Investigate the place names and street names of Yokohama

1　Basic materials

Introducing basic dictionaries and geography to learn about the origin of place names, the history of land, and the changes in rough areas.

2　Administrative materials

We will guide you through information obtained from documents issued by the government, such as changes in street names, lot numbers, and areas.

3　Column

"How to Arrange Yokohama Materials"

"Do you know? The difference between 1-chome and 1-chome.'

In order to examine the place names of Yokohama, we will introduce a basic dictionary and geography that says, "I want to keep this down first." First, use these to know the origin of place names, the history of the land, and the changes in the rough area.

This is the most basic material for investigating the place names of Yokohama. For each town, the history of its establishment, the etymology of the place names quoted from old literature, etc. are summarized in a manner. It is recommended that you refer to both because there is a difference in description between the first edition published in 1982 and the revised edition published afterwards.

Place names are arranged in the order of the current administrative district. It is centered on historical progress and is suitable for studying before modern times. It is also characterized by the fact that the literature resolution at the end of the book is substantial, and you can list the geography transmitted to the area. On the other hand, when examining from the current street name, the index will be used, but there are many cases where there is no specific description.

Place names in Kanagawa Prefecture are arranged in alphabetical order. It is characterized by objective descriptions, and its origins and hearings are hardly included. It is suitable for following past changes from the current place name. The “Municipal History Table” at the end of the book shows an easy-to-understand indication of the integration and separation of municipalities in modern times. In addition, a list of small names that are difficult to examine is also posted.

It was serialized in "Yokohama City Newsletter" No. 509-519 (March 2-May 11, 1937) and No. 706-733 (January 9-July 17, 1941). . It is a compact summary of the establishment and origin of each town for each ward, and can be used as a place name dictionary as well as information on the renovation and abolition of the town.

"Yokohama City History" is a city history consisting of 11 volumes (9 volumes, indexes, and appendixes) published by the Yokohama City Hall from 1931 to 33. Of these, "Geography" lists the origins and formation processes for each town. It is comparable to the aforementioned "town name of Yokohama". The source of origin is "New Edition Musashi Country topographical record" described below, but other statements and book books are also quoted. However, please note that areas that have not been incorporated into Yokohama City at the time of publication are not eligible.

It is a encyclopedia of Yokohama before the Great Kanto Earthquake, reprinted "Yokohama Social Dictionary" (published by Yokohama Tsushinsha, 1918). The items are arranged in order of Iroha, but the table of contents is organized according to the subject, and there is "Famous Historic Site Shinto Shrine Buddhist Pavilion Namenobe".

This place name dictionary, published about 100 years ago, is still famous as a basic material indispensable for place name research today. Augmented edition was also published between 1969 and 1971. The difficulty is that it is difficult to find unless you know the administrative area at the time of publication (mid-Meiji).

It is a government-selected geography by Edo shogunate named "New Edition" following "topographical record" compiled during the Nara period. The former was completed in 1828 and the latter was completed in 1832. In addition to the statement books collected from each village, it is one of the best ancient document and ancient records that existed in the late Edo period. Multiple print versions are published, but unfortunately the index is not well maintained, so you need to get used to it. However, it is the most basic material to know the past of the region.

In addition, the history of each ward is a document for examining the place names. For information on what kind of ward history can be used, refer to the "List of References and Cooperation Organizations" at the end of "Yokohama Town Name".
In addition, the Meiji era's official territory magazine, the Imperial Land Magazine, still exists and has been printed. There are "Kohoku-ku, Yokohama City Imperial Land Magazine", "Kanagawa Prefecture Imperial Land Magazine Sagami Country Kamakura-gun Village Magazine", "Kanagawa Prefecture Imperial Land Magazine Remaining Volume 1, Volume 2", etc. These materials are particularly useful for areas that are not covered by the Yokohama City History Geography.

Searching for the current point from the old lot number, or conversely looking for an old map of the same place from the current map, in such cases, some people may have difficult experience due to the change in place names and lot numbers. Finding a point on the map from the description of the place name dictionary is quite painful.
Since the municipal organization was enforced in 1889, Yokohama City has been absorbing the surrounding area while expanding. In addition, in the early Showa era, lot numbers are often rearranged through a new land improvement project after the Great Kanto Earthquake, which caused great damage.
Furthermore, after the war, the symbols representing the place where we live have changed from the long-established lot number display (** street number) to the block code and house number (* street number) since the "Law Concerning Housing Indication" enforced in 1962. This housing indication maintenance project is still ongoing today.
It can be said that the place names of Yokohama in modern times have changed constantly.
Such changes in street names, lot numbers, and areas are determined and announced by the government. Here, we will guide you through information obtained from materials issued by the government.

It consists of "town areas in the ward", "list of names of towns in the alphabetical order", and "history of cities, wards and towns". "Town area in ward" shows the area of each town, the date of installation, character name, etc. for each ward. Importantly, the grounds for installation and the city bulletin and prefectural public information that are the basis for reading the street name are clearly specified. In "History of City / Ward / Town", the names of newly established (transfer) towns are listed in chronological order for each ward. In addition, you can know the date of establishment and abolition and the underlying laws and regulations for the abolished town name. The latest version is available on the Internet in the "Yokohama Municipal Area Handbook" on the Yokohama City website.

Changes in street names, lot numbers, and areas are always announced in the city bulletin. In the public notice, a map of the implementation area is posted. However, the list of block codes and house numbers based on the house display maintenance business is omitted.

It is a map issued when a house indication is installed based on the house indication maintenance business. The old lot number and house number are written.

The “Machikai-cho Lot Number Arrangement Project,” which is conducted in parallel with the Housing Indication Project, is a project to sort out lot numbers that were originally intended for real estate registration and place them as Address displays in an easy-to-understand manner. In this project, a list "Old New / Old / New Town Name Lot Number Comparison Table" that compares the new town name lot number with the old town name lot number has been published. (Please note that some of the "House Indication New and New Comparison Map" and "Old New / Old Town Name Lot Number Comparison Table" are not owned by the library.)

In the past, regarding the change of character name and lot number, a comparison table of old and new lot numbers called "lot number record" was published in the city bulletin. Unfortunately, there is no search method in the city bulletin, so it is difficult to find it unless you know when it changed. However, there are cases where the library owns it. It was published separately as an appendix to the city bulletin or in other departments such as the Civil Engineering Bureau, and many are especially from the early Showa era. These play an important role in linking detailed maps that can only be traced back to the Showa 30s and pre-war maps such as land treasures. In addition, please note that the title varies slightly depending on the year and publisher, such as "lot number (organization) record", "machikai town name character change name change name (lot number arrangement) record", "lot number change record".

How to Arrange Yokohama Materials

In Chuo-toshokan, so-called local materials are called Yokohama materials, and books are arranged using half of the third floor. Books in the library are arranged in the order of ordinary label symbols, but in this "Yokohama Materials" section, books with the same label are scattered here and there! I think there are many people who feel it. This is because this corner first prioritizes regionality.
Bookshelf numbers 52 to 65 are books targeting Yokohama city area, and a sticker called Yokohama is affixed on the label. Nos. 71 to 74 are books for the entire Kanagawa prefecture or in areas including multiple local governments, and the prefecture from the middle of No. 74 to No. 77 are lined up for each municipality in the prefecture. For example, the back side of No. 75 is a book targeting Kamakura City and has a sticker called prefecture 3.
To find out about Yokohama, please refer to not only Yokohama but also the prefecture.
In the case of this list, "Yokohama Town Name" is on No. 57, and "Japanese Historical Place Name Daikei Vol. 14 of Kanagawa Prefecture Place Name" is on the bookshelf of No. 72.

Do you know? The difference between 1-chome and 1-chome

As you may know, if you look at the list of town names in Yokohama City, there are towns where Chinese numerals are used in *-chome and towns where arithmetic numerals are used.
In fact, Chinese numerals are block codes based on the "Law Concerning Housing Indication" and are part of the street name.
On the other hand, arithmetic numerals are character names that were set up when the character name was changed in land readjustment, etc. before the "Law Concerning Housing Indication", and are not included in the street name. For this reason, the name of the arithmetic numeral is used mainly in the city center that has been developed for a long time.
For example, Nishimaecho in Nishi Ward was established in 1927 when the name of Machikaimachi was rearranged (at that time, Naka Ward) had characters from 1-chome to 4-chome, but 1-chome and 4-chome were incorporated into Chuo 1-chome and 2-chome, which were newly established in 1966.

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