the stones was referred to the colours of a stone wall considered to be from the Kan'ei era (1624-1645), which still stands on the Edo Castle grounds.
Designed to evoke the shape of a clematis flower, this octagonal hall was built in 1966 to mark the sixtieth birthday of Empress Kojun (1903-2000), the consort of Emperor Showa (1901-1989). Its name, which means "Peach Blossom Hall," refers to the peach emblem of Empress Kojun. Each wall is decorated with a mosaic
representing a bird with outspread wings, each expressing a different theme, such as the four seasons. Western classical music concerts performed by the Court musicians of the Music Department of the Imperial Household are given here in the presence of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, and other members of the Imperial Family.
This slope was built to connect the ninomaru second and honmaru main compounds of Edo Castle. It led up to the Shiomizakamon Gate. Shiomizaka means "Slope Overlooking the Sea", since when the castle was built it fronted onto the sea. Now, the area from the front of the palace past Tokyo Station and out to Tokyo Bay is all reclaimed land. Beyond the area where Tokyo Station and Yurakucho Station now stand was a low peninsula called Mae-Jima.
The Ninomaru Garden is part of the ninomaru second compound of Edo Castle. This area was once the location of the palace for the shogun's heir. The current garden was created in 1964, modeled after a garden from the mid-eighteenth century. It is a chisen kaiyu garden, a stroll garden centered around a pond.
The following four aquatic species grow in this pond, that is, Nuphar japonica,
Nuphar subintegerrima, Nymphaea tetragona var tetragona and Nymphoides
peltata. They flourish from summer to autumn, covering the water's surface
and producing yellow or white flowers. Nuphar japonica were originally
transferred from the porid at the Imperial Residence, and Nymphoides peltata
were brought from the pond on the Akasaka Imperial Palace Grounds.
84 varieties of iris grow in this garden. These varieties have been carefully maintained since they were donated by the Iris Garden of Meiji Jingu Shrine in 1966 when the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace were being created.
This teahouse was built by order of Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) in 1912, in the Fukiage Gardens in the western part of the Imperial Palace grounds. The teahouse was moved here to the Ninomaru Garden in 1968 to add a note of elegance to the
East Gardens when they were opened to the public. The name Suwa Teahouse refers to the Shinto deity Suwa, to whom there was a small shrine near the teahouse's original location.
Symbolic Prefectural trees donated by prefectural governments were planted here on the occasion of the public opening of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace in 1968. Okinawa's prefectural tree was planted in 1972 when Okinawa was returned to Japan. This area was renewed and 31 species of trees and shrubs can be seen here.
The Hirakawamon Gate was used by ladies' maid servants and castle officials.
It is composed of a small gate with a further, larger gate at right angles,
creating an enclosed space. This is a common castle gate defensive feature
that forces intruders to turn at right angles once inside, slowing them down,
and allows the castle defenders to shoot down on the invaders from all sides.
To the side of the Hirakawamon Gate there is an unusual third gate-the
Obikuruwamon Gate. It is connected to a long, narrow rampart that cuts
across the moat, which is thought to have greatly strengthened the castle
defenses.
The castle of Edo was first built by Ota Dokan (1432-1486). Then it has been the shogun castle of the Tokugawa family for 15 generations, until the first year of the Meiji era, when it became the Imperial Palace.
The name of this gate comes from the fact that the bridge (bashi) was originally built of woven bamboo (take). It was constructed in 1620 by the feudal lord of
Sendai Han (now Miyagi Prefecture), Date Masamune, and the six daimyo (feudal lords) of the eastern provinces. This gate stood at the eastern entrance and exit to the Kitanomaru (North Keep), and the procession of the Tenka Festival floats from Sannosha Shrine (now Hie Shrine) and Kanda Myojin Shrine (Kanda Shrine) passed through the Takebashi-mon Gate. Many of the stone walls of Takebashi-mon Gate were removed, but the Obiguruwa, the roadway that runs from the side of this gate to the Hirakawa-mon Gate and walled moat, still remains in good condition. The current bridge, constructed in 1926 under the Imperial Capital Construction Project, stands in around the same place as the bridge from
the Edo Period (1603-1868).
The name of this gate is derived from the fact that there was a bridge (bashi)
that could spring up (hane) in an emergency located on the northernmost (kita) side of the castle keep. Along with the Nishihanebashi-mon Gate on the western (nishi) side of the keep, this was an important castle gate for the protection of the main keep. As the deep moat was dug in the elevated area from the kitanomaru (north keep) to the main keep, the stone walls, over 20m high, tower over the area. In addition, the Tamagawa Aqueduct, running from Hanzo-mon Gate inside Edo Castle drew in water from this gate to the keep via two water pipes.
Water was drawn in via the two pipes as in the old photograph. Currently, only the Korai Gate (a small, three-roofed gate) and concrete bridge remain.
This area was once known as Daikancho, and was home to various members of the shogun family. After World War II, a new park was built here, which was given the name of Kitanomaru Park, as it was at the north corner of Edo Castle.
Edo Castle (Edo-jo) was built in 1457. Tokugawa leyasu who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan (1603-1867) started using it as a base in 1590. In 1592, he began large-scale reconstruction work to develop the castle as his residence and administration centre. Shimizu Gate (Shimizu-mon) is located at the northeast part of the north citadel (Kitanomaru). It consists of several parts, including a Korai-mon style outer gate, a Yagura-mon style inner gate, and highly-stacked stonewalls, which form a defensive narrow square. An inscription on the outer gate states that Shimizu Gate was built in 1658. The gate is of high national value as one of the existing buildings at the former Edo Castle whose year of construction can be identified. Shimizu Gate has been protected by the national government as Important Cultural Property since 1961.
Edo Castle (Edo-jo) was built in 1457. Tokugawa leyasu who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan (1603-1867) started using it as a base in 1590. In 1592, he began large-scale reconstruction work to develop the castle as his residence and administration centre. Tayasu Gate (Tayasu-mon) is located at the north part of the north citadel (Kitanomaru). It consists of several parts, including a Korai-mon style outer gate, a Yagura-mon style inner gate, and highly-stacked stonewalls, which form a defensive narrow square. An inscription on the outer gate states that Tayasu Gate was built in 1635. It is of high national value as the oldest existing building at the former Edo Castle. Tayasu Gate has been protected by the national government as Important Cultural Property since 1961.
This gate is situated at the top of Hill of Kudan, and the earthen bridge in front of the gate regulated the water levels of Chidorigafuchi moat and Ushigafuchi moat, located on lower ground. During the Edo Period (1603-1868),
the gate was the start of the road towards Joshu (now Gunma Prefecture) from
the Kitanomaru (North Keep) past the Ushigome-mon Gate. The name of the Tayasu-mon Gate is derived from the fact that this plateau was called "Tayasudai,"
and that the Tayasu Shrine (now the Ushigome Tsukudo Shrine) stood here.
The gate was constructed in 1620; it was repaired in 1636, and it is thought that this version still stands here today. It is the oldest structure within Edo Castle. The existing stone walls were destroyed in wartime, and were repaired at the same time as maintenance was carried out on the Kitanomaru in 1965. The original Edo Period structures of the second and third levels above ground have been preserved.
The Lantern Tower was built in 1871 as an all-night light in front of the Yasukuni Shrine, which was known as the Shokonsha in those days. The height of the Lantern Tower is 16.8m with azimuth scale and the weather vane attached, which creates the impression of so-called pseudo-Western-style architecture.
The Lantern Tower which had just installed is in the Nishiki-e painting painted by Kiyochika Kobayashi. (picture on the right) Because it was built atop Kudanzaka, the lamp in the Lantern Tower could be seen at night from Tokyo Bay, serving as a lighthouse and landmark for ships sailing off the coast of Shinagawa. In the past, Kudanzaka slopes used to be steep, having several
steps between the slopes. According to the Imperial Capital Recovery Plan after the
Great Kanto Earthquake, Kudanzaka was repaired to make the gradient gentle.
Originally the tower was built on the other side of Yasukuni Dori Ave., but was
relocated to the present location in 1925 as part of road improvement work.
In 1843, Yajiro Shinagawa was born in Hagi, former Choshu Domein. Yajiro attended Shoin Yoshida's Shoka Sonjuku Academy, and he improved his skills of his swordsmanship at the Renpeikan Training Hall. Subsequently as a samurai of the Choshu Domain, he joined the Sonno-joi movement and Boshin war with Renpeikan classmates such as Shinsaku Takasugi. After the Meiji Restoration, he was dispatched to Europe in 1870, gradually becoming interested in politics and economics. After returning to Japan, he worked for three ministries such as Ministry of Home Affairs, Agriculture and Commerce, and the Imperial Household. In 1891, he was appointed the Home Minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister. He was involved in the formation of schools, credit unions and industrial cooperatives.
The statue of Yajiro Shinagawa was erected in 1907. He learned his swordsmanship at Renpeikan (which was the current Kudan-kita), and it was built near Rempeikan in Kudanzaka Park. The director was Koun Takamura*, the original sculptor was Hakuun Motoyama, the caster was Komajiro Hiratsuka. *Koun Takamura: a Japanese sculptor who had learned wood carving under the Buddhist sculptor Toun Takamura since 1863. He is also known for having incorporated Realism into wood sculpting, as well as nurturing Choun Yamazaki, Denchu Hirakushi and other upcoming artists. His works such as the statues of Roen, Masashige Kusunoki and Takamori Saigo, are well known.
In 1842, Iwao Oyama was born in Kagoshima to a samurai family of the Satsuma
Domain. His cousin, Tsugumichi Saigo, brother of Takamori Saigo, was his sworn friend. He was influenced by the modern armament in the War of Great Britain, and acquired artillery under Tarozaemon Egawa. During the Sino-Japanese War, he was appointed the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Second Army, and during the Russo-Japanese War, he was a field-marshal and served as the commander-in-chief of the Japanese armies in Manchuria. Often paired with Admiral Heihachiro Togo to be referred to as "Oyama of the Land, Togo of the Sea." In later life he served as the Chief of the Army General Staff, Home Minister, and was given the title of Genro (elder statesman).
On November 3,1919, the statue of Iwao Oyama was installed in the park in
front of the National Diet Building. The bronze statue of a horse-riding figure in military uniform was created by a sculptor, Taketaro Shinkai. This is one of a few horseback riding statues among the modern military statues. In 1948, it was temporarily removed by GHQ, deposited at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and then moved to its current location in 1969,
Field marshal with the highest rank of the Empire of Japan, Iwao Oyama was
born on November 12, 1842, in Kagoshima. After serving in both the
Sino-Japanese and the Russo-Japanese wars, he returned to Tokyo where he died
on December 10, 1916.
Chidorigafuchi Ryokudo (Greenway) and Cherry Blossoms
The Chidori-ga-fuchi Moat is a superb place in Tokyo to see cherry blossoms. It is the most well-known moat among the moats that encircle the Imperial Palace. The cherry blossoms along the Chidorigafuchi Ryokudo are of the Somei-Yoshino variety and were planted in the late 1950s. They begin to bloom between late March and early April and attract throngs of visitors every year.
The Chidori-ga-fuchi Moat was constructed as part of the moat system of Edo Castle during its construction. What are now called Chidori-ga-fuchi Moat and the Hanzo-bori Moat were formerly conjoined; but, in 1901, they were separated to construct Daikan-cho-dori Street. The origins of the name Chidorigafuchi come from the resemblance of the V-shape of the moat to the chidori (plover bird). The Chidori-ga-fuchi Moat was designated a special historical site, as part of the Edo Castle ruins, under the Cultural Properties Protection Law in 1963.
There are approximately 3,000 cherry trees in Chiyoda-ku. However, the force of the tree declined by aggravation of the growth environment, damage from disease and
harmful insects at the same time as these had many things planted soon after the war, and deterioration progressed, and it was the situation that became difficult to touch the flower which it was the same, and was enough in the future. Therefore I create the cherry tree scene on behalf of Japan appropriate for Chiyoda-ku, and Chiyoda-ku wrestles for "the flower cherry tree revival plan of the ward" for
the purpose of lasting.
Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery is a "cemetery for the unknown war dead," which was built in 1959 by the government to house the remains of Japanese nationals who died overseas during World War II. The remains enshrined here had been recovered and brought back to Japan by governmental delegations since 1953 or by the squads and individuals who returned to Japan from overseas after the end of the war. These remains include not only those of soldiers, sailors or airmen,
but also those of civilians who had been sacrificed overseas. Because of the difficulty in identifying their names, it was unfortunately not possible to return these remains to their bereaved families.
The Hanzo-mon Gate is also called the "Kojimachiguchi Entrance," and was one of the inner gates of Edo Castle. Along with the Yotsuya-mon Gate, it was one of the key points on the Koshu Kaido, the road that connected Edo (Tokyo) with
Kai Province (now Yamanashi Prefecture). It is said that the name was derived from that of the leader of the Iga-mono (ninja who practiced the Iga style of their art), Hattori Hanzo, who was given a residence in this area, along with his followers. Alternatively, it is also claimed that the wheeled floats of the Sanno Festival, which tried to enter the castle from this gate, were unable to get past the Masugata Gate (which had a square enclosure for soldiers to gather), and so only half (han) of the floats were able to enter. This gate was constructed in 1620 by either Date Masamune, or the six daimyo (feudal lords) of the eastern provinces. In the Edo Period (1603-1868), people could enter from the Hanzo-mon Gate and travel northwards, along the modern Daikancho-dori street, and exit from the Takebashi-mon Gate (near Takebashi Station).
The Watariyagura Gate (a two-story gate, with a tower or room on the upper story) was demolished in 1871, and now only the Korai Gate (a small, three-roofed gate) remains. It is used as a side gate to the Imperial Palace of the Emperor.
This well below the embankment of Sakurada-bori Moat is known as the Well of Yanagi due to the willow tree (yanagi) nearby. During the Edo Period (1603-1868), it was known as a famous water source that never dried up, even during times of drought, and it is said that it was used by many of the people who passed by. In the National Diet Building Garden (formerly the residence of Kato Kiyomasa and li Kamonnokami) across the road, is the Sakura (Cherry Tree) Well, also well known as a famous water source.
Remains of Kato Kiyomasa's residence,and Ii Kamon-nokami's residence
From 1596 to 1615 (Keicho era), numbers 1 and 8 of Nagata-cho 1-chome (The North Garden of the Front Park of the Diet Building and a corner of the western side) comprised the residence of the feudal lord of the Kumamoto Domain (current-day Kumamoto Prefecture), Kato Kiyomasa. At the time of the second generation head, Tadahiro, the Kato clan was suspected of plotting to overthrow the government, and in 1632 the clan was deprived of its status and its residence was seized.
In the same year, the residence was bestowed on the feudal lord of the Hikone Domain (current-day Shiga Prefecture), the head of the li clan, and it remained their main Edo residence until the Meiji Restoration. The successive clan heads have been dubbed "Kamon-no-kami". In March 1860, the Chief Minister at the end of the Edo Period, Ii Naosuke, was attacked by retainers from the Mito Domain while on his way from this residence to Soto-Sakurada-mon (Outer Sakurada Gate).
The Remains of Kato Kiyomasa's Residence received cultural property designation as a Tokyo Metropolitan Government designated Historic Place on March 28, 1955.
Sakuradamon Gate, completed in around 1620, is the largest remaining gate of Edo Castle. Only the huge force of the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 made an impact on this sturdy gate, shaking some of the rocks loose. Repairs have strengthened the gate's structure to prevent further damage. Sakuradamon Gate is a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan.
The name of this gate is derived from the fact that this area was called
"Sakuradago" in ancient times. It was a passing place on one of the main routes through Edo (Tokyo). In an illustration of the scene immediately after Tokugawa Ieyasu entered the area, "Odawara Guchi Entrance" is noted. The stone walls surrounding the gate were built by the feudal lord of Makabe Han (now Ibaraki Prefecture), Asano Nagashige, in 1614, and the Sotosakurada-mon Gate was originally built in the Kanei era (1624 to 1644). Many residences of powerful tozama daimyo (feudal lords who had not originally supported the ruling Tokugawa house) stood around the gate. In 1860 the "Incident Outside the Sakurada-mon Gate," or the "Sakurada-mon Incident," saw an attack on li Naosuke, the feudal lord of Hikone Han (now Shiga Prefecture) and a chief minister (Tairo), by masterless samurai (roshi) from Mito Han as he left his residence to enter the castle. The gate was damaged in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, but was rebuilt and still remains today.
Currently called Sakurada-mon, this gate is officially named Sotosakurada-mon, soto meaning "outer" as opposed to the "Uchisakurada-mon or "inner" Gate (Kikyo Gate) near the citadel. These gates were named Sakurada-mon because the area was
called Sakurada-go (town) in the past. The Sotosakurada-mon Gate has a dual structure consisting of the Korai Gate on the outside and the Watariyagura Gate on the inside with a square in-between. It covers an exceptionally large area (approx. 1,056 sqm) as a highly defensive castle gate for the Nishinomaru (west compound). The Sotosakurada-mon Gate was originally built in the Kanei era (1624 to 1644), while the existing gate is based on a gate reconstructed in 1663. The gate was damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and repaired it. On March 3, 1860, the Japanese Chief Minister Tairo li Naosuke was assassinated by a group of samurai who seceded the Mito-han feudal state outside of the Sotosakurada-mon Gate in an event known as the Sakuradamon Incident.
Important Cultural Property -Old Ministry of Justice Building-
This building, designed by two German architects, Hermann Ende and Wilhelm Bockmann who were invited by the Government of Japan in the Meiji era, was constructed in 1895 with the participation of a Japanese architect, Kozo Kawai, in the stage of its planning and supervision of construction. Later, at the time of the disastrous Kanto Earthquake in 1923, the building suffered almost no damage because the brick walls had been reinforced with iron pillars, but it was burnt down in 1945 by a heavy air raid in Tokyo, leaving only the brick walls intact, so it was reconstructed in 1950 for use as the main building of the Ministry of Justice, replacing the natural slates of the roof by tiles. Pursuant to the completion of Central Government Buildings No. 6, the Ministry of Construction restored the exterior of this brick building to its original condition in 1994 under the supervision of Dr. Teijiro Muramatsu and Dr. Masaaki Horiuchi, and the building is now used by the Research and Training Institute of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry's Library. Characterized by its authentic German neo-Baroque exterior, this building is a magnificent piece of urban scenery and al being historically valuable, it was designated among the Important Cultural Properties of Japan on Dec 27, 1994.
Tadasuke Ooka (1677-1751) was as an eminent judge in the Edo era. He was appointed as a magistrate of Edo by Yoshimune Tokugawa in 1717, one year after Yoshimune became the 8th Shogun of Japan. Ooka held this important post for about 20 years. He died in December 1751, half a year after the death of Yoshimune. This is the site of Ooka's main residence in his last years.
There were several daimyo (feudal lord) mansions including that of Lord Matsudaira Hizen-no-kami on this site until the end of the Edo Era. In the early Meiji Era, it was used as an army drill ground. Hibiya Park was open on June 1, 1903 as the first Western-style Park in Japan, and it was planned, designed, and constructed as a modern city park of the time. (Area when opened: 161,636 square meters) The enthusiasm of the Park architects (such as Seiroku Honda), who led the culture of the era, can be found everywhere. Their aspirations have been fulfilled, for the Park is now very popular. Although the Tokyo Earthquake of 1923 and the Pacific War forced the Park to undergo some renovation, the areas around Shinji-ike Pond, Flower Garden #1, and Kumogata-ike Pond still look as they used to when the Park first opened. Various colorful species bloom in the flower gardens throughout the year, giving pleasure to those who visit the Park.
There were 10 arc lamps installed through the park when it first opened. It is said that it had a brightness of 1,200 candela. 70 gas lamps were also installed. The design of these lamps was consistent with the cast-iron drinking fountain found at the base of Mt. Mikasa, and one of each has been preserved in the park as mementos of the Meiji period.
This drinking fountain dates back to the time Hibiya Park opened in 1903.
Robustly made from cast-iron and intricately decorated, it has an impressive design. Its shape allows horses also to drink from it, evoking a time when horses and oxen played an important role in land transport.
The area west of the tennis courts including this hillock is called Mt. Mikasa.
The hillock is an artificial one, made with leftover soil from the construction works making ponds when the park was constructed. At the time it was created, the physical shape of the whole area resembled three woven hats, or kasa in Japanese, so that it got its name "Mikasa", meaning three woven hats. Due to improvement works such as the construction of the tennis courts, the mountain shape has changed, still the name of it remains as the original one.
The place of death of Date Masamune, the founder of the Sendai Clan
This is where the Sendai Clan's main Edo (Tokyo) residence, Sotosakurada Kamiyashiki, was located from the period of the founder, Date Masamune, to the third Lord, Date Tsunamune. In Keicho 6 (1601), Masamune was given a residence in Edo by the Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. This residence in Sotosakurada was used as his main residence in Edo until Kanbun 1 (1661). The grounds of the residence spanned from the western shore of Shinji Pond to eastern tip of the tennis courts, and from the road alongside Hibiya-bori Moat in the north to the area around the Small Open-Air Concert Hall in the south. The records state that, at this residence, Masamune hosted Tokugawa Ieyasu on three occasions, in addition to both 2nd Shogun Hidetada and 3rd Shogun Iemitsu on four occasions each.
Masamune's life ended here in May, Kan'ei 13 (1636) at 70 years of age during his stay in Edo under the system of alternating residence.
This pond used to be a moat of the Edo Castle, and was converted into a pond to preserve its appearance when Hibiya Park was constructed. Looked at from above, this pond looks like the Chinese character ""(meaning heart), so that it is called the "Shinji" pond (meaning "letter"). Making a pond into this shape is a traditional technique influenced by the Zen sect, which were commonly used in Japanese gardens during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods.
The name of this gate is derived from the fact that Hibiya Village was located in this area. Stone walls were built around the area by the feudal lord of Kumamoto Han (now Kumamoto Prefecture), Kato Tadahiro, in 1614; and Date Masamune, feudal lord of Sendai Han (now Miyagi Prefecture), constructed the walls of the gate in 1628. The Hibiya-mon Gate was located near to Hibiya Crossing, but was demolished in 1873. The stone walls that currently remain alongside Shinji-ike Pond in Hibiya Park are those left from the embankment between the Hibiya-mon Gate and the Yamashita-mon Gate.
This stone wall is a part of Hibiya Gate, one of the outer defenses of the Edo Castle. Outside of the castle, the Koma gate, square, turreted passageway, and guardhouse used to be surrounded by the stone wall, but only part of the stone wall remains today. On the west side of the stone wall was the moat, which was later converted into Shinji-ike Pond and recalls the appearance at the time the Park was constructed.
It is said that the name of this gate (baba = horse area, saki = in front) is derived from the horse-riding area (baba) inside, or that it came to be called
the Chosen Baba (Korean riding area) in the Kan'ei period (1624-1644) because the Shogun (the military leader of Japan) watched equestrian feats performed by
Korean envoys here. The Babasaki-mon Gate was constructed in 1629. The Masugata Gate, an area for soldiers to gather, enclosed by a stone wall, was removed in 1906. After the Meiji Restoration (1868), the area from Nijubashi Bridge, past the gate to Marunouchi became the center of Tokyo, and even now, the reconstructed Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, the Meiji Seimei Kan Building,
and the remains of the Tokyo Prefectural Office Building stand in Marunouchi.
"Kura no Gomon (the storehouse gate)" and "Ichi no Kura (first storehouse)"
are recorded in illustrations from around 1602, and the name of the Wadakura-mon Gate is derived from these. The gate was constructed in 1620 by the feudal lord of Sendai Han (now Miyagi Prefecture), Date Masamune, and reconstructed with a Masugata Gate, a square enclosure for soldiers to gather, in 1628 by the feudal lord of Kumamoto Han (now Kumamoto Prefecture), Kato Tadahiro. Today, traces still remain of the original stone wall around the Masugata Gate and the concrete bridge reconstructed in the style of a wooden bridge in 1974.
The Imperial Palace has occupied the site of the former Edo Castle since 1868. Edo Castle was the home of the Tokugawa Shoguns and the seat of the feudal samurai government which ruled Japan from 1603 until 1867. After the end of feudal rule in 1867, Edo Castle was vacated by the Shogun and transferred to the new Imperial Government. The Emperor moved from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1869, after residing in Kyoto for over a millennium. There has been a castle on this site since 1457, when a castle that occupied the site of the Honmaru, Ninomaru and Sannomaru areas was built by the samurai Ota Dokan. From 1590 this castle was the home of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became the first Tokugawa Shogun in 1603. The Honmaru area included the massive keep tower, and the palace of the Shogun.
Edo Castle was extended by the second and third Shoguns, Hidetada and Iemitsu,
with work completed by 1660. Most of the original castle buildings have been lost to fire. The current Imperial Palace buildings were completed in 1968, in the Nishinomaru, which had been the palace of the retired shoguns during the Tokugawa shogunate.