Map of Edo, Soto Sakurada Area - Kirie Zu

Catalog note / 解説

"Kiri-e Zu" This map shows Koji-machi, Kasumi-ga-seki, San-o Shrine, Akasaka area which was called, "Soto Sakurada". Soto Sakurada was the main housing area of various feudal lords who had to keep large palaces in Edo, next to Edo Castle. The "Sakurada Mon" Gate on upper right was the place where the assassination of Ii Naosuke (the lord of Hikone and Tairo (Great Councillor) of the Tokugawa Shogunate) took place in a snowy morning in March, 1860. Ii Naosuke was the man responsible for opening Japan to the West for which he was assassinated... This is one of so-called, "Owariya Ban Kiri-e Zu". They consist of 31 folded maps of different parts of Edo, published one by one during 1850-1865 by…