Totsuka

Wards and districts in the southwest of Yokohama City. This district became Totsuka Ward in 1939 (Showa 14), and in 1969 (Showa 44) the northern part was separated to form Seya Ward, and in 1986 it was further divided into three wards: Totsuka, Sakae, and Izumi. The JR Tokaido Main Line, Yokosuka Line, and National Route 1 run north to south through the center of the district, Yokohama Municipal Subway Line 1 runs east to west, the Negishi Line runs to the south, and the Sagami Railway Izumino Line runs to the north. The valleys of the main and tributaries of the Kashio River, through which the Tokaido Main Line runs, are eroded valleys in the southern Tama Hills. The area around these valleys has been open since ancient times, and a group of ancient tombs can be seen on the surrounding hills, which is said to be the origin of the place name Tomizuka. The area was once the Totsuka post station on the Tokaido road, and in 1604 (Keicho 9), it was designated as a post station for horse-drawn carriages, slightly later than other post stations, and flourished as it was located halfway between Edo and Odawara. The post station is made up of three towns: Totsuka, Yoshida, and Yabe. At the time of the post station's establishment, only Tomizuka (Totsuka) formed a town, and the rest of the area was rural with fields. During World War II, large inland factories producing chemicals, rubber, electrical appliances, and food products from the Keihin area moved in, and the area is now included in the eastern part of the Shonan industrial region. In recent years, large public and private housing complexes have been built on the hills, and this area is a doughnut-shaped area of ​​rapid population growth in Yokohama city.

To the northeast, south of Sakaigi Pass on the old Tokaido Road, at Shinanozaka, a milepost (prefecturally designated historic site) remains in nearly its original form. Also, the row of pine trees along National Route 1 from Gumizawa-cho west of Totsuka-cho to Harajuku-cho recalls the old Tokaido Road. The cherry trees on the banks of the Kashio River, once renowned as a famous flower spot, have been replenished and newly planted with the cooperation of local residents and factories that have moved in, preserving their beautiful scenery. The large straw sandals (approximately five meters long) along the Kamakura Kaido Road in Shimokurata-cho, close to the Tokaido Main Line, are famous as a symbol of prayers for safe travels. Shobodaiji Temple in Kamigo-cho, Sakae Ward is said to have been built by Minamoto no Yoritomo for Sanada Yoshitada, who was killed in the Battle of Ishibashiyama, and the wooden statues of Amida Nyorai and his two attendant attendants are designated as important cultural properties by the national government. Many worshippers visit the Taya Cave in the grounds of Josenji Temple in Taya-cho, Sakae Ward.

[Yukio Asaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

横浜市南西部の区名および地区名。この地区は、1939年（昭和14）戸塚区となり、1969年（昭和44）北部が分離して瀬谷(せや)区が設置され、さらに1986年戸塚、栄(さかえ)、泉(いずみ)の3区に分区された。地区のほぼ中央部を南北にJR東海道本線・横須賀(よこすか)線と国道1号、東西に横浜市営地下鉄1号線、南部に根岸(ねぎし)線、また北部に相模(さがみ)鉄道いずみ野線が通じる。東海道本線の通る柏尾(かしお)川の本・支流の谷は、多摩丘陵(たまきゅうりょう)南部の侵食谷である。これらの谷を中心とする一帯は古くから開け、周辺の丘陵上には古墳群がみられ、これにちなんで富塚(とみづか)といわれたのが地名の起源とされる。東海道の戸塚宿があった所で、1604年（慶長9）に一般の宿場町よりもわずか遅れて伝馬宿に定められ、江戸―小田原間の中間にあたっていて栄えた。宿内は戸塚、吉田、矢部の3町からなり、宿の成立当時、町場を形成していたのは富塚（戸塚）あたりだけで、ほかは田畑の広がる農村地帯であった。第二次世界大戦中から京浜の化学、ゴム、電気器具、食料品などの内陸型大工場が進出し、湘南工業地域(しょうなん)の東部に入れられている。近年、丘陵上には公私の大規模住宅団地が建設され、この地区は横浜市域における人口のドーナツ型急増地域である。

　北東の旧東海道の境木(さかいぎ)峠を南へ下った品濃(しなの)坂には一里塚（県指定史跡）が原型に近い形を残している。また、戸塚町の西の汲沢(ぐみざわ)町から原宿町にかけた国道1号沿いの松並木には旧東海道のおもかげがしのばれる。花の名所とうたわれた柏尾川堤のサクラは、いまも地元民と進出工場の協力で補植、新植されてよい風致を保っている。東海道本線に近い下倉田(しもくらた)町の鎌倉街道沿いの大わらじ（長さ約5メートル）は道中安全祈願を受け継ぐものとして有名。栄区上郷(かみごう)町の証菩提寺(しょうぼだいじ)は、源頼朝(よりとも)が石橋山合戦で討ち死にした佐奈田義忠(さなだよしただ)のために建立したものといわれ、木造阿弥陀(あみだ)如来及両脇侍像は国指定重要文化財。栄区田谷(たや)町にある定泉(じょうせん)寺境内の田谷洞窟(どうくつ)へは参拝者が多い。

［浅香幸雄］

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