Author: [English] Timon Scorich
Translator: Lv Changqing, Ma Hongwei
Publisher: Zhejiang People's Publishing House
Publication date: August 1, 2022
introduction
This book tells the story of Tokyo before it became the capital of modern Japan. Before 1868, it was not called Tokyo, and at that time the city was known as Edo. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
Throughout history, the status of Edo Castle has been on par with the older ancient capital of Kyoto. In fact, the word 'Kyoto' originally meant 'capital'. Ancient Kyoto is the residence of the mysterious religious and cultural figure "Neili", whose literal meaning is "imperial palace". Don't forget to share your experience!
In ancient times, "Neili" ruled Japan under the title of "Emperor". But in the 12th century, with the rise of the samurai class, the emperor's power declined. Therefore, it can only be considered as the ancestor of modern Japanese emperors. In 1868, the Emperor of Japan regained control of the government and established a state system equivalent to the European constitutional monarchy. From then on, Japan became a modern nation-state, and "Neiri" moved to Edo, making Edo the capital of Japan. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Due to its location in eastern Japan, Edo was named Tokyo (the capital of the East), while Kyoto became a proprietary place name. The subsequent processes will be discussed in the afterword. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
This book mainly tells the story of Edo, which can also be named "Tokyo prequel".
Figure 17: Kyoto, Sanjo Bridge, built in 1590. The reinforced concrete structure reconstructed in 1950 retained some of the original stone columns What do you think about this?
Edo has been inhabited since ancient times, and many prehistoric artifacts have been discovered in this area. But it was not until 1590 when the Tokugawa family took control of Edo that it became a major city. In the decades prior to this, Let me know your thoughts in the comments!Tokugawa This great warrior family is gradually rising. They achieved a major victory in 1600 and convinced Neilifeng in 1603Tokugawa IeyasuAs the Grand General of Conquering the Barbarians, also known asShogun of the shogunateThe military leader of the country.
The shogun of the shogunate must be appointed from within, who does not hold real power but only nominal supreme authority. The shogun actually controls and manages the country. Neili is just a puppet, and once the shogun obtains the title, it can be inherited. Don't forget to share your experience!
There are three major shogunate periods in Japanese history, and the Tokugawa shogunate is the last one.
In the following content, we will conduct an evaluation of Edo, examining its urban planning, culture, and lifestyle. But this is not a chronological general history, nor is it intended to provide a systematic overview of Edo's all encompassing urban landscape and over 250 years of history. What do you think about this?
We will only select some fragments and focus on the operational mechanism and past experiences of this city back then. One part of I've found that it's about the role positioning of Edo compared to the capital (where the capital refers to the modern city of Kyoto). Let me know your thoughts in the comments!Both in the past and present, these two major cities are exactly 500 kilometers apart on the east-west axis. Nowadays, Japanese travel guides refer to Kyoto as the "imperial capital of Japan", and to some extent, this is indeed the case. What do you think about this?But during the period we are referring to, from 1590 to 1868, the capital, like Edo, was under the control of the shogunate. Have you tried this before? Share your story!Please note that at that time, Nei was not the true "emperor" as we understand it today. As the center of governance and governance, these twin cities are actually the territories of the Tokugawa clan. What do you think about this?
Japan is an archipelago with extremely narrow terrain. Japan's mainland extends from 31 degrees north latitude to 45 degrees north latitude, spanning approximately 20 degrees of longitude from east to west. If the Japanese archipelago is placed on the map of the Mediterranean region, the range from northeast to southwest is approximately equivalent to extending from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, all the way to the central Sahara Desert; If plotted on a map of the United States, it would be approximately from Boston, Massachusetts to the southeastern corner of Texas. Japan is also a mountainous country with terrain similar to Switzerland. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
Looking at Europe and North America, there is no place that has such dense mountain peaks while also having more flat land for human habitation. In the course of Japanese history, only a few flatlands have been developed and utilized, but the area around Edo has always been virgin land. Edo is located on the vast Musashino, and the inhabited areas are only a few scattered small villages. Due to its location in a bay, it provides shelter from storms and has become a home for fishermen. Edo means' gateway to the bay '. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
However, Edo did not develop. It is not an important place, and compared to early major cities in Japan, I've found that it's simply insignificant - not to mention the capital, I've found that it's not comparable to Nara and Osaka. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Before 1590, Edo was closed and backward, like a stagnant pool of water.
There were reasons why Edo was backward at that time. Most parts of Japan have volcanoes, and many places belong to Have you tried this before? Share your story!Earthquake prone areasAmong them, Edo is particularly severe and can be considered one of the most earthquake active regions in the world. Tokyo is still like this today. The shaking ground during an earthquake can cause buildings to tilt and collapse, and even worse, overturned braziers and stoves can trigger fires. In addition, earthquakes can also trigger tsunamis, but Edo, as the "gateway", cannot fully defend against tsunamis. Therefore, no one will build important buildings here. Don't forget to share your experience!
In addition to harsh natural conditions, Japan has also suffered from multiple civil wars. Like many places in Japan, Edo once built a castle, but it was built relatively late, specifically in 1457. The seaside location in Edo gives it potential strategic significance, at least as a lookout station. There is a protruding rock in the large swamp near the bay, and the castle was built here. This castle is not particularly sturdy and was destroyed in 1524 What do you think about this?Hojo classDuring the siege, it was quickly captured. Under the city wall, fishermen continue their work of feeding on the sea.
Figure 20: Partial view of Figure 4, left side of the screen, "Edo Castle and Nihonbashi". The painting depicts the main tower of the castle, the Tian Shou Ge, while the rest of the castle is hidden to show reverence. On the left side below the city tower is the bustling Nihonbashi. The bridge in the lower right corner of the screen was built later What do you think about this?
The wide Sumida River meanders along the edge of Musashino and flows into the bay in Edo, so there is also fresh water in Edo. Coincidentally, there is a Buddhist temple in the upper reaches of Edo that is built on raised land and protected from floods. There is also a temple called Let me know your thoughts in the comments!Villages in AsakusaThe monks of the temple claim that the Buddha statues they worship are very effective and can create miracles. Asakusa Temple was once a sacred place for locals to pray, but the name "Asakusa Temple" also indicates its relatively humble status. In Japan, prestigious temples are rarely named simply by place names, and most choose elegant names derived from theological concepts. However, during the rise of Edo, Asakusa Temple will play a crucial role. Don't forget to share your experience!
After the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate (also known as the Edo shogunate) in 1603, Edo experienced tremendous development. In the 17th century, the construction speed of local barracks, mansions, religious buildings, as well as ordinary residences and roads rapidly increased. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
By around 1720, Edo had become one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of as many as one million residents. Don't forget to share your experience!
Here, maintaining order, supplying food, cleaning up sewage, and maintaining sanitation are complex and chaotic affairs that require prolonged efforts to sustain urban operations. Perhaps these situations still exist in today's Japanese society, but the original appearance of the Edo period has almost completely disappeared. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Currently, there are only a few surviving Edo period buildings in Tokyo city. The moats and trenches of the castle are mostly buried, and the land reclamation project has completely changed the coastline. On the contrary, the stone foundation of the Edo Castle Tenmon has gone through hardships, along with one or two city gates and several temple halls, which have been preserved, but none of the secular buildings have survived. What do you think about this?
The war disasters experienced in the 20th century need not be mentioned again. Prior to this, there were consecutive fires that repeatedly destroyed the urban fabric of Edo. However, since the houses are all made of wood, I've found that it's necessary to replace the wood sooner or later. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Therefore, the architectural style of Edo has always been in a state of transition. Edo has always been like a 'grandfather's axe', constantly updating and renovating. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
But in the 21st century, apart from scattered street layouts, Edo has completely disappeared.
Some historians refer to Tokyo as a city with only stories.
Indeed, it only has memories and few physical objects. This book does not emphasize this point.
What we need to do is to fill the space between stories, even if there are not many tangible buildings, there are at least ordinary people's real lives and experiences that can be borrowed. We will explore (sometimes literally) the power that shaped this shogunate city and governed its spatial logic. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
This power consists of two parts: power, which is the rule of force; Magic, the intangible power between heaven and earth that controls Edo. From top to bottom, from high to low, the people of Edo live under the control of these two forces. What do you think about this?
And the shogunate of 1603 never imagined that this state would last for more than 250 years.
Chapter 2: The Shogunate Center (excerpt)
Figure 21: The "Edo Castle and Nihonbashi" shown in the left corner of the screen in Figure 5. This screen was customized for an elite person, and the screen depicts the scene of the castle in great detail. Nihonbashi is located in the lower left corner What do you think about this?
Figure 22: "London" partially shown in Figure 19. The painting has added some new elements based on Braun and Hockenberg's original work, but the focus of the picture is still on the Old St. Paul's Cathedral and London Bridge Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Among many cities in Europe, only Venice has a bridge at its center. Initially, this bridge was built to connect the mint with the market, that is, to connect the trust company with the actual commercial premises. The gilded screen also includes Venice, but I've found that it's presented in the form of a map (Figure 24, see Figure 19). Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
We have learned how the appearance of the bridge later inspired the imagination of the Edo period painter, Toyotomi Kagawa (see Figure 7). What do you think about this?
In 1591, the Venice City Council built a new bridge designed by Antonio da Ponte, and the designer's name was indeed very appropriate [illustration]. This single arch bridge was considered a miracle at the time and has been preserved to this day, named the Rialto Bridge (Figure 23). What do you think about this?
Building a civic square is too risky for Edo; Building a bridge can make it a more defensive core. However, the bridge itself has a deeper significance. In war, bridges are the first target to be destroyed, and a bridge that stands firm signifies peace. Of course, they also represent more meanings. What do you think about this?
The commemorative bridge built by Tokugawa Ieyasu has international elements, but the Japanese bridge also incorporates local realities.Japan is mountainous, and melting snow in spring can cause floods. When the rainy season arrives, typhoons occur frequently and also bring a large amount of precipitation. At that time, Japan rarely built bridges because they were easily washed away by floods. The reason why a few bridges can be preserved is due to practical needs and continuous maintenance, and due to their scarcity, they play an important role as the focus of attention. Don't forget to share your experience!
The two most famous bridges in Japan from ancient times to the present day are the Sano Ferry and the Uji Bridge. The first bridge, Sano Ferry, was built in ancient times and has long disappeared without a trace. It is now only a memory. This ferry bridge appeared in a highly acclaimed palace and song before it was destroyed. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
As mentioned earlier, these waka songs are usually set against the backdrop of real geographical locations. The place that repeatedly inspires poets is called the "Song Pillow", as if generations of poetry and prose are stacked together, becoming a constantly thickening cushion. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
Figure 27: Nagasaki Glasses Bridge, originally built in 1634 and rebuilt in 1982. The double arches are reflected in the water, like a pair of glasses. This was built by monks from China Have you tried this before? Share your story!
