“Tokyo Review 002” “Roots” of Tokyo.
This time, I would like to explore the “roots” of Tokyo.
Tokyo, having been the capital of Japan since Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa founded the Government at Edo in the year 1603, had natural advantage to become a splendid large city. Its huge hinterland named Kanto Plain spreading along the basin of Tone River and Arakawa River with abundant agriculture product, excellent natural port named Tokyo Bay, seafood resource, and etc were the advantages.
Tokugawa had established the system forcing local governors to stay in Edo for a half of a year. He provided the five trunk roads and two major routes for ships bound for Edo, all of which had brought success to build stable basis of Tokyo City which assembled materials and goods from all over the Country. Thus, Edo started to accumulate various functions which were needed to be a capital, and had grown to become a populated city with a million inhabitants.
As for urban structure, Edo can be divided to “Yamanote” – the fingers shaped fringe of relative high lands and “Shitamachi” – the low lands. “Samurai” tend to build their upper, middle, lower residence in areas surrounding Edo castle or on hills located in “Yamanote”, while merchants and craftsmen gathered in “Shitamachi” – the low lands, including Nihon-bashi area flourished by commercial functions, being located nearby the Sumida river port.
When we follow old maps of Edo city, considering how the site of the large samurai residence in Yamanote had changed afterwards, and how the plots-assignment in Shitamachi had formed and transferred until today, we can sometimes see Tokyo’s present movement.
