Ryogoku Station is located on the east side (left bank) of the Sumida River. But this time, I found Ryogoku Hirokoji on the west side (right bank) of the Sumida River. Why is it called “Ryogoku” Hirokoji when the address of this area is Higashi Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku?
Ryogoku Hirokoji
Today’s walk starts at the Sumida River Bridge, a railroad bridge on the Sobu Line.
Sumida River Bridge and entrance to Sumida River Terrace
When I got to the point where I could see the bridge, I thought I would walk along the Sumida River Terrace along the river. However, when I checked Google Maps here, I found out that there was a Japan Stationery Museum nearby, and I wanted to visit it, so I took a few steps back and went under the Sobu Line.
But the museum is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, so it was closed on Sunday.
I couldn’t bring myself to go back to the Sumida River Terrace, so I continued south and found the Yanagi Bridge over the Kanda River.
The mouth of the Kanda River and Ryogoku Bridge
The mouth of the Kanda River and Ryogoku Bridge can be seen from Yanagi Bridge. The Ryogoku Bridge has a slightly convex curve on the top, making it quite a cool bridge.
Former Site Ryogoku Hirokoji
I walked a little further and found the “Old Site Ryogoku Hirokoji” at the intersection with the street (Route 14) from Ryogoku Bridge.
The map on the monument shows that the old Kanda River joined the Sumida River in a gentle arc, and Ryogoku Hirokoji is drawn along the Kanda River.
This raised a question about the place name “Ryogoku” at the beginning of this article, so I looked it up.
To begin with, the Sumida River was the boundary between Musashi and Shimofusa provinces, and there was no bridge in this area.
However, after the Great Fire of Meireki (1657), many people were unable to escape and burned to death, so the Ohashi Bridge, commonly known as Ryogoku Bridge, was built in 1659. In addition, a wide road was built to prevent the fire from spreading.
The area around the monument, which is now called Higashi-Nihonbashi in Chuo Ward, was named “Ryogoku Hirokoji” because it was called “Ryogoku” at that time.
In contrast, the area to the east beyond Ryogoku Bridge was called “Higashi Ryogoku. However, when Ryogoku Station and Ryogoku Kokugikan were opened, East Ryogoku gradually became known as “Ryogoku” and the right bank on the west side became known as “Higashi Nihonbashi”.
It’s interesting how place names move around.
Incidentally, this is one of the three main Hirokoji streets in Edo, the rest being Ueno Hirokoji and Asakusa Hirokoji.
Ueno Hirokoji seems to be a street running north-south above Ueno Hirokoji Station. Asakusa Hirokoji seems to be a street running east to west south of Kaminarimon.
The main pillar of Ryogoku Bridge
We came to the base of the Ryogoku Bridge.
The shape of this pillar was strange to me, and it always bothered me.
However, in the process of researching the history of Ryogoku Bridge, I found out that this is the birthplace of the “Tamaya” and “Kagiya” calls. Yes, the “fireworks” before the launch.
By the side of the main pillar, there were many small round balls as if waiting for their turn to be launched.
Matsuo Basho
The Sumida River today
This is what the Sumida River looks like today. However, it is not so different from usual.
The highway crosses the river from the right bank to the left bank, and the Tatekawa River starts when you reach the left bank. The bridges near the Sumida River are named Ichinohashi and Ninohashi, in order of proximity. Ichinohashi is famous as the first bridge that the Ako Ronin, who avoided Ryogoku Bridge, passed over on their way to Sengakuji Temple.
Museum of buttons
There was a museum of buttons. They said it was completely by appointment only. If you can’t get in, you’ll want to, but you can’t.
Two pigeons watching the Sumida River
Two pigeons were gazing at the river in a friendly manner.
They seemed to be talking to each other, as if they were saying, “Grandma, the Sumida River is peaceful again today.” “Right, old man.”
Shin-Ohashi
This is the “Shin-Ohashi”. The first “Shin-Ohashi” bridge was built in 1693. Matsuo Basho was living in Fukagawa near the bridge at the time, and his poem about the bridge’s construction was written on a plaque near the center of the New Bridge.
One of the two poems is “Arigataya Itadaite Fumu Hashi no Yuki.”
I wondered if he was as happy as a child to step on the frost on the bridge and make footprints. Is that what humor is all about?
Kiyosubashi Bridge
Crossing to the left bank, I could see almost the entire view of the suspension bridge, Kiyosubashi Bridge.
As I continued walking, I saw the words “Koto-ku Basho Memorial Museum” on the side of a building on the other side of the embankment.
Old New Bridge Site
To see the front of the building, I walked past it, crossed the embankment, and was about to head back north from the intersection of the Mannen Bridge North when I spotted the “Old New Bridge Site.” I was tempted to poke my head in and say, “Old” or “New”? I felt like shouting at him.
Koto Basho Memorial Museum
In front of the Koto Basho Memorial Museum, there is a gate that looks like the entrance to a hermitage, which is a bit elegant. But since I don’t know much about haiku, I decided not to enter the museum.
Basho-an Historical Site Observation Garden
Going south along the Sumida River again, I came to the Koto-ku Basho-an Historical Site Observation Garden.
To the left of the gate, there was a signboard that I thought was about Basho, but I was wrong. It said, “Ako Roshi Yukari no Michi.” The 47 Ronin passed through here from the Kira Residence to Sengakuji Temple.
Please note that the stairs in the observation garden have an uneven tread and are made in an elegant style, making it difficult to climb up and down.
Mannen Bridge
The Mannen Bridge is a bridge over the Onagi River.
An explanatory board near the place where I took this photo said that the view of Kiyosubashi Bridge from here was beautiful, like a view in Germany, but I misread it as “Mannen Bridge.” I wonder why people say the view from here is beautiful when there are four similar places. I must have been tired even though I hadn’t walked very far. I must have been tired.
Sumo stable
Remains of Mutsu Munemitsu’s house
That’s about it for today’s walk, and as I was about to leave after visiting Kiyosumi Garden, which I had never been to before, I found the remains of Mutsu Munemitsu’s house. There were various descriptions of the illustrious diplomat and politician’s career, but in the end, I wondered what he had done.
There is an area map next to the ruins of Mutsu Munemitsu’s house, but there is also a similar map on the other side of Kiyosubashi-dori, and when I looked up the route to Kiyosumi Garden, I found out that there were many sumo stables in the area.
So I decided not to visit the Kiyosumi Garden, but to go and see the sumo stables.
Yokozuna Street
There is a street called “Yokozuna Street”.
Otake Stable
Shikoroyama Stable
Oguruma Stable
Takadagawa Stable
The signboards seemed to have been removed from the Kitanoumi Stable building, but we were able to see the exteriors of the Otake Stable, Shikoroyama Stable, Oguruma Stable, and Takadagawa Stable.
Walking data
Course: JR Sobu Line Asakusabashi Station -> Sumida River -> Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line Kiyosumi Shirakawa Station
Distance: 5.6km
Time: 1h47m
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