Through the Edo Period, Japan’s prisons were a facility like a combination of today’s prison and detention center. Hence, executions and other punishments were carried out there. This prison in Edo was the largest one among other prisons in Kyoto, Osaka and other big cities across the country. Tenma-cho, located in the heart of Tokyo now, was the outskirts of the city at the beginning of the 17th century. In neighboring Ningyo-cho area, even an official brothel named Yoshiwara existed at the same time. However, Yoshiwara was ordered to move to Minowa near Asakusa at the end of the 17th century, as this kind of institution was not proper in public morals for the local children. The prison named Tenma-cho Royashiki, 8850 square meters in area, was surrounded by tall walls, over 2 meters high with wide moats outside. Inside the big prison site, many buildings stood, which were equipped with different specifications in accordance with each prisoner’s social standings. The number of the prisoners reached 900 at the max. The first photo shows the Toki-no-kane (time bell) of the area, which is one of the 9 ones in Edo. This bell was unique because it was intentionally struck a little behind the real time when the death penalty was carried out. The second one is Daianraku-ji Buddhist Temple, which was built on the old site of the prison in 1885 to ease the souls of the executed criminals.
Jason Hardy.
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