Kosuge

This area is located on the western edge of Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, near where the Ayase River joins the Arakawa River. It is home to Kosuge Junction, which connects the Metropolitan Expressway Route 6 Misato Line and the Central Circular Route, and is close to Tobu Railway's Kosuge Station on the Isesaki Line (Adachi Ward). The "suge" in the area's name means "thatched grass," and it is said that the area was named after the fact that this low-lying marshland was covered in grass. During the Edo period, the area was a hunting ground and the Kosuge Palace was located here. Later, the Edo Town Hall rice warehouse was built here, and 32 buildings were built to store approximately 600,000 bales of rice for disaster preparedness. At the end of the Edo period, the Kosuge Zeniza was established here, and four-mon coins were minted. The area is now Nishi-Kosuge Elementary School. In 1869 (Meiji 2), Kosuge Prefectural Office was established, but after the prefectural office was abolished (1871), a brick factory was built on the site. Currently, it is known as the site of the modern Tokyo Detention House.

[Kiyoshi Sawada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東京都葛飾区(かつしかく)西端、綾瀬(あやせ)川が荒川に合流する地点近くにある地区。首都高速道路6号三郷(みさと)線と中央環状線をつなぐ小菅ジャンクションがあり、東武鉄道伊勢崎(いせさき)線小菅駅（足立(あだち)区）に近い。地名の菅(すげ)は茅(かや)のことで、低湿地のこの地に茅が多く茂っていたことが地名の由来という。江戸時代には狩猟地であって小菅御殿があった。その後、江戸町会所の籾倉(もみくら)を建てた所で、32棟約60万俵の災害準備米が貯蔵された。なお、江戸末期には小菅銭座(こすげぜにざ)が置かれ、四文銭が鋳造された。その地は現在の西小菅小学校である。1869年（明治2）には小菅県庁が置かれたが、県庁廃止（1871）後に跡地にれんが製造所がつくられた。現在は近代的設備の東京拘置所のあることで知られる。

［沢田　清］

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