Leaving Palaceside Building for a stroll to Edo Castle’s Shimizu-mon, we recently introduced the stone steps up into Kitanomaru Park — “Gangi-zaka.”
But we were told Gangi-zaka is not only at Edo Castle. A quick web search turns up several.
Nearby is Kanda-Surugadai 1-chome, Chiyoda Ward＝photo above. About 100 meters south of JR Ochanomizu Station toward Yasukuni-dori, on the road between Ochanomizu Kyoun Building / Sundai Prep Ochanomizu No. 1 and Nihon University School of Dentistry Hospital / Kyoundo Hospital — also called “Ko-zakura-dori”＝see map. There are no stone steps now; the slope is very gentle (the slope toward Yasukuni-dori on the left of the photo and downward on the map is much steeper).
A sign placed by the Chiyoda Board of Education reads:
“Though nothing of it remains today, this was once a steep slope fitted with gangi — ladders or stairways of timber to make climbing easier, as on mountain paths. The ‘New Selected Illustrated Famous Places of Tokyo’ says: ‘The slope between Surugadai-Nishikobai-machi and Kitakoga-machi toward Fukuro-machi is called Gangi-zaka. On the Edo pictorial map of the Keio era, around the present Kyoundo Hospital it is marked “Ganki-zaka” (as in the original).’” (Keio era: 1865–1868.)
The next “Gangi-zaka” is Azabudai 1-chome, Minato Ward. Stone steps remain, so it still has atmosphere＝photos upper left and upper right. The Minato Ward sign, however, does not mention historical background.
One more. Nationally the best known may be Osaka Castle＝photos upper left and lower right.
The sign here is detailed:
“The ninomaru around Osaka Castle’s main keep is lower on the north; this passage along the inner moat on the east runs steeply from south to north. In the Edo period it was a long stone stairway (gangi), hence Gangi-zaka; at the top stood Gangi-zaka Gate with rooms above, and a guard post beside it. After the Meiji Restoration, under army control it was also called Daradara-zaka.
Today earth fill has eased the grade.”
So “Gangi-zaka” is a common noun, not a proper name.
There is a private group, the Japan Slope Society; its website (http://sakagakkai.org/) lists these three Gangi-zaka among slopes nationwide.