Exploring Japanese Landmarks in Nishiki-e and Photographs

Takanawa

The name of a region in the eastern part of present day Minato Ward centering on the Tokaido Highway, with Shiba to the north and west and Shinagawa to the south. There are several theories on the origin of the area name including one that says it is an abbreviation of "Takai nawate" (high footpath). It is said that on the 26 day of January and July the image of the three honorable ones, Amitabha Buddha, Kannon and Seishi, can be seen in the moon, and people would wait for the moon to appear and pray during the "Moon-waiting until the Twenty-sixth night", and it is said this was particularly popular along the seaside from Takanawa to Shinagawa. In 1710, the Kido "Takanawa Kido-gate", which separated the area of Edo City from the area outside of the city, was complete and also served as place for posting bulletins. In addition, Ino Tadataka used this area as the base point for his survey of the entire country. Further, the British provisional legation was located at Tozen-ji Temple in Takanawa Nakamachi (present day Minato Ward Takanawa 3 chome) at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate government.

Nishiki-e and Paintings

江戸名勝図会高縄

高輪

江戸名所高輪秋の景

東都月の三景

東都名所　高輪全図

江戸自慢三十六興　高輪廿六夜

東海道名所之内　高輪大木戸

東都高輪風景

諸国名所百景　東都高輪海岸

東都名所高輪の景

Photos

東京風景

Other Materials

高輪大木戸（本文）　『江戸名所図会 7巻』（1834）
高輪大木戸（挿絵）　『江戸名所図会 7巻』（1834）
高輪海辺　七月二十六夜待（挿絵）　『江戸名所図会 7巻』（1834）

Takanawa Ushimachi

A town located between Takanawa's Okido and Shinagawa-shuku Station south down the Tokaido Highway, over the Kanasugi-bashi Bridge spanning the Furu-kawa River past Shibatamachi. During the construction of the Zojo-ji Temple Ankokuden Hall in 1634 and the stone wall of Ichigaya Mitsuke construction in 1636, ox carts were required in large numbers as a means of heavy transport, but there were none in Edo at the time, so the Shogunate government summoned cattle drivers mainly from the cattle dealer Kimura Seibei from Kyoto's Shijokurumamachi to transport the required lumber and stone materials. After the construction was completed, as a reward, the cattle drivers were allowed to settle in this town, and were granted exclusive rights to operate load transportation services using the ox carts, so the area came to be called "Kurumacho" (cart town, but was more commonly known as "Ushicho" meaning "cow town"). According to the Edo Meisho-ki (illustrated guidebook to Edo), there were nearly 1,000 head of oxen at peak. Cart sheds and cattle sheds lined the western side, and the eastern side had an excellent ocean view which was famous as a site for moon-viewing, with large numbers of people gathering and thronging to the area on the moon-waiting until the Twenty-sixth night on July 26 and the harvest moon on August 15.

Nishiki-e and Paintings

名所江戸百景　高輪うしまち

高輪海岸

東海道　高縄牛ご屋

Other Materials

高輪牛町（挿絵）　『江戸名所図会 7巻』（1834）
牛小屋（本文）　『江戸名所図会 7巻』（1834）

Sengaku-ji Temple

Known as one of the "3 Major Edo Temples of the Soto Sect" together with Sosen-ji Temple in Hashiba and Seisho-ji Temple in Shiba Atagoshita. Established in 1612 on the order of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The founding patron was Monnan Sokan. It was burnt down in the great fire in 1641, and the present location was granted as a substitute site, relocating from Sotosakurada. However, there are differing accounts of the original area of the Temple's founding and the date of its relocation, with the "Kan’ei Map of Edo" top left showing a "Senkakushi" south of "Tameike". There were 9 dormitory buildings for monks around the main gate, with 100-200 monks in training and studying. It became the family temple of the Ako Clan head Asano family, and after the Forty-seven Ronin Incident in 1702, it became famous for containing the graves of clan head Asano Naganori and the Forty-seven Ronin.