Go Tokyo Your Experience
The Japanese variety show “What’s Wrong with the World?” recently explored the rumor of Tokyo’s border. In fact, during the Edo period, not only were boundaries established, but the location of the shogunate in Tokyo was also influenced by feng shui considerations.
Tokyo is an international metropolis that Chinese tourists often visit.
However, there is an urban legend circulating in this city: it is said that Tokugawa Ieyasu and his most trusted followers set up a barrier in Tokyo!
During the Edo period, the decision to establish a shogunate in Edo instead of Kyoto was also said to be based on feng shui reasons.
Many people believe that the boundaries and spells established by Tokugawa Ieyasu are related.
Spells are divided into good and bad, and many people believe that his barrier is designed to protect Japan.
Where exactly are these barriers hiding? What were the Feng Shui considerations for establishing the shogunate?
What is the world?
The professor pointed out that urban planning during the Edo period was aimed at establishing boundaries, including the location of the shogunate! The Ueno Tosho Palace in Ueno Park is considered one of the most important buildings.
Ueno Tosho Shrine is a shrine dedicated to worshipping Tokugawa Ieyasu as a deity, and it is also a key barrier.
Following the wish of Tokugawa Ieyasu when he was critically ill in 1616, he was placed in Ueno Tosho Palace with three retainers.
One of the retainers, Tenkai, who is also a monk, was the main driving force behind the layout of Tokyo’s borders and the planning of Edo city. Tokugawa Ieyasu entrusted the entire urban design of Edo to Tenkai.
At that time, Tianhai used the design concept of the “no” shape to allow Edo to expand infinitely and prosper sustainably. This design concept has been passed down to this day.
So, why was the shogunate established in Edo?
Originally, the geographical landscape of Edo is an ideal feng shui treasure trove!
To the east is the Sumida River, to the south is the Tokyo Bay, to the west is the Tokaido, and to the north is the Nikko Mountain, forming a pattern of “four gods corresponding”.
This feng shui pattern originated in ancient China, where it was believed that such an environment would bring prosperity because the coordination of the four sides provided a good cycle.
For the prosperity of the Edo period, Tenkai decided to establish the shogunate, also known as the capital, in Edo.
So, what is the boundary in urban legends? Japanese people have always valued cleanliness, and this idea has been at the core of their national culture from ancient times to the present.
In the urban design phase, Tianhai hopes to protect Edo from evil influences by establishing barriers. So he built four buildings in four directions in Edo, forming a barrier.
The first barrier was at Kan’ei Temple in Ueno. In 1925, Tianhai built Kan’ei Temple in the northeast of Edo to block the direction believed by ancient people to be a ghost gate and prevent the invasion of evil energy.
The second barrier is located at the famous tourist attraction Asakusa Temple. Due to the large area in the northeast, a double barrier is needed to protect the Ghost Gate and ensure the safety of Edo.
The third boundary is located at Zengshang Temple in Zhiyuan Park, Hong Kong. Because the southwest is the direction of the Rikuzen Gate, Zengshang Temple has become a barrier to strengthen defense and protect Edo from evil spirits.
The fourth barrier is the Nippori Shrine in Chiyoda Ward. There are stone statues of monkeys and monkeys arranged in front of the Nippori Shrine, specifically designed to guard the Ghost Gate and strengthen the barrier. Edo was thus protected by magic spells from contamination.
The location of the four barriers is not just for guarding the Ghost Gate. Connect Kan’ei Temple with Zengshang Temple, Asakusa Temple with Nippori Shrine, and their intersection is the location of the Imperial Palace!
The original intention of setting up the barrier was to protect the government centers of Japan, which were important residences for generals in ancient times.
Tianhai even considered the view from the air when designing the city. After the death of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Tenkai built the Tosho Palace according to his last wish, and there is still a legend of guarding Japan to this day.
What surprises many people is that Tokyo, as a beloved tourist destination, has some basis for its legendary boundaries. As early as the Edo period over 200 years ago, Tokugawa Ieyasu and his retainers had carefully laid the boundary for the prosperity of Edo and the future of Japan.
Why not visit the shrines where these barriers are located and experience them firsthand when visiting Tokyo in the future?