“Bridge of Roots,” they call it. Here we stand before the \u6839\u65b9\u6a4b. It is a silent witness to Tokyo’s ever-changing story.
Nihonbashi, the area we are in, originated as a merchant district. This was around Edo Castle when the Edo shogunate was founded. The iconic Nihonbashi Bridge was completed in 1603. That same year marked the establishment of the Edo shogunate.
In 1604, Nihonbashi was designated the starting point of the Gokaido. These were the Five Routes of Japan. The town thrived as people and goods flowed in from across the country. Stores lined the streets. Mitsui Echigo-ya Gofukuten, which became Mitsukoshi, stood here. Shirokiya, later Tokyu Department Store, was also nearby. The area became the heart of Japan’s economy.
Nihonbashi flourished as a center. It was important for the economy, commerce, finance, logistics, and entertainment.
The Mitsui Group’s origins trace back to Nihonbashi. The Mitsui Echigo-ya Gofukuten kimono dealer was established here in 1673. For over 300 years, Nihonbashi has been linked to the Mitsui Group. Mitsui Fudosan Co. launched the Nihonbashi Revitalization Plan. The goal was to revitalize the area. The plan aimed to preserve, revive, and create. Public and private sectors joined to enliven Nihonbashi.
Nihonbashi is a historical district east of Tokyo Station. It lies in the center of Japan’s capital. Today, it has a modern and luxurious appearance. Yet, it holds a significant place in Tokyo’s feudal past. Back then the city was called Edo. It was crisscrossed by waterways. The neighborhood gets its name from the iconic Nihombashi Bridge. It was set up as Japan’s zero-mile marker.
Nihonbashi Bridge is a well-known image for Tokyo history buffs. They might have seen it in pictures or etchings. Or perhaps they saw its replica at the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Part of the 1911 stone version still stands. Sadly an aerial expressway disfigures it.
Visitors can travel back to the capital’s origins. This was during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. It was the central hub for transportation and commerce. The bridge was the starting point of the Edo Five Routes. These included the Tokaido and Nakasendo routes connecting Tokyo to Kyoto. It was the reference point for calculating distances. That was between Tokyo and other important cities. It still holds this function as Japan’s Zero Milestone.
Tokyo was once a city of water. It had many intersecting artificial waterways. These were built under Tokugawa Ieyasu’s shogunate. Most canals have disappeared today. You can discover some by boarding small cruise ships. The pier is next to Nihonbashi Bridge.
In the fall of 2020, renovation work began. The aim is to reopen the sky above Nihonbashi Bridge. They want to restore the view of Mount Fuji. The aerial highway, built for the 1964 Olympic Games, had obscured it. Part of the work involves burying the freeway. About 100,000 vehicles pass daily. The buried section will be 1.2 km long. The project aims to boost tourism and the environment. The estimated budget is ¥320 billion. The works are scheduled to end in 2040.
\u6839\u65b9\u6a4b stands as a testament to Tokyo’s past. It also represents the city’s continuous evolution. As we continue our tour, remember the stories beneath our feet. They echo through the ages right here at \u6839\u65b9\u6a4b.