“Tokyo Old River Urbanism” was planed, from the beginning, to conclude with Akasaka, where my office is located. Due to the infinite existence of culverts or old river remains in Tokyo, I will dive around forever unless make a break at some point. So, I would like to excuse, for the time being, to go ashore from the bottom of the culvert. To review the tours, in order, around Edo Castle(EC), #1: Yanaka, North or Demon Gate of EC, #2: Harajyuku, East of EC and this #3: Akasaka, South or Back-Demon Gate of EC [Map 1].
[Map1]: “SOTOBORI-Dori (Outer Moat Avenue)” Tokyo – Shinbashi – Akasaka – Ichigaya – Iidabashi – Ochanomizu – Nihonbashi – Tokyo. Urban ring road of old outer moat for Edo castle (Partially Open), total length Approx.13km. Base map © 2020 google
Akasaka and Tameike-Pond
According to Sandayu Dokumamushi, an actor or comedian(?), very popular with his lovely and witty poisonous tongue (Arashi of “Ultraman” for our generation!), there used to run river through downtown Akasaka. Famous area in Akasaka is the vast amusement blocks from Akasaka-Mitsuke to Akasaka Station where bunch of bars, restaurants and CABAKURA (cabaret club) or so called “YORU-NO-MISE (nightlife shops)” are located. Although I usually walk around this neighborhood, I couldn’t come up the idea of where the river was flowing immediately. However, if examine it carefully, as indicating the place name “Tameike (reservoir pond)”, the district of Akasaka 3-chome is a lowland / downtown along “Sotobori (outer moat)”, on the edge of the mountain of Hie Shrine. The river in Akasaka, about which Arashi explained, seems to be one of the waterways circulating freely along Sotobori-moat(see [Map2]).
[Map2]: Old Map (in Meiji Era) ©goo CHIZU
However, even if we walk along the culverts of waterways in Akasaka, it seems that our Blog will turns to the story about drinking for beers and Sake at good small bars, so for this occasion, I would like take you go along and around Sotobori-dori Avenue (see [Map 1]). Though, if instantly dive 13km at once, we will run out of oxygen, so let’s divide the loop reasonably from Ginza to Akasaka (see [Map 3]).
[Map3]: SOTOBORI Street JONAN (Castle South) Area Walk. Ginza (Sukiyabashi) – Shinbashi – Toranomon – Tameike – Akasaka – Benkeibashi. Total length Approx.4km. Base map © 2020 google
Ginza, Sukiyabashi
OK then, let’s get started with our old river diving. Up until last two explorations, we have targeted our culvert tours into the back alleys, escaping from the wide street to the side or MINOR-street, but this time, we will explore exactly along MAIN streets of the urban front. The departure point is from the intersection of Sukiya-bashi (bashi means bridge) at Ginza station. Since I haven’t been to Ginza for long time, I was surprised that the subway station has been totally renewed and clean. I could barely go up to the ground from the C3 stairs after getting lost in the maze of a brand new commercial facility. For architects like me, the building of Hermès, architecture of industrial appearance of glass blocks, will be the landmark [Photo 1]. Needless to say this is an excellent building, but when viewed in the morning of winter with long shadow, this perfection or “cleanliness” brings us the impression of mechanical and cold. To enjoy the real beauty of this monument, you have to wait until twilight with warm lighting on. (Sorry Mr. Piano, for only this photo of side..)
[Photo 1] “Sukiyabashi Crossing” The gray glass block building on the right is Hermès Ginza designed by Renzo Piano, the Pritzker Laureate
Ginza
A row of Willow trees along Sotobori-dori Ave
Walking from the intersection of Sukiyabashi, you can find that varieties of “BUILDING”s along Sotobori Ave in Ginza, the mixtures of old and new fabrics around 10 stories height, are lined up densely like a long wall. Although usual for foreigner, buildings in Ginza are built attached to each other, and the visual relation between street and building, figure and ground, is clearly defined, as shaping of Western-like gestalt. On the other hand, the silhouette maintains randomness like of Asian city because its height and size vary. Willow trees are planted along on the sidewalk [Photo 2]. In Japan, the impression of willow has traditionally been the tree of ghostly, dim and damp waterside. Particularly along Sotobori street in Ginza, the buildings are tightly continued on both east and west sides, and the sidewalks are bit dark even in the daytime. In the Meiji era more than a hundred years ago, the period when the moat was buried underground, cherry and pine were planted, but the trees died due to the high groundwater level. Then, against their will (?), people change to willow trees suitable for wetlands. The story tells that this land can no longer escape from the memory of water.
[Photo 2] A roadside tree of willows on Ginza Sotobori Street. Symbolizes the memory of the waterside.
Shinbashi
Town of heavy drinker office workers
About 700m down south along Sotobori street of willow trees from the intersection of Sukiyabashi, you will reach “just straight” to the Shinbashi crossing. At the last two travels, we did walk along the street of old-water, derived from the shape of “winding” natural river, but here we are walking the street of artificial shape based on the grid-like planned town division of Ginza. Shinbashi is famous for “SALARY-MAN” especially for workers who love drinking and reminds many of us a scene at the station square that funky “OJISAN (not necessarily OLD men)” who got drunk interviewed on TV. Like both Akasaka and Shinbashi (and also famous Yoshihara), “SHITAMACH (downtown or low land town)” along water might have the seeds of entertainment. “MIZU-SHOBAI”, literally Water-Business, such as bar, restaurants and nightclub, comes from the memory of real “water”? Going below the elevated railway tracks, you will find GUARD-SHITA (under the guard, place of drinking under railway viaduct), celebrated Shinbashi classic, the vibes of human back alley for SALARY-MAN [Photo 3]. As nobody would expect that they open at the time, but there seems to be many places in Osaka where you can drink from the morning! (You can learn lots of interesting stories about Osaka and its people from popular TV program ‘Himitsu no Kenmin SHOW’.)
[Photo 3] Bars at GUARD-SHITA in Shinbashi
Toranomon
Showcase of high-rise
At the Shinbashi intersection, turn perpendicularly to the right or west (accurately northwest) direction to proceed along Sotobori street toward Toranomon. The more you move forward, the wider the road width expands and the brighter the Sotobori street becomes because the silhouette gradually changes from the rows of wall-like collective fabrics in Ginza to the free-standing skyscrapers with open spaces approaching to Toranomon and Kasumigaseki. Tranomon intersection locates approx. at 900m from Shinbashi GUARD-SHITA. There sits the building of the Ministry of Education, accurately the Ministry of Education Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), of retro brick landmark. Just next to MEXT, stands the Kasumigaseki Building (completed in 1968), the first modern high-rise in Japan. Because this district concentrates many high-rise buildings, from the dawn of skyscraper in Japan half a century ago to the latest Toranomon Hills, you can learn the history at once. Although the construction technology has improved and the design option has increased, Kasumigaseki Building of 51 years old, pure crystallization of structural rationalism half a century ago, is strong.
[Photo 4] Brick Building of MEXT (former office of Ministry of Education, completed in 1932)
Tameike Tower Base Remains
How to inherit the urban memory
There is Tameike Tower Base Remains, the stone foundation of YAGURA gate or turret on the opposite side of retro MEXT along Sotobori within the site of SHOSEN MITSUI headquater. Although Tameike intersection is still ahead, it seems that this point is the eastern end of Tameike pond. In many cases, such preserved remains in Tokyo have become dead spaces where people often pass them through without interest. Rather than leaving it quietly like a tombstone, why cannot we think of it as an opportunity of designing an attractive urban space, a little more actively as a centripetal element of urban amenities, landscapes and architecture? For example, one idea is SAYADO (shead of important building or treasure) of 24 open public atrium housed within the space. Because of cultural property, it will be difficult to negotiate with the government to actualize this idea. Incidentally, there is Edo Castle’s Outer Moat Ruins Underground Exhibition Room on the site of the MEXT, HONMARU (head section) of the authority, opposite side of the turret base ruins. Wherever dig the ground in the Tokyo central area for redevelopment, ruins will appear. It will not possible to realize the urban design of making the best use of ruins until the project allows for taking the advance survey of ruins excavation.
[Photo 5] Tameike Tower Base Remains
Lowland of Tameike pond and Hill of Samurai
Urban Design of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Shaped a straight line from Shinbashi to Toranomon, Sotobori street draws a large bow-shaped curve, from Toranomon to Akasaka-Mitsuke, along the edge of the cliff on the hill of Edo Castle. At Tameike intersection, connected to Roppongi street, we will pass beneath the elevated structure of SHUTOKO, Metropolitan Expressway, running north and south. It runs above the lowland of Sotobori, but runs beneath the high ground of northern Edo Castle side, the hill of Kasumigaseki governmental district. That is, Edo Castle is located on the hilltop, taking full advantage of the natural terrain. Originally, Edo was an “untouchable wetland,” and some historian novelally explained that Hideyoshi Toyotomi, gave the “troublesome” land to the emerging rivals Ieyasu Tokugawa. Contrary to his expectations, next Shogun Ieyasu has created a magnificent castle town. The idea and practice of smart urban planning is not only in the skillful relationship of natural terrain, but also in the utilization of water resources. Sotobori is not a stagnant moat of dead water. It was an environmental facility that circulates water around using the flow of the river up from Nihonbashi River down to Sumida River, and was an urban infrastructure that supports daily life such as water transportation and clean water supply for citizens. More than that, Sotobori outer moat was also a corridor of greenery, culture and leisure that integrates forests, temples and shrines for people. This is why Shogun Ieyasu is said to be the great Urban Designer.
[Photo 6] Tameike intersection
After the Tameike crossing and then looking at the hill or mountain, on the right of the Sotobori in the north, of Prime Minister’s Official Residence and of Hie Shrine, we finally arrived back to the downtown area of Akasaka. Although Hie Shrine with its triangular Torii gate is the god of mountain, it used to be also a waterside sanctuary looking down over the pond.
[Photo 7] Hie Shrine
Akasaka
Remains of Waterway at Back Alley
Now that finally arrived in Akasaka, we have to find the waterway that was flowing through the town. According to the old map of the Edo period, there is a narrow waterway running right next to along Sotobori. Let’s find this channel. Entering the side street, you can soon to catch a narrow alley surrounded by buildings [Photo 8]. There also find some drainage gutters, and that is, this alley is probably the ONE. This reminds the old Shibuya River where buildings were lined along facing their backs to the river. It seems that we are getting better at finding the culvert. Mr Arashi, is this the river you were talking about?
Postscript: The topography around this area gradually rises from the lowest Sotobori-dori toward Roppongi in the southwest. I found that, in the past, many waterways flowed into Sotobori, and there run many culverts of the side alleys from the southwest to the northeast, in the short side direction or like “ribs”, connecting directly to Sotobori or “spine”. Although I was looking for a long culvert that runs parallel to Sotobori, I later found that all the side alleys in Akasaka have a “something” ambience.
[Photo 8] Street of old waterway in Akasaka
Akasaka-Mitsuke, Benkei Bridge
I walked a lot and was wondering if I should be back to the office here or not, but it is still some time until lunch. Because come this far, we should go to and finish the dive on the open water of Sotobori at Benkei Bridge in Akasaka-Mitsuke [Photo 9]. There locates on top of the slope Akasaka Gate Rremains, the historic site of Ishigaki stone wall base. Mitsuke is a guard gate to the castle. Basically, Mitsuke was placed at the corner of the moat bridge. Many Mitsuke were set up around Edo, and “Edo Castle 36 MITSUKEs”, including Akasaka-Mitsuke, celebrated as sightseeing destinations. Toranomon and Ichigaya are also one of 36. From here, the moat is covered as the ground of Sotobori Park, and from Ichigaya, the moat is uncovered again, connecting to the upstream, Kanda River. Kanda-Gawa River is an artificial valley, cutting through Ochanomizu, or Hongo plateau, constructed as the Sotobori outer moat.
[Photo 9] Benkei Bridge, Akasaka-Mitsuke
There is a fishing pond at the foot of Benkei Bridge. This left-behind moat shapes a crescent, interestingly mysterious space where natural and artificial forms are intertwined in multiple layers, surrounded by the greenery of Sotobori Park and Akasaka Imperial Palace, the curves of the Metropolitan Expressway and tall buildings along the waterside [Photo 10] . Also at Ichigaya, there is a famous fishing pond often used for film and drama locations. Fishing spots in the city center are surreal and picturesque.
[Photo 10] Fishing moat at the foot of Benkei Bridge
The last photo is the view from the overpass at the Akasaka-Mitsuke intersection [Photo 11]. Running directly below is the multi-level crossing of Aoyama street and Sotobori street, and above is the outer circumference of the SYUTOKO Metropolitan Expressway No. 4 Shinjuku Line. Another elevated road, a short distance away on the right, is the inner loop of the Shinjuku Line, running along the edge of the Forest of Sotobori fishing pond. The landscape of water and greenery of the moat, Ishigaki stone walls, skyscrapers, complex civil monsters of highway snakes and overhead intersection are very Tokyo-like and SF-resque. After rushed around the Sotobori culvert from Ginza to Akasaka, I realized, over again, the intention and scenario of Shogun Ieyasu, embedded in the ground of the current cityscape of Tokyo. But could this such an outstanding urban designer really imagine the landscape, after 400 years, overwritten by the elevated highways and skyscrapers? Mr Ieyasu, in his special case, might have imagined it.
[Photo 11] Akasaka Mitsuke, grade separation of the Metropolitan Expressway
Hiroyuki Niino, Dec07, 2020
