One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: Eko-in Temple in Ryogoku and Motoyanagibashi Bridge 名所江戸百景　両ごく回向院元柳橋

“Fights and fires are the flowers of Edo.” Fires broke out frequently in the Edo period, but the one with the highest toll was a catastrophe of unprecedented scale, the Great Meireki Fire of 1657. The Tokugawa shogunate built the Eko-in Temple in Ryogoku to perform services for the repose of the souls of those who died in that fire. The Eko-in then became the site of unveilings in Edo of the principal objects of devotion and other images from temples throughout Japan. These special events attracted large crowds, and over time the area around the temple became one of Edo’s most popular entertainment districts. Sumo matches came to be held frequently at the Eko-in during the Tenmei era (1781-89). From 1833 on it was the site of two regular tournaments a year. In this ukiyo-e print, Hiroshige has depicted the drum tower that symbolizes both the Eko-in and sumo. In the Edo period, this tower would be built without the use of a single nail or piece of wire. It was constructed of hinoki cypress logs bound together with rice straw. In the Meiji period, the many stalls displaying spectacles and other forms of entertainment that had clustered in the area were gradually removed, and the lively entertainment district with its special Edo atmosphere was lost. In 1909, however, the old Ryogoku Stadium was built there. When sumo tournaments were not being held, the stadium was used for expositions and other events. The old Ryogoku Stadium, which continued in use for sumo and other events until January, 1944, was transformed into a modern entertainment area.