Sumida city Course

Though it is not certain, this garden is believed to have been built from 1688 to 1703 by a lord of the Hitachi-Kasama domain, Honjo Inabanokami Munesuke, younger brother of Kensho-in, mother of the fifth Tokugawa Shogun Tsunayoshi. The garden had a strolling style with the level of water drawn from the Sumida River rising and has falling with the tides. This garden was remodeled in 1894 by Zenjiro Yasuda, founder of the Yasuda financial group. It was granted to Tokyo City according to his dying wish in 1922 and has opened to the public since 1927. This is the first Japanese-style garden opened thanks to a contribution of a private philanthropist.

Unfortunately this garden was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II. It was also ruined by pollution of the Sumida River. After the jurisdiction of the garden was transferred from the Metropolis of Tokyo to Sumida City in 1969, it underwent an overall renovation and newly opened to the public in 1971.

Since this garden successfully retains an appearance described in literature of the Meiji period up to the present, it is one of the typical gardens of this period comparable to Kiyosumi Gardens.

©Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum

Description : The Edo-Tokyo Museum was founded on March 28,1993, as the place where visitors come to learn more about Tokyo's history and culture , and which also serves as a projection onto the city and the living of the future. In the Permanent Exhibition area, there can be found original and replicated exhibits, as well as large-scale models, faithful representations of their originals, which have been reproduced after painstaking investigations and research. Besides, special exhibitions and lectures are regularly held, and there are also the Audio-Visual Hall, the Audio Visual Library, a library and other facilities that make it a particular museum where visitors can learn while having fun at the same time.

"Honjo-Matsuzakacho Park is located in a square of the site where existed the residence of Kira Kozukenosuke Yoshinaka (or Yoshihisa), who is well-known for "Chushingura" (Forty-Seven Ronin Incident).

Kira's mansion was moved from the original residence in Gofukubashi to this Honjo-Matsuzaka Residence in early August, 1701, after the sword-cut incident by Asano Takuminokami Naganori inside the Edo Castle on March 14 of the same year.

On December 14 (dawn of 15), 1701, the so-called Raid by 47 Ronin occured, and Kozukenosuke was felled at this place.

Ekoin is a Jodo (Pure Land) Sect Buddhist temple established to mourn for victims of a great fire of Meireki in 1657. A statue of Amida Nyorai was erected in 1675 along with a memorial tower to honor the fire victims, prisoners, and any souls who did not leave relatives behind. The statue was destroyed by a fire in 1703 and it was recast in 1705. When the main hall was rebuild in 1970, the statue was enshrined as the principal object of worship. Until 1970, the statue had been left outside.The figure of the statue is excellent and the casting technique was superb. The statue was cast in 10 separated parts, but the parts were jointed so elaborately that the jointed sections are unnoticeable. The height of the statue is 282cm. The width between the knees is 165cm, and the height of lotus-shaped pedestal is 80cm.Amida Nyorai is a Buddha who is said to reside in Seihojodo (the western pure land). Those who believe in this Buddha and chant its name are believed to be able to go to the Pure Land (Jodo). The statue was designated as cultural properties because the statue was rather elaborate for copper statues in the mid-Edo period and there are only a few previous cases as such.

The tower was built in commemoration of those who died unnatural death, including victims of the Great Fire of Meireki, prisoners died in prison, those who died on street and were executed. It was built around 1675 by the petition from the second chief priest of Ekoin Temple, Shinyo Teizon.

There were used to many fires in Edo. Since merchants, who account for a half of the population in Edo, were crammed into limited areas, a single fire could cause significant damage. The Great Fire of Meireki is a common term for three fires that occurred consecutively from January 18 to January 19. Most of the city center at the time (current Chiyoda and Chuo cities) was affected by the fire and tens of thousands of people were killed.

The main stone is in rectangular shape and all four surfaces were chamfered. On top of the main stone, a coping stone with bargeboards on all four sides, and hoju (sacred gem) are placed. Lotus-shaped base and two square foundation stones are at the bottom. The total height is 305cm (coping stone 68cm, main stone 162cm, lotus-shaped base and foundation stone 75cm). The tower was originally built in front of Sanbutsu-do hall at the right side of the main hall of Ekoin Temple. Later the halls were moved but it is assumed that the location of the tower has not been moved. In Ekoin Temple, there are many other commemoration towers for the neglected. In the east side of the main hall, many commemoration towers and gravestones of the famous can be seen.

It is the grave of Japanese classical scholar and poet in late Edo period. He studied under Kamono Mabuchi, and wrote widely on the subject , e.g. "Man-yoshu Ryakukai"(= outline of Man-yoshu) and "Ukeraga Hana "(book of poetry).

Ekoin temple has been popular among people since Edo period. And the temple has graves of notable people in some field like culture and performing art. The grave of Kato Chikage is one of the graves, too.

The grave of Iwase Kyoden (1761-1816), a popular fiction writer in the late Edo period. His first name was Samuru and pseudonym was Santo Kyoden. He wrote many books such as "Edoumare Uwakino Kabayaki" and "Keiseikai Shijuhatte." By Kansei Reform, he was punished because of his Sharebon (a gay-quarter novelette). But he wrote many books after consequences of his mischievous pen. He died in 1816 and held a funeral in Ekoin Temple.

The grave of Iwase Kyozan (1769-1858), a popular fiction writer in the late Edo period and the younger brother of Santo Kyoden. He used to serve Shinoyama Domain before writing fiction. After Kyoden's death, Kyozan made his son succeed as the head of the family and acted as a guardian for the son, while succeeding the brother's business by himself. He was a productive writer; his uniqueness is noticeable in books of the collected stories with the mixture of a popular plot and moral lessons, mainly assuming women as readers.