Shinkawa | a canal built in Edo period
is a canal connecting Arakawa and Nakagawa to Edogawa River
. It was called Funaborigawa River
. Soon After Ieyasu Tokugawa
moved to Edo
in 1590, he dag Onagigawa and Funaborigawa to build a waterway to Edogawa River to bring salt made in Gyotoku
to Edo. This canal had become a main artery that brought thousands of
products from northern part of Japan to Edo during Edo period
. About 60 ferries had passed through it every day. There are many temples
existing in Funabori, Ichinoe and Kasai that could tell it prosperity at
that time. Moreover, there had been many pear gardens producing 'Shinkawa
Nashi' in the south side of Shinkawa River from late Edo period to Taisho
Era and the pears were very popular among people in Edo. It was written
on a signboard in Sinkawaguchi Jidokoen Parrk in the east end of the canal,
and the stone monument of Shinkawa Nashi is preserved in Jokoji Temple
Visitors could enjoy seeing thousands of cherry trees and some wooden Edo
style buildings along Shinkawa River. Why don't you visit the river?
Shinkawa River is a historical asset by Edogawaku registered in Febraury 12 of 1986
By the late Sengoku period, a waterway from Edogawa River
had passed through Furukawa River then it had entered Shinkawa at Sankaku
to go west.
Soon after Ieyasu Tokugawa
moved to Edo
in 1590, he ordered building a new waterway connecting to Gyotoku
including the waterway above, then building Dosan Bori Canal and Onagigawa
River and it was completed.
In 1629, a new waterway had dug in the east of Shinkawabashi Brigde now standing and connected the western part of the canal, therefore the canal is now called Shinkawa River. After that, Shinkawa became the waterway to bring salt produced in Gyotoku to Edo. At that time, the area was very prosperous, there were many shops dealing with soy sauce and miso and many restaurants opened along the river.
Shinkawa River had been developed as an important waterway connecting to
Edogawa and Tonegawa River
for thousands of ships and ferries to bring various kinds of products
and people from the eastern part of Japan to Edo.
However, the both eastern and western lock gate was closed in early Showa era and the ships and ferries were disappeared after the construction of Arakawa Drainage Canal had completed.
Moreover, tall bank protections along Shinkawa River built since the ground around these areas had sank by dipping up too much subterranean water during the high growth phase of Japna in the middle of the 20th century, so people had lost any intrest in the river.
From 1993, the banks of Shinkawa River have been rebuilt as strong as an earthquake-resistance measure, some water parks have been built and thousands of cherry trees along it have been planted. Now it has become as an oasis in the urban area in Tokyo
and residents enjoy visiting.
Many beautiful azaleas bloom along Shinkawa River from the east end to
A Walk Along Shinkawa River
In spring, thousands of sakura along it beautifully bloom.
A fire lookout and an old lock gate are the symbols.
Ukita is the mother land of Kasai, and there are beautiful parks.
It sounds like a secret garden, it has a ume and a rose garden.
There are many temples in this small areas.
It has beautiful gardens and stylish architecters in it.
The Photo Movie of Shinkawa Senbon Zakura