Sakurada-mon gate, located at the southernmost point of Edo Castle, the present Imperial Palace, was built as a starting point to Odawara. Odawara was a very important military base of the then central government in order to protect Edo, present Tokyo, against the attack of the powerful feudal lords in Western Japan. Thus this gate was the most sturdy one among more than fifty other gates of the castle. Being destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 though, it was restored promptly. Speaking of which, two major events took place just outside this gate. Firstly, Ii Naosuke, the Chief Minister of the Shogun, was killed by the samurais of the Mito domain in 1860. Secondly, the Emperor Showa, the grandfather of the present Emperor, was attacked by a member of Anti-Japanese armed organization in 1932, but fortunately Hirohito was safe.
Licensed tour guide, travel consultant,
Masahisa Takaki.
