Oshichi

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Yaoya Oshichi : A Story about Love and Fire ~ Part 2

We continue with part 2 on the story of Yaoya Oshichi. This time around, we’ll look at the various details surrounding her story and how it affects different aspects of Japanese life. Also, there will be a few extra tidbits that have some connection that are unique in there own rights.

Another artwork of Oshichi climbing the ladder of a watch tower. This one also has a version of her story written on it. From the series “Kokon Meifuden” (古今名婦傳). By Utagawa Toyokuni.

CURSE OF THE FIRE HORSE?

Let’s address the underlining point behind Oshichi’s story, which is the significance of the Zodiac year. Oshichi is said to be born in 1666, which is a year that falls on the Fire Horse. If we examine more thoroughly, we’ll learn that in the 60-year Lunar cycle, the Fire Horse always falls on the 43rd year.

Below is a chart that lists the years of the Fire Horse, from the start of Edo period all the way down to future points in modern times (left to right, top to bottom).

1606166617261786
1846190619662026
208621462206etc.

Since Oshichi’s birth year aligns with this, rumors started to spread that she naturally had the tendency of being overtly passionate about love, which will lead her to go extreme lengths for forbidden love due to being overstimulated by her sign’s energy. This was promoted heavily through the novel “Kōshoku Gonin Onna” (好色五人女) by Ihara Saikaku, which came out around 3 years after Oshichi’s death. Although it was not the 1st source, this novel was received as a popular piece. Thus, Ihara’s work contributed to pushing those rumors as if truth, which eventually became a standardized ideology directed to any women who would be born on any of the years listed above. However, the reality is there’s no correlation between the Fire Horse sign and committing crimes. Oshichi shouldn’t be used as a scapegoat to push this narrative, for her crimes were committed based on her rash choices alone.

On the other hand, there are researchers who point out another inconsistency with her age at time of death. While it is believed she was 16 at the start of her story in 1682, Oshichi dying at the age of 17 means her birthday was early in 1683. But this is not consistent between the numerous versions of her story, where some say she died when she was 16. If we are to go with that, then this means she was not born in 1666, but possibly a year later. If this is the case, then this whole narrative of women and the Fire Horse sign was a complete fabrication.

PREJUDICE AGAINST WOMEN

Continuing with the above, there is a collection of defamations outlining the dangers of women that are born in the year of the Fire Horse. The majority of them focus on when these women fall in love. Interestingly, it actually didn’t start with Oshichi and her crime. In 1662, a poet/performer by the name of Yamaoka Genrin (山岡元隣) compiled a collection of poems and songs. In it was one that goes as the following:

ORIG: Hinoe uma narazuba otoko kui zaramashi (ひのえ午ならずば 男くいざらまし)
TRANS: A woman won’t lust for men, unless she is born under the sign of the Fire Horse

Apparently, this prejudice stems from much earlier, possibly as early as 1606. Unfortunately, there are no detailed records as to why. After Oshichi’s incident, this view against women of the Fire Horse sign intensified, becoming the norm across Japan as it was used as a basis in artworks, songs, and the like. The following are just some of the phrases in Japanese I was able to come across, followed by my English transliteration below.

Women born under the Fire Horse sign are portrayed as troublesome due to their intense love. In the follow artwork entitled “Uta makura” (歌まくら) by Kitagawa Utamaro, a woman is shown confronting her partner regarding his love letters to another woman, and overpowering him. Could it be that their wrath is something like this? From Ukiyoe are ya kore ya.

ORIG: Hinoe uma hiru no chigiri mo taenu beshi (丙午昼の契りも絶へぬべし)
TRANS: Women of the Fire Horse sign are only good to be with late in the day

ORIG: Hinoe uma tataru made koso inochi nare (丙午祟るまでこそ命なれ)
TRANS: When a woman of the Fire Horse sign risks her life for something, it will lead to others getting hurt

ORIG: Hinoe uma no onna naredomo sore ni wa yorazu, otoko ni kuwarete koko chi nayamishi (ひのえ午の女なれどもそれにはよらず、男に喰れてここ地なやみし)
TRANS: Women of the Fire Horse sign aren’t bad as they say, it’s just that once they are with a man, they lose their minds and common sense

ORIG: Hinoe uma no onna ha kanarazu otoko wo kuwaeru to yo ni tsutaeshi ga, sore ni kagirazu (丙午の女は必ず男を喰へると世に伝えしが、それには限らず)
TRANS: It’s known throughout the lands that women of the Fire Horse sign are renown for pleasing men, but that’s not all they’re good for

ORIG: Kanarazu hinoe uma no onna, otto wo kamu mono ni arazu (かならず丙午のおんな、夫をかむものにあらず)
TRANS: Women who are born under the Fire Horse sign are just not fit to be made a wife

Of course, all of these statements are baseless, and are stemmed from an unforeseen bias against women. In fact, there is no supportive data regarding disasteous marraiges with women who were born in the Fire Horse year.

THE GREAT FIRE OF 1682

In part 1, we established that Oshichi’s story begins with her family home catching fire on 12/28/1682¹. Different versions of the story also, from what I understand, use the same date. This actually coincides with a particular tragedy that befell Edo on the same date. While in the Tenna Shōishū it sounds like Oshichi’s family home being lost to a fire was an isolated incident, it’s also not wrong to consider that the fire actually affected many others within their neighborhood.

Let’s look at this horrific day documented as “Tenna no Taika” (天和の大火), or “Tenna era’s Great Fire”, and see how it parallels with Oshichi’s story. On the same date, a wild blaze caused hundred of homes and structures to be burnt down, claiming thousands of lives. It’s not recorded what the cause was, but it’s easy to speculate that, being a time when many families, businesses, and establishments are busy with events related to the close of the year, some unfortunate accident big enough may have occurred. In the aftermath, displaced residences took refuge at a large spare housing complex² which was in the grounds of the temple Daienji (大円寺). This disaster left a mark in Japan’s history, and is labeled as one of ten major fire calamities that afflicted Edo³.

As an example of a fire out of control, here’s an artwork entitled “Outbreak of the Fire Viewed from Hisamatsucho”(久松町ニ而見る出火 明治十四年二月十一日夜出火). It takes the point of view of someone safely away from a raging fire consuming many homes in the distance. By Kiyochika Kobayashi. From ukiyo-e.

It’s not wrong to assume that this disaster is the cause of the Yaoya family’s home. Of course, Oshichi is not the cause of it. On the other hand, there seems to be a perculiar version which implies that, when she set her family’s house on fire in order to see her lover again⁴, it spreads to other houses, and causes a disaster similar to the real life fire disaster. Some artworks depict this, with her climbing a watch tower to ring the alarm bell and beat the warning drums. In this version, as she descends the ladder, she is caught by authorities. Another point worth mentioning, some versions use the same set up of Daienji temple, but with a different name, sometimes closer to the name of another temple, or something completely made up.

With the Great Fire as the starting point, it’s safe to say that Oshichi’s story parallels what unfolded after this disaster to an extent, from displaced residents finding shelter to lost property being rebuilt. Note that all versions take the liberty of changing things so as to not match real events 100%, which includes dates, locations, and the number of households afflicted.

LATE ENTRY IN GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS?!?

If Oshichi’s crime was true, it should be documented in the records associated with Suzugamori Prison. While one would assume this, apparently this is not the case. There is an official Edo government crime & punishment recording called “Oshioki Saikyochō” (御仕置裁許帳) which, suprisingly, doesn’t mention anything in the logs during 1683 about Oshichi and her crimes of starting a fire. However, in a 1691 log there is mention of a woman named Oshichi who was convicted of a crime. If this is the same person, why did it take 8 years to finally be recorded?

Let’s look further into this. The actual name in this log is written different as “お志ち”. This is in hiragana writing, which one can considered as a plain form. No kanji is used⁵, meaning it can’t be officially connected to the Oshichi from 1683. Also, it is noted that this Oshichi was a housewife, yet we know that the one in question was not married. Also, this one is said to be the wife of a man named “Kyūbei” (久兵衛), who was the head of the Sanaezaka (左内坂) household in Ichigaya, Edo. Other than the pronunciation of their names, the other similar point this woman has is she was also convicted for attempted arson, with her punishment being burned to death.

Was this inclusion in that record meant to rectify an oversight of being 8 years late? Can this information in the 1691 entry be considered the real details that were being concealed? This has yet to be confirmed.

OSHICHI’S DAY

March 29 is remembered as ”Yaoya Oshichi no Hi” (八百屋お七の日), or “Day of Yaoya Oshichi”. This is the day in 1683 when she was executed at the age of 17⁶. It seems unusual that someone who committed a crime would have a day of recognition. It is not a major holiday, nor one of celebration. Instead, this day serves some other purposes.

For starters, in the literary world, the idea of tragic love story is greatly highlighed by Oshichi’s story, so it serves as a solid candidate by fans of this genre. Next, this day is used to promote the importance of fire safety, and remind people that it is a crime to willingly commit arson. Lastly, some use this day as a reminder of maintaining a good relationship through expressing oneself earnestly, communicating through proper conversations, as well as possessing a healthy well being emotionally and mentally.

While there is a level of positivity with the points mentioned above, we can’t forget that this day also serves as grounds for further discrimination. This includes women born in the year of the Fire Horse, and parents avoiding naming their daughters “Oshichi”, as the name has become taboo due to association. On a sighly related note, the image of Oshichi and the numerous facades of her tale became popular at times, as if her notoriety was seen as a fad. It got to the point where the label “Oshichi-kaze” (お七風, Oshichi fever) was used for a case of influenza that struck Japan in the early 1800s, partly due to the popularity of a song about this same young girl and her tragic story.

OSHICHI’S GRAVE

In the front area within the compound of temple Enjōji (円乗寺), there is a small gravesite. It’s more than just her remains being kept here, for there are attractive banners, flowers, garden lanterns, and two paper lanterns. It’s a very attractive appearance. However, this is not the only alleged gravesite of hers, for there are more. This includes one at Kichijōji (吉祥寺), and another at Daienji (大円寺). The last one is unique as it claims to have the remains of both Oshichi and her lover. Which one is the true gravesite? Who knows. There’s a great possibility that none are the true gravesite of Oshichi, and merely serve as an honorary site, which is not an unusual practice.

Images of the 2 gravesites: Kichijouji (left) and Daienji (right). From Photo-AC.

The main reason for many of these temples to setup an honorary gravesite is due to their connections to Oshichi’s story…or should I say one the numerous versions out there. For example, the temple Kichijōji is used as the location where Oshichi and her family stayed in the popular novel “Kōshoku Gonin Onna” , albeit only in reference⁷. At the end of the day, these honorary gravesites serve as attractions, further contributing to the long-lasting popularity of Oshichi and her story.

GUARDIAN STATUES

While most view Oshichi’s story in a negative light, there are those who tried to put a positive spin on this. After her death, Oshichi was idolized in the form of a jizō (地蔵), or a statue of protection. Statues like these are normally made in the image of a diety, but nowadays they may also represent a person, or even anime characters. Their purpose is to grant protection in areas they are placed in. When based on an actual person, it is also said to be done to help “appease” the spirit of the deceased, to avoid bad energy or vengeful actions in case they were not properly laid to rest. Currently two temples are known to have her jizō, with the first being Mitsugonin (密厳院) in Oomori Prefecture, and the second being Daienji in Tokyo City.

An image of Yaoya Oshichi’s jizō at Mitsugonin. From Ota District’s main site.

Each of these jizō have their own story. For the one at Mitsugonin, Oshichi’s statue is nicknamed “ichiya jizō” (一夜地蔵), which indicates it’s ability to grant good fortune through completing a task in the span of one night. The legend attached to this name states that after Oshichi’s soul was transferred into the jizō, a medically ill young person was tasked to carrying it from Suzugamori Prison all the way to Mitsugonin. Accomplishing this in one night, the youth was unexpectedly granted good fortune and cured from the illness. Thus, it is believed that if you make a wish before the Oshichi statue, it is possible for it to be granted in one night.

As for the story behind the jizō at Daienji, this one takes a different, more logically reasonable turn. In this one, her lover who, after becoming a monk, prayed for Oshichi’s happiness in the afterlife. To ensure this, an ōfuku-nenbutsu (往復念仏, chant involving alternating recitation of the Buddha’s name) procession was conducted in Edo between the temples Meiōin and Asakusa Kannon for 25 years and 5 months. After the last procession, it is revealed that Oshichi appeared in a dream, and announced that she has entered nirvana⁸. Through this vision, the jizō in her semblance was made.

STRICT PUNISHMENT AGAINST ARSON

Despite no harm caused by her, the attempted act of arson on Oshichi’s family home was rebuked seriously in Japan during Edo period. So much that she was convicted and subjected to death through burning. Dishing out a severe punishment is a reflection of Japan’s history with fires. After the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restructuring of Japan to head towards a more peaceful and modernized nation, this opened the door of monitoring society. One of the points of concern that was recognized by the government was the increased cases of fire outbreaks.

The threat of fire outbreaks was of great concern for many reasons. For starters, due to Japan’s humid climate, along with most homes being bulit out of wood with paper materials used in furnitures within homes such as shōji (障子, room dividers), a small fire inside a building by an unmonitored candle fallen by a strong wind or the like could easily spread into a wild fire. Tragedies like so took place, where government structures, temples, homes, and establishments were lost due to sudden fires that turned into raging infernos. Another more concerning issue was fires set intentionally by certain individuals as a means to an end, which ranged from the sake of theft, personal grudges against another, to opposition of the Tokugawa shogunate. While fire fighting groups were established, the equipment and methods for extinguishing fires was in no way as sophisticated or technologically advanced as what we have today. Thus, when fires spread and grew out of control, fire fighters became hard pressed in trying to control the spread, let alone putting out the current blaze at hand.

To disuade any potential arsonists, as well as encourage people to be more responsible, the government created a set of rules around 1678 collectively known as “Shikkasha Zanzai Rei” (失火者斬罪令, Order of the Death Penalty to Those who Commit Arson through Negligence), which gave the rights to punish those caught as arsonists with the death penalty. This was further updated in 1742 as part of a 100-rules order known as “Osadamegaki Hyakkajō” (御定書百箇条).

A page outlining the start of Oshichi’s punishment as an arsonist, as she was tied and paraded on a horse throughout Edo. From the picture book “Ehon 2 Oshichi” (絵本 2 お七). By Miyata Isuke.

The following serves as examples how strict these rules were enforced. In one case, where there’s clear evidence of attempted arson through any form of communication (ie. a letter), that criminal will face the death penalty⁹. Next, those who intentionally start a fire for whatever reason, even if there is no significant damage, will be convicted and burned to death. Even passively being invovled would net you as an accomplise of sorts, ranging from those who hire someone else to commit arson being subjected to death, to eyewitnesses of an arson who fail to report it to also be severely punished.

Other than being sentenced to death through being burned alive, in some cases a convicted arsonist was tied up and paraded along a course through designated streets on Edo before townsfolks to be humiliated for their crimes. This same event happened to Oshichi.

This concludes our coverage on Yaoya Oshich. Despite there being unclear details of her story, coupled with a plethora of versions with varying contents, Oshichi has left a mark in Japanese history. Her story has had an influence in society, whether for good or for bad.

1) This is according to the old calendar Japan once used. Recalculated to the modern calender, it’s 1/25/1683.

2) This complex was known as koma komi (駒込). In the past before Edo period, such complexes were used to house troops, or act as a stable for horses.

3) While it’s claimed to be 10, I’ve come across listings that mention more than this number. While I’m uncertain which ones specifically fall under this count of 10, the disaster in 1682 is certainly a high candidate.

4) A few later versions actually feature Oshichi and her lover not only plotting to burn her family’s house down, but have both of them together committing the crime. In these versions, they both are arrested as arsonists and die together, making it a fitting end to a tragic love story.

5) In this case, it’s 100% true and false at the same time. Although a little complex to go into full details, I’ll explain it as simple as possible. The “shi” in this “Oshichi” (お志ち) actually is in a kanji form, but in the past this “志” kanji also served the purpose of being an alternative of the hiragana “し”. Thus, it is not used as the familiar kanji version, and is just plain writing as hiragana.

6) Oshichi’s age is always reported as being 16 at the time of meeting her lover, but 17 upon her death. It’s possible that at some time between these was her birthday. Yet, some researchers propose using the kazoedoshi (数え年) method of calculating one’s age, and add 1 year to her age, stating that she was 17 when the met. If that’s the case, then she was executed at the age of 18. It’s very confusing!

7) In the actual novel the temple was called “Kichijōin” (吉祥院). The last kanji was changed, as a parody of the real temple. Despite this, readers still associate Kichijōji to the novel.

8) Or, another way to read this is Oshichi entered Buddhahood.

9) Unless specifically stated as being burned to death, the use of the term death penalty is vague, as there were various methods for executing criminals. The punishment chosen was most likely in relations to the type of crime commited.

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Yaoya Oshichi: A Story about Love and Fire ~ Part 1

In the Lunar New Year article where we discussed about this year’s sign, I mentioned that there is the possibility of falling into ruins to those born in the year of the Fire Horse. To reiterate, the superstition is that anyone who’s Zodiac sign is the horse (i.e. being hard working and energetic) coupled with the fire sign from the 10 Heavenly Stems will receive double the effects in that year While there are good points to this, there is also the belief that one will became enraptured in their goals emotionally to the point where they become irrational, and going to lengths that can bring their downfall.

For several centuries is a tale told in Japan that depicts the dark side of the Fire Horse sign, with the catalyst being love. A strong emotion paired with a burning will to fulfill one’s desire will lead them to getting burned. In today’s article, I will cover this tale that is based on a real life incident of Yaoya Oshichi (八百屋お七), which is framed to be an example of a girl who allowed her emotions to go unchecked, and played with fire.

ROOTS OF THE TALE

The tale of Oshichi is a tragic one, with love at the center of it. It’s recorded to have taken place in Edo recorded from the year 1682 to 1683, gaining popularity as it slowly spread across Japan over time. There are different versions that speak of the passionate love this girl held in her entire being, which was comparable to a raging inferno. Such a statement can be interpreted as both literally and metaphorically, no matter which version of the story you read. What makes this even more interesting is that this story is supposed to have happened in real life.

The 1st recording of this story appeared in a collection of real-life events called “Tenna Shōishū” (天和笑委集)¹, which was compiled between 1684 ~ 1688. While it’s claimed to be a documentation of real-life experiences, one needs to take this with a grain of salt as the author(s) who compiled this is unknown. Later, other publishings covering this story, albeit with some changes, would also surface. This includes historian Toda Mosui’s “Gotō Daiki” (御当代記), the novel writer Ihara Saikaku’s “Kōshoku Gonin Onna” (好色五人女, 1686), and storyteller Baba Bunkō’s “Kinsei Edo Chomonshū” (近世江都著聞集, 1757). There are also theatrical performances and plays, each with their own spin on the story.

Pics taken from the 5th volume of the collection called “Shin Enseki Jisshu” (新燕石十種), which features a digitized version of the complete Tenna Shōishū. To the right is the page where the story of Oshichi begins (starting from page 107).

Below will be a summary of the version from Tenna Shōishū, as it was technically the first source to appear. Keep in mind that, while the incident is said to be based off of a real event, it’s possible that there is a bit of exaggeration with some of the details. Also, some of the names used are made, which includes those people involved, as well as locations. This move to keep certain things anonymous may have been done for specific reasons, including maintaining some level of privacy, and avoiding backlash for using specific info without consent.

OSHICHI’S STORY

This story takes place during the 1st century of Edo period. In 1666, a merchant named Yaoya² Hachibei Ichizaemon (八百屋八兵衛市左衛門), and his wife, who were residing in Hongō-Morikawachō³, an area in the capital city Edo. They had a daughter named Oshichi, who was the only daughter in the 3-children household. Being born in a family of a good social status, Oshichi was beautiful like a delicate flower. Raised in a well-to-do environment in the capital city of Edo, her parents raised her with the best from her early childhood to her teens, and groomed her in preparation for a future arranged marraige with a man from an established family.

An artwork entitled “Yaoya Oshichi”. By Utagawa Kunisada.

In the 28th day of the 12th month of 1682⁴, a fire erupted in the Yaoya residence. Ichizaemon fled with his family, taking refuge at a temple called Shōsen-in (正仙院)⁵, and resided there for a few months. During this time, a 17-year-old guy named Shōnosuke (庄之介), who was staying at the temple for some time, caught sight of Oshichi and became attracted to her. He made contact with Yuki (ゆき), the Yaoya family’s young maidservant who had also evacuated with them, and got help from her to formally introduce himself to Oshichi through a letter. Soon, both sides developed interest in one another, and got closer as they corresponded through letters regularly. Eventually, they set up private meetings, and spent numerous nights with one another secretly from her family, which went off with no hitches thanks to the cooperation of Yuki acting as a confidant who assisted with these meetings.

The many happy days enjoyed between these two love birds would eventually come to an end. While all this was taking place, Ichizaemon was busy having the family home rebuilt. One day, he announced to his family that their damaged home was restored, meaning they will be moving back there shortly. Oshichi was heart broken at the thought of leaving the temple, for this meant that she would be separated from Shōnosuke; since he did not possess an acceptable social status, there was no way he could be introduced to her parents as a potential suitor, preventing her from seeing him as often as she initially was. Later that same month, the Yaoya household returned back to Hongō-Morikawachō. Oshichi kept in contact with Shōnosuke through Yuki, who traveled between their home ant the temple delivering letters between the two lovers. At one point they came to an agreement for Shōnosuke to drop by her home and stay the night in secret. Unfortunately, reight before the appointed day, he became sick and bedridden from stress & constant yearning to meet Oshichi. Thus, they were further delayed from being together once again.

In the 3rd month, Oshichi made up her mind and wanted to force her family to return back to Shōsen-in Temple by burning down their home. So on one clear, windy night, she gathered the necessary materials, and proceeded to set their home on fire. Before any real damage was caused, neighbors had seen the small fire flickering and rushed on over, putting it out. They also spotted Oshichi not too far away, clutching the mateirals used for creating the fire, whom they quickly caught, and dragged to the magistrate’s office. Seeing the accused dressed in proper attire, the commissioner initially couldn’t fathom this girl to be an arsonist, and proceeded to ask what her motives were. She lied, saying that she was surrounded by thugs, and set the surroundings on fire in order to drive them away. The commissioner didn’t believe the story and, with no doubt regarding her starting the fire despite the reasoning, had her formally arrested as an arsonist.

A 1932 artwork entitled “Jōen” (情炎), which strongly appears as a modern take of a similar one featuring Oshichi climbing a watch tower to alert the townsfolks of the ensuing fire in Edo. By Takabata Kashō.

For several days, Oshichi was paraded around in Edo alongside with other criminals, tied & bounded, in public to be shamed for their criminal actions. She stood out the most, as she was wearing a beautiful kimono with her hair well done and adorned with a lavish ornament. In the onlookers’ eyes, apart from her stunning appearance, Oshichi did not show embarrasment in her eyes, but instead showed an assured face, bearing no ounce of regret. On 28th day of the 3rd month, she and the other criminals were lead through the streets toward the Suzugamori Prison (鈴ヶ森刑所)⁶, where they would face their death penalty of being burned at the stake. Some of her family members, such as her mother, looked on in sorrow as this would be their last time to see Oshichi alive. After their daughter’s execution, Oshichi’s parents were grief stricken for several months, before finally moving out of Edo to Kōshū⁷ with their eldest son, where they settled down to a quiet life as farmers.

Lastly, what happened to Shōnosuke? Apparently the romantic relationship between him and Oshichi was exposed throughout Edo, and became the talk of the town. Eventually, after enduring being in the public eye, he left Edo and traveled in his lonesome for some time. His journey led him to the renown Buddhist sect site called Kōyasan (高野山), where he would become a monk at one of the many temples there, and prayed for Oshichi’s spirit.

CONCLUSION

We’ve come to the end of the story about Yaoya Oshichi. A tragic one indeed, as her love made her become an arsonist. This article is just the 1st part, as we will disect her history a little further in part 2. Look out for that in a couple of days after this posting.

1) A 13-volume records of various cases, with Oshichi’s incident appearing in volumes 11, 12, and 13. Written and compiled sometime between 1684 to 1688. The author(s) of these records is unknown.

2) There is a possibility that this surname is made up, for it actually was used as a label for merchants who set up shop selling produce, or were a jack-of-all-trades. While in some name databases like myoji-yurai.net mention recordings of individuals using this as a surname, the numbers are very low. Along with that, this may also take into count names of fictional characters and/or performers.

3) Present-day, this covers a stretch of area around Bunkyo-District, Tokyo City.

4) In the actual text, the month is written as goku getsu (極月), which means the the 12th (last) month of the year. This is a time when many preparations are made in order to ring in the new year.

5) This temple did not exist in real life. Most likely a fabricated name to hide the actual temple involved in the arson case.

6) A prison used for about 220 years, where countless criminals were executed during Edo period. It was finally closed in 1871. Present-day, the area where it once stood is South-Ooi Shinagawa District in Tokyo City.

7) Present day Yamanashi Prefecture.