Shibuya culture PROJECT

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Decorate the Sakuragaoka-cho cherry trees

Across the pedestrian bridge across the national highway No. 246, and set foot in Sakuragaoka-cho, the hustle and bustle around Shibuya Station Kakikieru as a lie. Comparatively, the traffic volume of the car less, as if moving the city to match the pace like people walking, but area drifting of taste that was laid-back.

Born and raised in Sakuragaoka-cho, Dongsong Yuichi, who is currently serves as the vice-president of Sakuragaoka-cho, meetings and Station prosperity Board, before the war of 1936 was born. Memory of the 1935's that had a childhood, is in the midst of the confusion after the end of the war. "I have not lined the barracks if there is a black market is in front of the station. Such a mess in Wakime we were crazy to play, such as face and Beigoma, hopscotch in Machinaka".

View of Owada Town, Sakuragaokacho the town side of the 1951 circa
Source: Shirane Memorial Shibuya-ku, Provincial Museum, Museum of Literature

City of old-fashioned neighborhood association

Although there was no pomp compared to such Dogenzaka flourished as downtown, the shops in the housing of many Sakuragaoka-cho, dealing with food products and general merchandise from prewar lined, small eateries, such as yakitori and tavern there were many. It is 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games of the year of the was of the city greatly changed. "Opened the 246 National Highway to the opportunity of Olympic Games, narrow alley is now less been developed also partition at the same time Sakuragaoka-cho. This ne town of landscape has changed To much in."

だが、渋谷駅との通行を国道246号に分断される形になったため、その後、桜丘町は駅周辺の急速な開発の波には飲まれず、昔ながらの風景を保つことになる。今でも創業30〜50年の老舗の飲食店や商店が珍しくなく、都会のど真ん中にも関わらず、住人同士に昔ながらの近所付き合いが見られるのには、そんな事情がある。

Symbol of the current Sakuragaoka-cho, brilliant colors the "Sakura Street" cherry trees. Every year, Cherry Blossom Festival has been held by the cooperation of the surrounding residents. I thought whether this cherry trees that the origins of place names, in fact in 1991 in seven of the Yoshino cherry tree from Dogenzaka is that he has been ported. "Once Sakura Street it was a tree-lined willow. I have had said," is strange there is no cherry tree to a place called Sakuragaoka-cho, "is among the residents. Therefore, we decided removal of cherry tree that had been planted in Dogenzaka time, it was taken off and to come. " Now that 10 years from transplant has passed, the foliage is spread enough to obscure the street, it has told the spring of visits to Sakuragaoka-cho.

Old Owada elementary school site is now has become a vacant lot

Sakuragaoka-cho, leaving heavily vestiges of the old era, surprisingly it also has state-of-the-art face. 1998 in Shibuya Infosutawa, it has become in 2001 to built two buildings of high-rise buildings that Cerulean Tower succession of tenants of the IT-related companies, the new IT hub of Shibuya area .

In addition, already become closed down, in the old Owada elementary school of the site that is now become a vacant lot, theater and planetarium, library, the construction of a complex with a such as the children's science center has been decided. This facility Shibuya advances, health centers and preventive care center, in even enter plan, such as nursery school, it becomes a community base of the Sakuragaoka-cho area, it is also expected to function as a place of origin of the new culture.

In order to leave a memory of the city

Previously, the cherry street had arcade is spanned
(Photo: Dongsong Tomokazu)

Crowded with people who Miiru to Sakura to stop the feet to the season of cherry blossoms

Dongsong Yuichi's 1936 years, was born in Shibuya Sakuragaoka-cho. Activities as a photographer to shoot the natural landscape of Musashino. Photographic Society of Japan member. For is to convey to future generations the scene of Shibuya recently, it has also participated in the activities of the "Shibuya-ku, local materials digitized save Promotion preparation room". Last year, the exhibition "Pictures of Musashino Dongsong Tomokazu" was held at the Shoto Museum of Art.