A Walk around Ryogoku (Part 1) / 両国の散歩 （パート１）

Although the Edo Tokyo Museum is located in Ryogoku, it wasn't my main reason for walking around the neighborhood. Ryogoku is also home to the Ryogoku Kokugikan - the major building for Japan's supreme sport, sumo. But even the Ryogoku Kokugikan wasn't the reason for our walk around this neighborhood. No, last month I read a book that mentioned a park just north of the Ryogoku Kokugikan where there is a couple of monuments dedicated to those people who lost their lives in the Great Kanto Earthquake and Fire of 1923 and to the American Firebombing of Tokyo between 1942 and 1945. I went looking for the monuments and found that in a place called Yokoamicho Park. I'm sure most people are familiar with the Great Kanto Earthquake but I think few Americans are familiar with the huge loss of lives suffered by the Japanese from the American firebombing. I don't even recall studying this in my history class at school. Maybe it's because the American government knew they were in the wrong by bombing the city and killing hundreds or thousands of women and children!! It reminded of the movie "Best Wishes for Tomorrow", where 18 members of the Japanese Imperial Army were put on trial because the American government said the Japanese didn't follow the "Rules of Engagement" and yet, it was the American government who dropped bombs on areas that were not even considered military targets. Hmm? So, who exactly is not following those "Rules of Engagement"?

江戸東京初物館は両国にありますが、博物館の為に両国に来た訳ではございません。両国が有名なのはやっぱり両国国技館。相撲の名所です。でも相撲か力士に会うために両国に来た訳ではない。じゃなぜここに散歩したかったって？先月ある一冊の本を読んで、両国国技館のちょっと北にある公園に関東大震災と世界第二大戦で犠牲になれた人々の記念碑があると書いてあった。僕はどうしてもそこに行ってみたかったです。探してみたら、横編町公園にたどり着いた。皆は関東大震災の話を良く知ってると思いますが、アメリカ兵が第二大戦に日本本土空襲を実行してた。アメリカ政府によると、狙いは日本の軍事施設と説明しましたが、それは真赤の嘘です。たどの日本市民の殺し合いだったっと僕が思う。僕が学生時代にもちろん原爆の話は教えますが、日本本土空襲のことは全然教えてもらった覚えはありません。それはアメリカ政府が自分たちが悪いことをしたと知ってたんじゃないかと思う。だって大勢で犠牲になったのは女性と子供ばっかり。「明日への遺言」の映画を観た時もやっぱりアメリカ政府の対応はおかしいと思った。罪のない人間を犠牲にして、捕まったアメリカ兵を死刑にされたこと、アメリカ政府が許せなかったことは変の思いませんか？

This is where the bones and ashes of the victims of the Great Kanto Earthquake and American Firebombing are kept.

扉の前に書いてるあるサインを読むと：この場所には関東大震災・都内戦災遭難者のご遺骨が納骨されています。

This is the monument dedicated to the children lost in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923.

この記念碑は関東大震災で犠牲になった子供たちの為に建てられた。

"Dwelling of Remembrance" / 「記憶の場所」

Monument in Memory of of Victims of the Tokyo Air Raids and in the Pursuit of Peace.

東京空襲犠牲者を追追悼し平和を祈念する碑

This monument was dedicated to the Koreans living Japan who lost their lives in the Great Kanto Earthquake.

こちらの記念碑は日本在住の朝鮮人の為に建てられたものです。

Yokoami Open Gallery / 横編町公園復興記念館

Unfortunately the gallery was closed by the time we walked around the park.

残念ながら、公園に来た時、復興記念館はもう閉店でした。

But there was quite a few items on display outside.

でも震災記念野外ギャラリーのものいろいろ見れました。

Melted metal off a building from the Great Kanto Earthquake and Fire of 1923.


Mass of Melted Iron Pillar / 鉄柱の溶かたまり

Mass of Melted Nails / 釘の溶塊

Burnt Torpedo / 魚形水雷

Broken Main Water Pipe / 破壊した大鉄管

Wreckage of a Concrete Pillar / 鉄筋コンクリート柱

Broken Torii Pillar / 鳥居の柱

Burnt Electro-Motor / 百馬力電動機

Burnt Printing Machine / 印刷機

Remains of a Burnt Car / 自動車の焼骸

There are a few more places I want to introduce you to that are located in Ryogoku but as they have nothing to do with war and disaster, I thought I would write about them on a separate post.

まだ両国で紹介した場所がありますが、戦争や遭難とは関係ないので別のポストで書きます。