the nomin, who were specifically restricted to their mura (village) or their allotted farmlands, chnin, or city dwellers, were allowed much more personal freedom for travel and even in their choice of residence. Although considered at the bottom rung of society, many merchants were often able to purchase respect from the upper classes with their newly found wealth and to live reasonably well. For the most part, though, the vast number of ch
Wards were divided into small blocks called machi (town) or ch (city-block-size area). The ch
In the mornings, the local residents would wash their faces and brush their teeth at the central well. During the day, the women would gather there to wash rice and vegetables, prepare fish, and wash clothes. In the evenings, people gathered in the small squares, sitting on thin straw mats and gossiping with their neighbors. To prevent the spread of disease as well as to maintain security from roving bands of troublemakers, the gates to each local neighborhood were tightly sealed at night. Local citizens took turns as neighborhood watchmen, closing the community gates and maintaining guard at night over their respective areas.
Most of the neighborhoods were named after the nearest hashi (bridge) linking the intricate system of rivers and canals. Thus, such areas became known as Edo-bashi, Take-bashi, Asakusa-bashi, and so on.13 The bridges usually had a wide square at either end that served as both a marketplace and meeting area for the local residents.
These busy squares often included clusters of chaya (teahouses), small restaurants, and portable food stalls selling refreshments and snacks. Because the climate made it difficult to store food (other than pickled vegetables or dried grains such as rice) and the housing tended to be rather small and cramped with limited cooking space available, most Edo residents ate many of their meals at such establishments. The variety of food and entertainment available in these small businesses depended on the location and their clientele.
The major avenues through the shita-machi were fairly broad and lined with a variety of different stores and shops. Between and behind these buildings, though, the narrow back alleys twisted and turned through the workshops and homes of various artisans, skilled craftsmen, merchants, and common laborers. Most craftsmen and laborers tended to gather in the same areas as others involved in their trade, so many such small districts were also named by the kind of workers living there. Thus, some neighborhoods consisting of complicated back alleys and narrow side streets became known as Tatami-machi (tatami- or straw-mat-maker town), Oke-machi (bucket-maker town), Daiku-machi (carpenter town), or Kaji-machi (blacksmith town).
Edo no hana (flowers of Edo)
Most buildings were constructed primarily of wood and paper. For heating and cooking, people depended on charcoal braziers and stoves. Oil lamps with open flames were often used for indoor lighting. As a result, there were many fires. In fact, fires were so common, they were known as Edo no hana (flowers of Edo).
During the early years, the various daimy
To prevent future disasters and to guard against urban fires, the Tokugawa sh
In case of a building fire, the hikeshi were mainly concerned with containing damage and preventing the flames from spreading to other structures. Thus, the hikeshi primarily employed a number of tobi-ninsku14 (building construction specialists) to quickly tear down the burning structure and any surrounding houses or buildings to create firebreaks. In addition to the tobi-nins
Frequently seen leading the processions in local festival parades, the matoi was much more than a simple unit banner. A matoi consisted of many strips of either very thick paper or soft cloth strung from a single pole. During a fire, the hikeshi would use a small hand-operated pump called a ryudosui (dragon spitting water) to soak the matoi strips. Then the matoi-mochi would station themselves on the peaks of nearby buildings and spin the matoi by twisting the pole back and forth. Burning embers rising in the heated air would either be trapped in the matoi and extinguished by the water-drenched strips or be pushed back to the source by the gusts created by the spinning strips.
Replacements would line up on the roof peak behind the person turning the matoi. Should the first matoi-mochi succumb to smoke inhalation or heat from the fire
