Shimizu Gate again.
This time, into Shiba Shōtarō's world. Since July 10 The Mainichi Newspapers' Tokyo edition has run a series "Walking with Onihei: Edo and Tokyo Then and Now" (Fridays). Based on his masterpiece Onihei Hankachō, it walks related sites and explores the city's past and present. Episode 1 is "The Official Residence Outside Shimizu Gate" = lower right photo.
A short quote:
"Heading along Uchibori-dori toward Kudanshita Station, you see the modern 23-story Chiyoda Ward Office / Kudan No. 3 Government Building. It stands on the site of an Edo-period official residence (goyōyashiki), and it is still an official residence of sorts. In Shiba's Onihei Hankachō, this is the residence of the fire and theft magistrate's office led by 'Oni no Heizo' Hasegawa Heizo — the hitsuke tōzoku aratame-kata (also read kōtō aratame-kata).
"
"An 'official residence' (yakudai) combined office and official quarters. With Shimizu Gate across the street, 'the official residence outside Shimizu Gate' became its byname."
Yes — Onihei's residence was the Chiyoda Ward Office. In the photo above, a bit dark in the foreground shadow, you can see the ward office tower straight ahead beyond the Kōrai gate of Shimizu Gate, on the extension of the long earthen bridge between Shimizu-bori and Ushigafuchi.
I did not really know this layout before; once I did, walking that neighborhood felt different.
The series is by digital editor Kenichi Komatsu. Episode 2: "The Hasegawa Residence and the 'Bell of Time'"; 3: "Iron in Honjo"; 4: "The Nagaya in Yotsuya"; 5: "Iroha Teahouse in Yanaka"; the latest, 6: "The Village of Negishi" (August 21). Episode 7 will be "Hatchōbori" (no installment on the 28th).