Teito Monogatari:
The Tale of the Imperial Capital
Part 1: Great Spirit of Tokyo
Author: Hiroshi Aramata
Part 4: The Imperial Capital Renovation Plan
Chapter 17: The Meeting Begins
Yoichirō shook himself from visions of demons and curses as Lieutenant Katō Yasunori's cold eyes fixed upon him. The lieutenant had also been invited to this meeting.
At first, Yoichirō mistakenly thought that the lieutenant was glaring at him. However, it seemed that his gaze was actually directed at Mr. Kamo, the representative of the Tsuchimikado clan. Yoichirō sensed a burning hatred in the lieutenant's eyes.
But why? Yoichirō had no idea. Perhaps Lieutenant Katō disagreed with Mr. Kamo on sorcerous ideas or practices? Such academic disagreements couldn't possibly cause a deep hatred like this, could they?
No, Yoichirō didn't think so. He didn't want to be here anymore. If he didn't have obligations in the Ministry of Finance, he would leave the room now--flee and never return. He wanted to run through the rain away from Lieutenant Katō and never look back.
"Well, this is all quite a mess," Mr. Shibusawa said. "I suppose we shall start our meeting late. Let us all place our attention on the true subject of today's meeting. The weather is poor today, but you have all kindly honored me with your presence. I offer my heartfelt thanks.
"You must all have heard that the end of the Russo-Japanese war is being used as a pretext to push forward the Imperial Capital Renovation Plan. Such plans to improve Japan's capital cities are far from new. In 1886 (Meiji 19), German architectural designers Ende and Böckmann created plans for use in Tokyo. These plans included detailed blueprints of Western-style buildings of the kind seen in Germany and France.
"These plans were not accepted by the imperial government, of course. It would be marvelous if our city streets evoked the majesty of Paris or the grand efficiency of Berlin, but modeling our city on those would be prohibitively expensive. All plans proposed to the imperial government were rejected due to the expense.
"I dream of making Tokyo the premier commercial city in East Asia. I do not desire an imperial capital that is like a grand ceremonial dress uniform, made splendid merely for show. If Japan wants to be both admired and respected by the rest of the world, Tokyo must undergo a significant transformation.
"The current Imperial Capital Renovation Plan has progressed so far because it has been done in small stages, which helps to manage the costs. The city is slowly undergoing the transformation that I envisioned many years ago. We must show the world our Tokyo, a magnificent city that is spiritually protected from natural disasters and endowed with spiritual power, honor, and virtue. If the city is ever attacked in a war, it must stand as an impregnable fortress, immune to enemy damage. Tokyo must be blessed in every feature and every stone, not only for the sake of commerce but for the sake of the city's residents. At this meeting, we shall consider the form that our imperial capital ought to take, considering both present and future needs.
"Some among you may think that doing this now, in 1907 (Meiji 40), is too late. That is certainly true! It would have been far better to plan Tokyo from the ground up, but that is not an option for us. I want you to complete this difficult project with your own hands, and I hope to make it one of your enduring achievements.
"Now that the Imperial Capital Renovation Plan is progressing apace, it is imperative that we finalize plans for the city. Some features are already set in stone. Tokyo’s central station will replace Shimbashi Station. The construction of new bridges, including the Nihonbashi Bridge, has already begun. Government offices have been built in a single area and are no longer spread throughout the city.
"I am a rationalist by nature, but it appears that His Majesty the Emperor intends to rely on the traditional authority of the Tsuchimikado family, which has become involved in these matters. This is a great undertaking that should be carried out by mobilizing Japan’s national strength. The government has already begun plans to greatly expand roads, which is a foundational project that will strengthen Japan's ability to travel and communicate within its borders.
"I know nothing about geomancy or feng shui. However, when I was directly ordered by His Majesty to undertake this secret project, I took care to make a thorough study of Ōta Dōkan. To my astonishment, Ōta Dōkan built his castle in Edo only after confirming that this place was blessed with every auspicious feature in terms of its topography and orientation. I studied his records of the founding of Edo Castle with great interest. I became aware of the grave significance of the imperial capital and how it was originally designed and built. I intend to have the specialists of the Tsuchimikado family explain these details to us all carefully.
"A city lacking virtue is as bad as a person lacking it: it will not stand. A beautiful person is more favored than an ugly person, but beauty alone is not considered a blessing. Don't you agree, gentlemen?"
"Indeed." One of the guests who had been listening spoke up. He was an Army serviceman. His badges showed that he was of a higher rank than Second Lieutenant Katō. He was also much older than the lieutenant.
“Oh, Staff Officer Kudō," Mr. Shibusawa said. "My trivial preface is done. I open the floor to ideas and comments about the Imperial Capital Renovation Plan. I am very much looking forward to hearing everyone's opinions. You are all here because you are distinguished in your fields. Mr. Secretary, please write it all down and do not omit a single word."
Staff Officer Kudō straightened his back and spoke. "I am participating in this project as a representative of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office. I would like to say a few words at the start of this meeting regarding the city's defense. It is better not to expand Tokyo’s boundaries outward unless it is absolutely necessary. I am speaking of the area called the vermilion line of old Edo: that is, the area under the jurisdiction of the town magistrate to the east from Shinjuku to Shinagawa and to the north from Toshima to Hongō and Komagome. A firebreak wall and fortress wall surround these areas. New sturdy buildings of brick are also being built around this perimeter.
"The Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office is concerned about the city expanding beyond these very defensible limits. Our nation's finances are currently recovering from ruinous foreign loan payments incurred during the Russo-Japanese War. None of the innovations that we propose can be financially wasteful. As long as the city remains small, the scale of projects like road improvements can also remain small.
"The towns that historically arose along highways during the Edo period were always difficult to defend. A concentrated form for the city is preferable to an elongated form—that is, a square or circular city would be best. Radial roads are also an important feature to consider. Since the reign of Napoleon III, radial roads have been the norm in European capitals because they are useful for maintaining public order and preventing riots. If possible, all roads should be built as Parisian-style radial roads. If the troops are mobilized and the mob is driven toward the center of the city, they can be captured all at once.
"All buildings within the imperial capital should be of brick construction. Barracks and artillery batteries should be installed on the rooftops of each high-rise building. I had the fortunate opportunity in recent years to tour the city of Munich; that city is splendidly built. Let our new buildings be high-rises of four stories or more so that they can accommodate a large number of citizens.
"Such innovations should make our imperial capital defensible and capable of expanding." Staff Officer Kudō picked up the glass of wine before him and drained it. The military man, having delivered his harangue in one breath, moved to the front of the table.
There was a brief silence.
Staff Officer Kudō pictured, in rapt fascination, the form of a circular metropolis with many skyscrapers. In that stillness, the gathered people watched as Staff Officer Kudō presented his blueprint for a magnificent fortress city, with rows upon rows of towering high-rises.
"Um... may I speak?" a young man asked.
Mr. Shibusawa turned toward the young man. "Ah! You are the gifted physics student recommended to us by Professor Nagaoka Hantarō, correct? Terada Torahiko?"
"Yes, that's correct, sir." Torahiko swallowed heavily. His bow tie was too tight; he adjusted it irritably. "I have a few objections to Staff Officer Kudō's plan."
"Splendid!" Mr. Shibusawa said. "That is just what this meeting is for. I find Staff Officer Kudō's plan utterly enchanting, and yet you, a prominent student in the field of physics, object to it. I ask you to state your views without reserve. Before that, however, let us take a brief rest, everyone. I have a fine wine from Mitsukoshi for us all to enjoy. I also prepared Western sweets. Let's have the maids bring them out.”
Mr. Shibusawa’s proposal softened the tense atmosphere of the meeting. Maids entered the room carrying trays full of Western confectioneries.
Yoichirō let out a sigh of relief. He glanced over at the meeting's secretary and noticed that quite a lot had already been written down.
"Mr. Tatsumiya," a man said.
Yoichirō turned slightly. A steward stood near him. He approached Yoichirō and whispered into his ear, "Mr. Narutaki would like to speak to you, sir."
Yoichirō bowed to Mr. Shibusawa and hastily excused himself. He quickly left the drawing room and ran down the corridor. More than an hour had passed since the start of the meeting. The sky had brightened considerably since Yoichirō's arrival at the baron's estate.
Mr. Narutaki sat in a corner of the wide entrance hall, fretting about the rain outside.
“Junichi!” Yoichirō called out.
Narutaki Junichi sprang to his feet, startled.
"Yoichirō, I'm sorry. I haven't found her. The rain has finally started to let up. I'm going to go searching again, but... I'm so, so sorry."
“I’m sorry, too, Junichi. If it weren’t for this meeting, I’d look for my sister with you.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re in government service, after all. I’ll search hard enough for the both of us. I figured you’d be worried, so I decided to stop in.”
Yoichirō nodded. "I won't keep you. But thanks for dropping by."
"Of course. I'll talk with you again soon. And hopefully I'll have better news." Junichi turned his back to leave.
"Wait a moment," Yoichirō said. "Your colleague, Mr. Terada, is about to speak. You know, that big shot from the university?"
Junichi chuckled. "I look forward to your report later, then. I'm sure he'll say something interesting. See you later, Yoichirō." He left Mr. Shibusawa's estate.
Yukari, Yoichirō's sister, had been missing since yesterday. This was the second time his sister had gone missing since a night in early May. The first time she'd disappeared, Yukari had returned home the next day, bedraggled but unhurt. When their parents questioned her about where she had spent the night, she remained stubbornly silent.
Before the memory of that incident had faded from the family's minds, Yukari had disappeared again--on a night of torrential rain.
Yoichirō's emotional turmoil showed on his face as he returned to the meeting.
Translator's Note
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