User:Urashimataro/Yamanote: Difference between revisions
Urashimataro (talk | contribs) mNo edit summary |
Urashimataro (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
''This article is about the geographical area called Yamanote. For the [[East Japan Railway Company]] (JR East) commuter line, see [[Yamanote Line]].'' |
''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]]. |
The traditional name for the affluent, upper-class areas of [[Tokyo]] located on the hills of the [[Musashino Plateau]].<ref>[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%B1%E3%81%AE%E6%89%8B 山の手], Japanese Wikipedia</ref>. The name, which in Japanese means ''an elevated ground or plateau''<ref>[[Kōjien]] Japanese dictionary</ref> is due to the fact that it lies on the slopes of the [[Musashino Plateau]] |
||
==History of the term== |
==History of the term== |
||
[[Tokyo]] used to be culturally and economically divided in two parts: the plebeian {{nihongo|Shitamachi|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]: 下町 (したまち) |Shita machi}}, literally ''low town'' or ''low city'', and the aristocratic {{nihongo|[[Yamanote]]|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]: 山の手 (やまのて) |Yama no te}}. Although neither of the two was an official name, both stuck and are still in some use. |
[[Tokyo]] used to be physically, culturally and economically divided in two parts: the plebeian {{nihongo|Shitamachi|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]: 下町 (したまち) |Shita machi}}, literally ''low town'' or ''low city'', and the aristocratic {{nihongo|[[Yamanote]]|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]: 山の手 (やまのて) |Yama no te}}. Although neither of the two was an official name, both stuck and are still in some use. |
||
Because |
Because the terms are centuries-old, their meaning and the physical areas they define have changed several times, |
||
===Origin of the |
===Origin of the term Yamanote=== |
||
The [[Musashino Plateau]] is a relief that, from inner Honshu, slowly goes |
The [[Musashino Plateau]] is a relief that, from inner Honshu, slowly goes down towards the sea. Much of Tokyo lies on it, and even [[Edo Castle]] and the [[Imperial Palace]] are on its last slopes. It is for this reasoi |
||
The term Yamanote (the variant {{nihongo|[[Yamate]]|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]: 山手 (やまて) |Yamate}} is also in use) has several different and partly coincident meanings. |
The term Yamanote (the variant {{nihongo|[[Yamate]]|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]: 山手 (やまて) |Yamate}} is also in use) has several different and partly coincident meanings. |
||
| Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
==References== |
==References== |
||
<references/> |
|||
* [http://www.amazon.com/Low-City-High-Earthquake-1867-1923/dp/0674539397 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] |
* [http://www.amazon.com/Low-City-High-Earthquake-1867-1923/dp/0674539397 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] |
||
* |
|||
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%B1%E3%81%AE%E6%89%8B 山の手], Japanese Wikipedia |
|||
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AD%A6%E8%94%B5%E9%87%8E%E5%8F%B0%E5%9C%B0 武蔵野台地], Japanese Wikipedia |
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AD%A6%E8%94%B5%E9%87%8E%E5%8F%B0%E5%9C%B0 武蔵野台地], Japanese Wikipedia |
||
[[ja:山の手]] |
[[ja:山の手]] |
||
Revision as of 05:33, 24 January 2008
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 located on the hills of the Musashino Plateau.[1]. The name, which in Japanese means an elevated ground or plateau[2] is due to the fact that it lies on the slopes of the Musashino Plateau
History of the term
Tokyo used to be physically, 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, and the aristocratic Yamanote (Japanese: 山の手 (やまのて), Yama no te). Although neither of the two was an official name, both stuck and are still in some use.
Because the terms are centuries-old, their meaning and the physical areas they define have changed several times,
Origin of the term Yamanote
The Musashino Plateau is a relief that, from inner Honshu, slowly goes down towards the sea. Much of Tokyo lies on it, and even Edo Castle and the Imperial Palace are on its last slopes. It is for this reasoi
The term Yamanote (the variant Yamate (Japanese: 山手 (やまて), Yamate) is also in use) has several different and partly coincident meanings.
The authoritative Kōjien has two definitions for the term. The first
- The location closer to the mountains.
- An elevated ground or plateau. In the case of Tokyo, the whole region around Bunkyo-ku and Shinjuku-ku.
In the case of Tokyo, the eastern side of the Musashino Plateau is called Yamanote, and the Yamanote Line and Yamate Dori (or Kampachi) are named after it. The area's approximate location can be understood from the fact that initially the Yamanote Line used to go from Shinagawa to Yoyogi and Tabata.
Although most people are not aware of the fact, the Plateau extends very close to the sea, and Edo Castle and the Imperial Palace lie within the Musashino Plateau.
The name came to be used mostly by extension to indicate the urban areas crossed by the Yamanote Line and Yamate Dori, and expressions like「山の手のお嬢さん, 「山の手のお屋敷]].
It is for this reason that is used to be juxtaposed to Shitamachi.
See also 東京市街の変遷
The term Yamanote is also used for example, Hokkaido, Oita and Osaka
References
- 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
- 武蔵野台地, Japanese Wikipedia
- Kōjien Japanese dictionary