吉原 • 山谷
YOSHIWARA AND SANYA
These are two neighborhoods with a colorful history. The Yoshiwara was Edo’s first licensed pleasure district, and Sanya became infamous after World War II as a slum with large numbers of day laborers. The Yoshiwara is no more and Sanya’s days as a slum are in the past. You won’t even find the Yoshiwara and Sanya on contemporary maps due to administrative name changes. Sanya was split up into several neighborhoods during an administrative restructuring in 1966. Reminders of the history of both neighborhoods remain in several locations and make for a good stroll for those interested in history.
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Yoshiwara Benten 吉原弁財天
This is a Benten shrine near the former Yoshiwara. The shrine has a large, attractive mural depicting Benten seated on a lotus blossom. On the grounds there is an 8-foot (2.5-meter) statue of Kannon as a memorial to the 630 Yoshiwara prostitutes who died in the fire caused by the Great Kantō Earthquake. Many of the women and neighbors had fled into the Benten Pond only to drown or die from the heat of the flames. A photo displayed on a nearby wall shows the pond entirely covered in bodies. The memorial and statue were placed here in 1926 at the edge of the pond. Most of the pond was filled in for construction in the 1950s so only a very small part remains. If you visit this memorial, you will commonly see offerings of drinks and food left at the base. Each September 1 there is a service in memory of the women.
The entrance to the shrine is on the west side.
YOSHIWARA AND SANYA
Ōtori Jinja 鷲神社
Ōtori “great bird” Jinja is located just west of the former Yoshiwara on Kokusai Dōri. The shrine’s official name is Washi “eagle” Jinja, but is almost always referred to as Ōtori Jinja or Ōtorisama. This shrine is most famous for the lively Tori no Ichi festival held two or three times each November. At this festival, traditional decorated lucky rakes are sold at hundreds of stalls. The number of visitors is very large—the line can be eight or so people wide—however it keeps moving at a good pace. As you wait in line you will pass food vendors, so feel free to step out of line, sit and eat a little, then get back in line. The regular monthly festivals are held on the first and fifteenth of each month. This shrine is on the Shichifukujin pilgrimage for Asakusa: Jurōjin is enshrined here. People often pray here for success in business.
The main entrance is on the west side; you can also enter on the north side.
http://www.otorisama.or.jp/english.html
Yoshiwara Jinja 吉原神社
This shrine was formed in the late 19th century by the merging of five local Inari shrines—one from the entrance to the Yoshiwara, the others from the four corners—in one location. The Yoshiwara Jinja burned down in the Great Kantō Earthquake and again in the World War II firebombings. The current restored building was built in 1964.
There are festivals held on the third Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of May.
The entrance to the shrine is on the south side.
Yoshiwara 吉原
This is former location of the official prostitution district of old Edo, which was established in 1617 near Nihonbashi and relocated here in 1657 after the Meireki Fire. It is at times referred to as the Shin Yoshiwara “New Yoshiwara.” The Yoshiwara was enclosed with walls and a moat to control access as well as prevent runaway prostitutes. It was so isolated that it had its own dialect; only a few elderly people today can speak it. The Yoshiwara continued to exist as a Tokyo brothel district until the anti-prostitution law took effect in 1958. Today it still has an area with several legal sex shops that operate openly since they do not (officially) allow the services forbidden under the law. Tourists are discouraged from entering these shops.
YOSHIWARA DETAIL 1
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Ashita No Joe Statue あしたのジョー像
A statue of Yabuki Joe, the title character of the hit manga Ashita no Joe, which ran in Shonen Magazine from 1968 to 1973. The story concerns Joe, a young drifter who meets a down-on-his-luck, drunk boxing promoter. Long story short, Joe finally agrees to train to be a boxer. Ashita No Joe was very successful and when a major secondary character died, the reaction was so strong that the poet and director Terayama Shūji called for there to be a funeral. The publisher held a Buddhist memorial service and hundreds of fans showed up to mourn. The gym Joe trained in was further north under the Namidabashi, “Bridge of Tears,” where in the Edo period prisoners about to be executed could take their last look at loved ones. The bridge is now an intersection, the river having been culverted. The statue presently marks the edge of Joe’s neighborhood, Sanya. Once a major slum infamous for its day laborer population, today Sanya is increasingly popular as a place for tourists to find inexpensive lodgings.
The first animated feature adapting the manga was released in English with the titles Champion Joe and Tomorrow’s Joe.
YOSHIWARA DETAIL 2
Nakae 中江
This restaurant has specialized in dishes made with horsemeat since 1905. In the Edo period there was a folk belief that eating horsemeat protected against syphilis, and the restaurant is conveniently located right outside the old entrance to the former Yoshiwara red light district. Among the dishes made with horsemeat here are nigirizushi, thinly-sliced horse meat sashimi called basashi, and a hot pot called sakura nabe, which is said to have originated in this part of Tokyo in the Meiji period. In 2000 they began selling their own line of cosmetics made with horse oil, which is supposed to be very good for the skin. The original building was destroyed in the Great Kantō Earthquake and rebuilt in 1924. This is the building that stands today, having survived the 1945 firebombings of the area. It is listed as a national cultural property.
Seating is traditional, both on tatami and at horigotatsu, so expect to remove your shoes.
http://www.sakuranabe.com/eng/
Dote no Iseya 土手の伊勢屋
Sometimes referred to as just Iseya, this is a popular neighborhood tempura restaurant that has been in business since 1873. Nothing fancy or formal, just large servings of good, solid food loved by the locals. There are only six tables and some are communal, so you may have to share when it is crowded. Seating is both traditional on tatami with cushions and Western style on benches. They do not take reservations, so expect to wait in line on weekends. There is a bench outside to sit on while waiting. The original building was destroyed in the Great Kantō Earthquake and rebuilt in 1924. This is the building that still stands, having survived the 1945 firebombings of the area. The fixtures are old and the shoyu (soy sauce) containers are antiques. The owner likes it that way and so do I.
DETAIL 3
Ichiyō Memorial Museum / Ichiyō Kinenkan 一葉記念館
A four-story museum dedicated to the life and work of Higuchi Ichiyō (1872–1896), a major writer of the Meiji period. The collection on display includes a model of the street she lived on, manuscripts, tanka poems, her desk, and more. She turned to writing at the age of eighteen to support her widowed mother and sister, and quickly gained recognition from many notable writers of her time, including Mori Ōgai. There is a gift shop with a variety of items such as handmade paper stationery, book covers, and postcards. The museum was opened by the Taitō Ward government in 1961; the present building was opened in 2006. Her image appeared on the 5,000 yen note in 2004—the Japanese tend to put writers and intellectuals on their bank notes rather than dead politicians.
Not to be confused with another museum to her, which is described in the Hongō chapter.
http://www.taitocity.net/zaidan/english/ichiyo/
YOSHIWARA DETAIL 3
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Asakusa Fuji Asama Jinja 浅草富士浅間神社
This shrine is also known as Asakusa Fuji Sengen Jinja. The Tokyo area has several Sengen Jinja. These are branch shrines of the main one on Mount Fuji and are devoted to the worship of that sacred mountain. This one is the most famous. It is also known for an annual plant festival held on the last Saturday of May and June and on the first of July, where hundreds of stalls sell potted plants on the nearby streets. Potted plants are still very much a part of life in the parts of the city that historically were home to commoners. In the 9th century this tradition resulted in many foreigners expressing surprise at how green Tokyo was in comparison to cities in their home countries. The shrine was founded around 1671, the inner shrine building dates from 1878, and the main building from 1998. There is a fujizuka on the grounds. The entrance is on the south side.
https://www.asakusajinja.jp/en/sengenjinja/
Edo Kiriko Asakusa Ojima 江戸切子浅草おじま
This is the retail shop for a company established in 1930 to produce Edo kiriko, a style of cut glass that originated in the Edo period. The shop is on Denbōin Dōri just west of the Nakamise, and the studio is at the corner, one block west of Umamichi Dōri before the Fuji Elementary School. They offer educational workshops (in Japanese) on the carving techniques for grade six to adult. Reservations are required.
▲ This shrine memorializes Yoshiwara prostitutes who died in the Great Kantō Earthquake.
▲ Yabuki Joe looks in the direction of Sanya, the neighborhood he lived in.
YOSHIWARA DETAIL 4
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Imado Jinja 今戸神社
There are several kami enshrined here. The principal ones are Hachiman, Izanagi, and Izanami. Izanagi and Izanami are the couple who legend says created the Japanese islands. Many single people come to this shrine to pray for a partner for this reason. Imado Jinja is also a shichifukujin shrine for Asakusa and enshrines Fukurokuju. The shrine has a claim to be the place of origin for the famous manekineko “beckoning cat” statues. A legend says that in the 16th century, a poor woman in the area dreamed of a cat urging her to make and sell statues of cats. In 2007 the shrine erected a stone on the grounds with a pair of the cats to commemorate this story. Founded in 1063, the shrine was originally called Imado Hachiman Jinja; however, in 1937 it was merged with the nearby Hakusan Jinja and renamed. The shrine was destroyed in the Great Kantō Earthquake and the firebombings of World War II. The current buildings date from 1971.
The main entrance is on the east side, but you can also enter on the west.
Sanyabori Park / Sanyabori Kōen 山谷堀公園
This is a long and narrow park stretching from the Sumidagawa to a point near the former location of the Yoshiwara. The detail map for this section only shows a portion of the park. It follows the path of the former Sanyabori canal, which was used as a boat route to and from the Yoshiwara. Today the canal is still carrying water underground in a culvert, and the land above it was transformed into the present-day park. Much of the park is just a trail with plants on one or both sides, and the occasional playground and seating area. The park widens in the blocks closest to the river, where in the spring the cherry trees fill with blossoms. As you walk toward the river, you will be facing in the direction of Tokyo Sky Tree for most of the route.
YOSHIWARA DETAIL 5
Kissa Akane 喫茶あかね
Sometimes you want to take a break in a good old-fashioned neighborhood cafe. Established in 1976, Kissa Akane’s menu offers both Western and Japanese food, including bentō, waffles, burgers, breakfast sets, and omelet rice. Most restaurants in Japan open for lunch, but since Kissa Akane opens early they also serve breakfast. They also host events with board games, whisky nights (!?), magicians, live music, and more.
Matsuchiyama Shōden 待乳山聖天
This temple of the Buddhist Shō Kannonshū sect was founded in 601 and is a subordinate temple to Sensōji in Asakusa. The formal name of the temple is Matsuchiyama Honryūin. The temple burned down after the Great Kantō Earthquake and the firebombings of World War II. The present building dates from 1961. The elephant-headed Buddhist deity Daishō Kangiten is enshrined here. Do not expect to view the statue housed here as it is a hibutsu “hidden image,” which is not displayed to the public. The temple is located on a small wooded hill near the Sumidagawa between Kototoi Bridge and Sakura Bridge. Images of forked daikon, associated with a happy marriage, and a money pouch, associated with business prosperity, are seen throughout the grounds. The grounds include a kaguraden, a stage for the performance of kagura. Each January 7 they hold the daikon matsuri, “daikon festival.”
The entrance is to the south. Disabled access is on the east side at the parking lot.
http://www.matsuchiyama.jp/english.html
DETAIL 6
Jōkanji 浄閑寺
Jōkanji is located a bit north of the sites in the rest of this chapter. It is just east of the Nikkō Kaidō, “Nikkō Highway,” not far from Minowa Station and Meiji Dōri, but south of the train tracks. This small Jōdo sect Buddhist temple is nicknamed Nagekomidera, the “Dump or Throw Away Temple.” In the old days when a prostitute from the nearby Yoshiwara died and had no one claim the body, it would be taken to this temple. Temple records list the names of over 21,000 women left here between 1743 and 1801. Their average age was twenty-two, and syphilis was the most common cause of death. One of the reasons for the young age is that most prostitutes started their contract in their teens and ended it in their mid-twenties. In the graveyard there is a crypt filled with urns of their ashes, where offerings are often left. The crypt is easy to identify by the statue of the seated Jizō in front of the pillar on top. Across from the crypt is a large stone memorial to the writer Nagai Kafū.
The entrance is on the south side of the grounds.
YOSHIWARA DETAIL 6
