Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Life in Old Edo
Under Tokugawa rule, society was rigidly hierarchical. At the top were the
daimyō
(feudal lords) and their samurai. Then came the peasants - the farmers and fishermen
- and at the bottom were the
chōnin
, the townspeople. The layout of Edo, too, was di-
vided: On the elevated plain to the west of the castle was the
yamanote
(literally
mountain's hand), where the feudal elite built its estates. In the east, along the banks
of the Sumida-gawa, merchants and artisans - the
chōnin
- lived elbow to elbow in
wooden tenement houses in
shitamachi
(the low lying parts of Tokyo).
Wealth, however, didn't follow such neat lines; in reality, some
chōnin
grew fab-
ulously wealthy and enjoyed a lifestyle that thumbed its nose at the austerity pre-
scribed by the ruling class. It was they who patronised the kabuki theatre, sumō tour-
naments and the pleasure district of Yoshiwara, to the north of Asakusa.
Shitamachi Today
While official class distinctions were laid to rest along with feudalism in the 19th cen-
tury, the old city patterns remain. Former
shitamachi
districts to the east, such as
Asakusa, are still a tangle of alleys and tightly packed quarters, with more traditional
architecture, old-school artisans and small businesses.
Even today, the word
shitamachi
is used to describe such neighbourhoods that
come closest to approximating the spirit of old Edo. Those who've lived in such dis-
tricts for generations can call themselves
Edokko
, or children of Edo. Get to know
them and you'll find them down-to-earth and with a droll sense of humour. And even
some who don't qualify are finding themselves increasingly drawn to such neighbour-
hoods, which offer the human connections and warmth lacking in newer parts of the
city.
13
Komagata Dojō
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