Feature Redevelopment of Railway Sites Redevelopment of Shiodome Yuro Nishikawa Palace); this interesting anecdote shows government’s limited finances at the time, History of Shiodome the continued efforts to reclaim land the track was laid to the less-expensive throughout the Edo Period (1603–1867). 3'6" (1067 mm) narrow-gauge Ieyasu Tokugawa (1542–1616), the first The final stage of the Edo waterfront specification then used commonly shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty development occurred with the building throughout the colonies of the British established his capital in Edo (today’s of the Odaiba Artillery Battery at Empire. However, Shigenobu Okuma Tokyo) in 1590, which until then had been Shinagawa to defend the coast against the (1838–1922), Minister of Finance in the a small garrisoned village with a regional so-called kurofune (Black Ships) from the Meiji government and twice Prime castle belonging to the Hojo aristocratic west. US Commodore Mathew Calbraith Minister in later years, greatly regretted family from Odawara. Perry (1794–1858) landed in 1853 in not building the tracks to standard gauge. At that time, Edo was nothing in Uraga along Edo Bay to start forced Notwithstanding this, construction comparison to Osaka and Kyoto and the negotiations about establishing diplomatic proceeded simultaneously from both the rolling hills of the Musashino Plateau and commercial relations with the USA Shinagawa and Yokohama ends until extended to the coastline which ran from and the ensuing social turmoil triggered resistance from trackside residents and the today’s JR East Tamachi Station parallel the collapse of the bakufu and the Meiji military forced a realignment on newly to Hibiya Dori passing just by Zojoji Restoration in 1867. The main pillars of reclaimed land at Takanawa-kaigan Temple then cutting in the direction of the new Meiji government’s policy to between Shiba and Shinagawa. Despite Kasumigaseki and extending directly enrich and strengthen the country were these temporary setbacks, Japan’s first below Edo castle standing at the headland rapid development of steel manufacturing railway was opened by the Meiji Emperor of the Hibiya inlet. As a result, the area and a distribution system for agricultural (1852–1912) on 14 October 1872. around today’s Shiodome was shallow products through the introduction of The Meiji Emperor departed from tidal flats used for fishing shrimp, etc. railways. In 1868, the new government Shimbashi Station for Yokohoma to the After establishing Edo as his capital, decided to build the first line between echoes of a 101-gun salute and the train Ieyasu’s first act was to rebuild Edo castle; Tokyo and Kobe passing through Kyoto hauled by a steam locomotive belching the outer fortifications were constructed and Osaka. Financing and technical black smoke covered the 29 km between of large stones carried from the Izu know-how for the line construction were Shimbashi and Yokohama in just 54 Peninsula and the soil from the mound both obtained from Great Britain, the minutes for an average speed (including excavations was used to fill-in the Hibiya leading railway power of the day. stops) of 32.8 km/h. This speed astonished inlet. After the establishment of the bakufu However, in addition to the problem of Japanese people at that time who military government in 1603, various choosing whether to lay the main line exclaimed that it was like ‘…travelling on daimyo (feudal lords) were ordered to along the route of the old Tokaido or the wind’ and many people came to the continue filling in the tidal flats, Nakasendo highways, there was also station or lined the track just to see the reclaiming the land from Nihombashi severe resistance to trains from villagers train. The departure whistle at Shimbashi Hamacho to Shimbashi. The military living along the proposed alignments and Station even became the subject of a government put a great deal of effort into from packhorse transport operators. popular song. After its opening, the station planning a city with an extensive network Furthermore, the military was opposed to environ soon became a venue for young of canals for transporting goods. tracks on their land facing Tokyo Bay, urbane Japanese and intellectuals and a By the time of the fourth shogun, Ietsuna delaying the start of construction even symbol of Japan’s modernity. However, Tokugawa (1651–80), the Hibiya inlet had further. And the general populace did not with the opening of Tokyo Station in 1914, been completely reclaimed and the lords really understand the usefulness of passenger departures were moved to who had undertaken the reclamation were railways and ‘…did not want the sparks Karasumori Station (today’s Shimbashi building their Edo manor houses. (from the steam locomotives) causing fires Station) and the first Shimbashi Station was Shiodome was the site of the suburban in the city.’ renamed Shiodome Station and became residences of the lords of Sendai and Aizu On advice from British railway engineers, a freight terminal. clans. The south-east side of Shiodome, it was decided to build an example The importance of Shiodome was which was sea at the time, was ceded to railway first to demonstrate the usefulness captured in the phrase ‘Shiodome for the Ietsuna’s brother, Tsunashige (1644–78), of railways and construction of a line east and Umeda (in Osaka) for the west’ who reclaimed it to create the Hamagoten between Shimbashi in Tokyo and and Shiodome remained Japan’s most (Hama Palace, now Hama Detached Yokohama started in 1869. Due to important freight yard throughout the 48 Japan Railway & Transport Review 35 • July 2003 Copyright © 2003 EJRCF. All rights reserved. Kinshicho (Tokyo) and Umeda (Osaka). In May of the same year, the government- based consultative committee started work and in July, JNR established the in- house Shiodome Freight Yard Basic Concept Research Group. Investigations were made by government bodies, JNR, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), and the local councils of Tokyo’s Minato and Chuo wards. In February 1986, the then National Land Agency, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction established the Shiodome Area Planning Investigation Committee (SAPIC), which reported the results of its investigations in August 1988. The JNRSC had been established in April of the same year and discussions were held with JNRSC Asset Management Committee about the handing over of large areas of old JNR land as part of the land usage reforms. The development of Map of Shibaguchi-Minami Nishikubo Atagoshita wood-block print published by Owariya (1855 revision) showing Shiodome area during Edo period (Tokyo Metropolitan Archives) Shiodome within the land usage plans was discussed in September 1988. Taisho (1912–26) and Showa (1926–89) a result, the 1987 privatization and In addition, the in-depth investigation of periods. In particular, Shiodome division of JNR also saw the closure of SAPIC proceeded and a report into the increased rapidly in importance following Shiodome as a freight yard in October that committee’s findings was presented in the 1936 establishment of the Tokyo year, ending its 114-year history at the March 1989. The results of the JNRSC Metropolitan Wholesale Market in Tsukiji heart of Japanese railways. were integrated with the SAPIC report and handling shipments of fruits, vegetables, As part of the railway reforms, ownership the findings were presented at the 9th and fish for Tokyo, nicknamed Japan’s of the abandoned 22-ha Shiodome yard Meeting of the Asset Management kitchen. It also played a major role in was transferred in April 1988 to the JNR Committee in February 1991. Japan’s postwar revitalization. Settlement Corporation (JNRSC) The policy concepts were to create an However, the modern era gradually crept responsible for selling surplus JNR land internationalized multi-functional city up on Shiodome with the opening of the and paying down the remaining JNR space through: Meishin Expressway between Nagoya and liabilities, marking a new beginning in the • Introduction of state-of-the-art office Kobe in 1965 and the volume of freight history of this land, which was reclaimed functions suiting creation of a new handled by the yard dropped steadily from from Tokyo Bay in the early Edo period international business base its peak of 3.35 million tonnes in 1961 as and ended as a freight yard in the late • Building of residential space to long-distance trucking businesses Showa Period. revitalize the city core gradually took a larger market share. To • Introduction of various transport counter this drop in freight business, Japan Detailed Examination of modes, city amenities, etc. National Railways (JNR) endeavored to Land Usage Plan • Consolidation of transport improve rail-freight services by starting infrastructure with convenient and containerized shipments but the shift to a In April 1984, the Cabinet Economic spacious terminals for good national motorized society during the period of Reform Council started examining and international connections via high economic growth in the 1970s was concrete measures for making effective shinkansen, railways and expressways characterized by a major decline in the use of national land, including large role of railways in freight distribution. As freight yards like Shiodome, Shinjuku, The land usage plan proposed dividing the Copyright © 2003 EJRCF. All rights reserved. Japan Railway & Transport Review 35 • July 2003 49 Redevelopment of Railway Sites Figure 1 Shiodome Development Plan Hibiya Dori Station Shimbashi Outline of City Plan Zone B The Shiodome development covers a very Ring Roa Zone A large area of central city land. To ensure d No. 2 Zone C integrated development in harmony with the surrounding area, the report of the JNRSC Asset Management Committee Zone E proposed that the JNRSC and TMG work D1 Kaigan Dori together on the town planning basic D3 Zone F D2 concept as follows: • TMG would perform the town Zone D planning work to assure development D4 Zone G with high public benefit.