Yokohama Nishi Ward

Description

Onko Chishin! Trek-trek Sketch in Nishi-ward: Hodogaya Road #4



Going down Hodogaya road, which was taken by many people heading to the port from Hodogaya-juku when Yokohama port was opened in late Edo period.

Passing through Fujidana 1st avenue shopping street and entering Nishimae shopping street. You can find many old shops including tableware shop, stationery shop and seaweed shop, and Ganjoji temple, which is one of the old temples in Nishi-ward is located nearby. It is said that Ganjoji temple was located on the side of Hodogaya road before.

After the shopping street, you will find a crossing and if you turn left, you will find Nishi-ward office. Very steep slope called “Kurayami-zaka” is located on your right side beyond the crossing. There are some theories of origin of this slope. Some say it was named after “鞍止み(saddle stoppage) because people used to climb the slope by stopping a horse due to its steepness. Others say it was named after “暗闇 (darkness)” because it was very dark due to too many trees.

Climbing up the steep slope, you will find Yokohama Municipal Nishi Junior High School on your right and Isemachi Mokusei Park on your left. On the side of the park, there are two small Hokora (small shrine). I graduated from Yokohama Municipal Nishi Junior High School. If I knew it was a historical road, I must have had different feelings when I climbed the slope.

If you walk for a while, you will get to a wide street which leads to Yokohama road. After going down Nogezaka slope from Noge Cutting, Yokohama port is getting closer.



Title, picture and writing by Taro Suzuki (Nishi ward Cultural Association)



※This is a sketch and writing published in Yokohama Public Relation Nishi ward edition since June 2013. Please be noted that there’s a possibility that information in the article may be changed.



(Published December in 2017)