Discussions on the Religious Space of Edo City: The Landscape and Functions of Temples and Shrines

A key discovery reveals that the City of Edo's design incorporated mystical and religious spatial strategies to protect it, with large temples and shrines strategically placed to face northeast/southwest—directions considered unlucky—and towards execution sites and red-light districts. This study examines how the Tokugawa shogunate harnessed these 'magical factors' for safeguarding the city, including the enshrinement of Ieyasu towards the North Star (Nikko). The research also explores the Honmatsu-seido system, which integrated temples into social order through government control and the Terauke seido, which compelled public affiliation with religious sites. Additionally, it highlights how urban expansion led to the forced relocation of temples to suburbs post-Meireki Fire, creating temple towns like Asakusa, Shitata, and Mita, some evolving into entertainment districts.

MATSUI, K. (2014). Discussions on the Religious Space of Edo City: The Landscape and Functions of Temples and Shrines. Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 123(4), 451–471. https://doi.org/10.5026/jgeography.123.451