Akasaka

The general name for the area around Akasaka-mon Gate. There are many theories on the origin of the area's name, including that it was a saka (Kinokuni-zaka Hill) which lead to Akaneyama (the land of the Kii Tokugawa residence, which was once said to have produced akane (Japanese madder)) and that it was a place with a red dirt hill. From the early Edo Period, a large number of Daimyo (feudal lords) residences and homes of vassals of the shogun, and thus surrounded by the homes of the samurai class, the area formed into a region with many tradesmen and merchant homes and temples. Nishiki-e often pictured fields of paulownia trees and Kinokuni-zaka Hill (so named as it was along the side of the Kii Tokugawa residence). Paulownia trees were planted as reinforcement for the cisterns as they are fast growing trees.

Nishiki-e and Paintings

名所江戸百景　赤坂桐畑

赤坂桐畑

名所江戸百景　赤坂桐畑雨中夕けい

赤坂桐畑雨中夕けい

名所江戸百景　紀の国坂赤坂溜池遠景

紀の国坂赤坂溜池遠景

Photos

東京景色写真版

赤坂御所

日本之名勝

弁慶橋より赤阪市街を望む

雪の東京

溜池橋

日本陸海軍写真帖

陸軍大学校

日本陸海軍写真帖

第一師団司令部

最新東京名所写真帖

御新営の東宮御所

東京名所写真帖 : Views of Tokyo [2]

赤坂弁慶橋

東京風景

弁慶橋

東京風景

東宮御所

日本写真帖

青山離宮

東京府名勝図絵

東宮御所

東京府名勝図絵

米国大使館

Other Materials

• 赤坂御門（本文）　松濤軒斎藤長秋 著 et.al, "江戸名所図会 7巻 [8]" (須原屋茂兵衛[ほか] 1834)
• 赤坂氷川社（挿絵）　松濤軒斎藤長秋 著 et.al, "江戸名所図会 7巻 [8]" (須原屋茂兵衛[ほか] 1834)
• 氷川明神（赤坂氷川社）（本文）　松濤軒斎藤長秋 著 et.al, "江戸名所図会 7巻 [8]" (須原屋茂兵衛[ほか] 1834)

Landmarks around Akasaka

Toranomon　Kasumigaseki　Sanno Gongen Shrine　Atagoyama　Atagoshita　Sotosakurada　Zojo-ji Temple　Akabane　Hibiya　Kojimachi