Hamacho
Hamacho
Station
lies on the Toei
Shinjuku Line in the Hamacho neighborhood
of Nihonbashi in Chuo Ward
of Tokyo.
Hamacho
is the name of the area between
Ryogoku-bashi and Eitai-bashi Bridges
in Nihonbashi. during the Edo period
it used to be a seashore, hence
the name “Hamacho, Nihonbashi”,
literally meaning “Seashore Town”.
Facing the shore was the Sumida
River, and all along the river were
the mansions and storehouses of
many local clans. Craftsmen of Edo
also moved into the area and Hamacho
became known as a craftsmen town.
With both the craftsmen and the
clans in the area, Hamacho became
one of the most stylish towns of
Edo. Much of the Edo spirit and
traditional atmosphere remains in
Hamacho, Meiji-za Theater and Hamacho
Park being testimony to this. Today
Hamacho is also known for its many
upper class Japanese restaurants
that serve the traditional style
of Japanese cuisines.
Meiji-za
Theater
Meiji-za
Theater is a theater that boasts
a history of more than 130 years.
It was opened in 1873 during the
Meiji era by
the first Kabuki actor, Ichikawa
Sadanji. In
commemoration of the 100th anniversary,
it underwent complete renovation
and was re-opened in 1993 as a completely
new 18-story building. The seats
on the first floor have been installed
with
a steep slope and minimum overlooking
angle, while those on the second
and third floor are so designed
as to minimize the angle at which
the audience has to look down. In
other words, all the seats are comfortable
and offer the best possible visibility.
The theater's elaborate performance
space has also been equipped with
all the state-of-the-art facilities
and hardware for latest theatrical
tricks. The Entrance Hall has marble
floor and walls. There is also a
Theater Museum in the building which
displays works by great modern Japanese
artists; a Restaurant that serves
excellent food; a Coffee Shop that
serves coffee and sandwiches; and
a Souvenir Shop with a good selection
of souvenirs from all over Japan.
At
Meiji-za Theater, everything can
be enjoyed – from kabuki
to musicals or from Eastern to Western
shows. It is located just 1 minute
walk from Hamacho Station Exit A2.
Hamacho
Park
Hamacho
Park is located near Hamacho Station
along the Sumida River. This Park
also dates back to Edo times and
originally belonged to the Hosokawa
family. After the family handed
over the park to the city, it was
opened as a Chuo Ward public park
in 1929. It is today the largest
park in the ward covering an area
of 40,000 m². Hamacho Park
has a lot of greenery with lots
of cherry trees whose blossoms are
a treat during spring. Besides the
grassy walking paths and flowerbeds,
the park also has large
sports facilities both within the
grounds and a building, a children's
playground, and a small Buddhist
temple.
