Kasumigaseki - Kasumigaseki

The area is located in the southern part of Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, from Sakuradamon Gate south of the Imperial Palace to the area around Toranomon. It is said that this name comes from the fact that in ancient times, Emperor Yamato Takeru established a checkpoint here, far away from Yamato, in preparation for the Emishi. Located on the Yamanote Plateau, adjacent to Edo Castle and tasked with protecting the castle, the area became the residence grounds of more than 20 feudal lords, including the Kuroda and Asano clans. After the Meiji period, the vast estate was used for military purposes. After the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923), the area was planned as the central government district, and since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was located there, Kasumigaseki became synonymous with the ministry. After the Second World War, the area was rebuilt into high-rise buildings, and it presents a beautiful sight along with the rows of horse chestnut trees along Sakurada-dori (National Route 1). The Kasumigaseki Building next to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology was Japan's first skyscraper. The site of the prosecutor's office and other judicial offices is the former residence of Echizennokami Ooka. Hibiya Park is to the east of Kasumigaseki, and the National Diet Building is to the west. The Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Chiyoda Line, and Hibiya Line pass through the area (stations are called Kasumigaseki).

[Kiyoshi Sawada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東京都千代田区南部、皇居南の桜田門から虎ノ門(とらのもん)一帯にかけての地区。古代、日本武尊(やまとたけるのみこと)が蝦夷(えみし)に備えて、大和(やまと)からはるか雲霞(うんか)を隔てたこの地に関所を設けたためにこの称があるという。山手(やまのて)台地にあり、江戸城に接し、城を守ることから、黒田氏、浅野氏ら20以上の諸大名の屋敷地となった。明治以後は、この広大な屋敷地が軍用地として利用された。関東大震災（1923）以後は中央官庁街として計画され、官庁の一つ外務省のあることから霞が関は外務省の代名詞に用いられるようになった。第二次世界大戦後は高層建築に建て直され、桜田通り（国道1号）のマロニエの並木樹とともに美観を呈している。文部科学省隣の霞が関ビルは日本最初の超高層ビルである。なお、検察庁など司法関係の官庁の地は、かつての大岡越前守(えちぜんのかみ)の邸跡である。霞が関の東に日比谷公園(ひびやこうえん)、西に国会議事堂がある。東京地下鉄丸ノ内線、千代田線、日比谷線が通る（駅名は霞ケ関）。

［沢田　清］

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