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| ]''This article is about the geographical area called Yamanote. For the ] (JR East) commuter line, see ].'' | |||
| {{nihongo|'''Shitamachi'''|下町||literally "low city"}} is the traditional name for the area of ] going from ] to ] and ], the physically low part of the city next to, and particularly east of, the Sumida river. The term is used in phrases such as {{nihongo|''shitamachi kotoba''|下町言葉}} meaning "working-class accent", {{nihongo|''shitamachifū''|下町風}} meaning "downtown (Shitamachi) style", and {{nihongo|''shitamachi jōcho''|下町情緒}} meaning the "friendly atmosphere of working-class neighborhoods". | |||
| The traditional name for the affluent, upper-class areas of ] west of the Imperial Palace, especially ]-ku and ]-ku.<ref name="Kōjien Japanese dictionary">] Japanese dictionary</ref><ref name="ja.wikipedia.org">, Japanese Misplaced Pages</ref>. The area's name, which in Japanese means ''an elevated ground or plateau''<ref name="Kōjien Japanese dictionary"/> comes from the fact that it lies on the slopes of the ], a relief that from inner Honshu goes down towards the sea, ending after ] and the ]<ref>, Japanese Misplaced Pages</ref>. Both the ] and ] (or ]) take their name from the region because they cross it <ref name="ja.wikipedia.org"/>. | |||
| The center of ] lies at the heart of the old Shitamachi and still has several museums and a concert hall. Today the immediate area, due to its close proximity to a major transportation hub, retains high land value. The ] in Ueno is dedicated to the area's way of life and culture, with models of old environments and buildings. | |||
| ==History of the term Yamanote== | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| By their very nature, the two terms Shitamachi and Yamanote should be explained together. From the beginning of its existence, Tokyo (the former ]) has been culturally and economically divided in two parts: the plebeian {{nihongo|]|]: 下町 (したまち) |Shita machi}}, literally ''low town'' or ''low city'' located next to the ], and the aristocratic {{nihongo|]|]: 山の手 (やまのて) |Yama no te}} located on the hills of the Musashino Plateau.<ref></ref> Although neither of the two was ever an official name, both stuck and are still in some use. Both words are used with the same meaning in other parts of the country too. The term Yamanote is also used for example in Hokkaido, Oita and Osaka<ref name="ja.wikipedia.org"/>. The term Yamanote has a connotation of classiness, whereas Shitamachi has one of liveliness and human warmth<ref name="Kōjien Japanese dictionary"/>. | |||
| *] | |||
| ==The Yamanote Today== | |||
| Because the terms are centuries-old, their meaning and the physical they define have changed several times. In an interview with magazine ], noted translator and Shitamachi scholar ] claims that nowadays the dividing line between today's equivalents of Shitamachi and Yamanote goes from Ginza to ], and he prefers to call the two "north" and "south" because the old names are not longer appropriate. He claims that a century ago Shitamachi's ] and ] were the center of Tokyo insofar as shopping and entertainment were concerned. Today, those centers are in ], ], ] and ].<ref>, Metropolis Magazine</ref>. | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| <references/> | |||
| {{No footnotes|date=June 2009}} | |||
| * New York: ]. 10-ISBN 0-394-50730-4; 13-ISBN 978-0-394-50730-9 (cloth) ], Tokyo, 1984. 10-ISBN 4-805-30494-4; 13-ISBN 978-4-805-30494-5 (paper)] ], Cambridge, 1991. 10-ISBN 0-674-53939-7; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-53939-6 (paper)] | |||
| * Iwanami {{nihongo|]|広辞苑}} Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version | |||
| == External links== | |||
| * site in English | |||
| * site in Japanese | |||
| ] | |||
| {{tokyo-geo-stub}} | |||
| {{ja-lang-stub}} | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 01:53, 15 June 2009
This article is about the geographical area called Yamanote. For the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) commuter line, see Yamanote Line.
The traditional name for the affluent, upper-class areas of Tokyo west of the Imperial Palace, especially Bunkyō-ku and Shinjuku-ku.. The area's name, which in Japanese means an elevated ground or plateau comes from the fact that it lies on the slopes of the Musashino Plateau, a relief that from inner Honshu goes down towards the sea, ending after Edo Castle and the Imperial Palace. Both the Yamanote Line and Yamate Dōri (or Kampachi) take their name from the region because they cross it .
History of the term Yamanote
By their very nature, the two terms Shitamachi and Yamanote should be explained together. From the beginning of its existence, Tokyo (the former Edo) has been culturally and economically divided in two parts: the plebeian Shitamachi (Japanese: 下町 (したまち), Shita machi), literally low town or low city located next to the Sumida River, and the aristocratic Yamanote (Japanese: 山の手 (やまのて), Yama no te) located on the hills of the Musashino Plateau. Although neither of the two was ever an official name, both stuck and are still in some use. Both words are used with the same meaning in other parts of the country too. The term Yamanote is also used for example in Hokkaido, Oita and Osaka. The term Yamanote has a connotation of classiness, whereas Shitamachi has one of liveliness and human warmth.
The Yamanote Today
Because the terms are centuries-old, their meaning and the physical they define have changed several times. In an interview with magazine Metropolis, noted translator and Shitamachi scholar Edward Seidensticker claims that nowadays the dividing line between today's equivalents of Shitamachi and Yamanote goes from Ginza to Shinjuku, and he prefers to call the two "north" and "south" because the old names are not longer appropriate. He claims that a century ago Shitamachi's Ginza and Nihonbashi were the center of Tokyo insofar as shopping and entertainment were concerned. Today, those centers are in Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya and Shinagawa..
References
- ^ Kōjien Japanese dictionary
- ^ 山の手, Japanese Misplaced Pages
- 武蔵野台地, Japanese Misplaced Pages
- Edward Seidensticker: Low City, High City: Tokyo from Edo to the Earthquake: how the shogun's ancient capital became a great modern city, 1867-1923
- Tokyo Feature Story: Edward Seidensticker, Metropolis Magazine