雪中の高田市

About this photo

This photograph shows the town of Takada, now part of Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture, wrapped in snow. It appears in Tetsudo Ryoko Annai (Railway Travel Guide), published in 1914 (Taisho 3) by the government's Railway Agency (Tetsudoin). The title does not tell us which part of the town is shown.

Takada is the castle town of Takada Castle, built in 1614 by Matsudaira Tadateru, the sixth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The area gets exceptionally heavy snow, and there is a story that a notice board (kosatsu) was once put up over the buried town, reading "Beneath this lies Takada." People extended the eaves of their houses out over the street and joined them into gangi, covered walkways that let them get around even in winter. Takada became a city in 1911 (Meiji 44), so when this book was published it was Takada City.

In 1971, Takada City merged with Naoetsu City to form Joetsu. Takada still has streets of gangi said to be the longest in Japan, and Takada Castle Site Park is known for its cherry blossoms.

Glossary