Yotsuya

The area is located in the southeast of Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, west of JR Yotsuya Station. It is also the old name of the ward, and in 1947 (Showa 22) it was merged with Yodobashi and Ushigome wards to form Shinjuku Ward. The name is said to come from the fact that Koshu Kaido (National Route 20) runs through the area, and once had four tea houses (Yotsuya to Yotsuya), and that there are four eroded valleys nearby. Near JR Yotsuya Station, Yotsuya Mitsuke, an outer wall of Edo Castle, was located, and the stone walls from that time remain (both the station and the Mitsuke ruins belong to Chiyoda Ward). The road was widened and transformed into a modern shopping street. Yotsuya 4-chome, adjacent to Shinjuku Gyoen, is where the large wooden gate was established in 1616 (Genwa 2). South of Yotsuya Station is the entrance to the State Guest House (formerly Akasaka Imperial Palace). The Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line and Namboku Line run through the area.

[Kiyoshi Sawada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東京都新宿区南東部、JR四ツ谷駅西方の地区。旧区名でもあり、1947年（昭和22）淀橋(よどばし)、牛込(うしごめ)の各区と合併して新宿区となった。甲州街道（国道20号）が通り、かつて4軒の茶屋があったこと（四屋が四谷へ）、また、近くに四つの侵食谷があることが地名の由来という。JR四ツ谷駅付近は江戸城外郭の四谷見附(みつけ)が置かれ、当時の石垣が残っている（駅、見附跡とも千代田区に属する）。街道筋(すじ)は拡幅工事が進み近代的商店街へと変容した。新宿御苑(ぎょえん)に接する四谷4丁目は1616年（元和2）大木戸が設けられた所。四ツ谷駅の南は迎賓館（旧、赤坂離宮）の入口にあたる。東京地下鉄丸ノ内線・南北線が通じる。

［沢田　清］

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