Willow Bridge - Yanagibashi

This area is located at the southeastern edge of Taito Ward, Tokyo. The name comes from Yanagibashi Bridge, which was built over the mouth of the Kanda River where it flows into the Sumida River. Currently, the name remains only in Taito Ward on the north bank of the Kanda River, but in Chuo Ward on the opposite bank, the area was called Motoyanagicho from the early Meiji period. Boat lodges for boating were established during the Keicho period (1596-1615), and developed into a stylish entertainment area with teahouses and a red-light district, which continued into the Meiji and Taisho periods. After the Great Kanto Earthquake, the area was rebuilt and prospered as a restaurant district on a par with Akasaka, but the scenery changed around 1960 due to the raising of the embankment, and the restaurant district disappeared. A wholesale district for toys, stationery, etc. was formed along Edo Street.

[Kikuchi Masao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東京都台東区(たいとうく)南東端の地区。地名は、神田川(かんだがわ)が隅田(すみだ)川へ流入する落口(おちぐち)に架けられた柳橋に由来する。現在地名は神田川北岸の台東区のみに残るが、対岸の中央区には明治初年以降元柳町の地名があった。慶長(けいちょう)年間（1596～1615）から船遊びのための船宿が発生し、待合茶屋などの粋(いき)な遊び場、花街へと発展、明治、大正時代へと受け継がれた。関東大震災にあったが復興し、赤坂と並ぶ料亭街として繁栄したが、1960年ごろからの堤防嵩上げなどによる景観の変化もあり、料亭街は消滅した。江戸通り沿いに玩具(がんぐ)、文具などの問屋街が形成されている。

［菊池万雄］

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