January 2025 issue of Yokohama-Chinatown

As for the publication contents of "public information Yokohama" January, 2025 issue "Yokohama Aya discovery", please see link.

Izumi Ito, Deputy Director of Yokohama Museum of EurAsian Cultures

　Yokohama is a gorgeous city where New Year comes twice. One is the New Year's Day of the New Year, and the other is the New Year's Day of the lunar calendar. In Yokohama-Chinatown, on New Year's Eve in the New Year's Eve, the "Yingshun Countdown" is held at the Guang Tei and Mazu Shrines, and on New Year's Eve in the lunar calendar, the "Spring Festival Countdown" is held inYamashita-Cho Koen.
　In the old days, there was an article about Yokohama-Chinatown's Spring Festival in an English magazine called "Japan Punch" in February 1883 (Meiji 16), but the Yokohama guidebook in 1913 (Daisho 2) introduces the New Year of the Republic of China as one of the annual events in Yokohama. At that time, during the Spring Festival, the eaves and entrances of the houses in Chinatown were decorated with lanterns and annual paintings depicting Kichijo patterns celebrating the New Year, and it would have been a lively atmosphere full of Chinese atmosphere.

　In addition to the Spring Festival, there is another representative festival of Yokohama-Chinatown. It's the birth of Seki Emperor in summer. Guan Emperor's Birth is a celebration of the birthday of Guanha, the main god of the Yokohama Kantei Mausoleum. Kanba is a hero of Mikuni Shi, a military commander who is a strong military commander in faith, and was also a abacus, so it is praised as a god of business, and mausoleums are built in China and around the world. The Kantei Shrine in Yokohama has a long history, and it began when a small shrine was built during the opening of the port at the end of the Tokugawa period. In 1871 (Meiji 4), a full-fledged first-fledged Seki Imperial Mausoleum was built [Photo 2]. After that, a large-scale renovation was carried out in 1891 (Meiji 24), and it became a brick mausoleum that was described as a castle [Photo 3]. There is a record that the birth of Seki Emperor was also held in the first year of the Meiji era, but in July 1910 (Meiji 43), the 25th anniversary of the renovation of the Seki Emperor was celebrated, and a large-scale Seki Emperor's birth was held, and a commemorative postcard appeared. [Photo 4].

　Now, a few minutes walk from Yokohama-Chinatown, Yokohama Museum of EurAsian Cultures is a museum based on the concept of "connecting to the world in Yokohama." Using materials donated by Oriental scholar Namio Egami as the core, it introduces the history and artifacts of various ethnic groups in the Eurasia region, and focuses on the internationality of Yokohama and introduces the diverse cultures that live in this city. We have held exhibitions on Yokohama-Chinatown twice so far, introducing the history of the city since the opening of the port and the fashion culture that has been passed on to it [Photo 6]. From January this year, a new wedding costume for overseas Chinese Yokohama has been exhibited in the "wearing" section of the permanent exhibition room [Photo 7].
　In addition, there is also a tile-to-takuhon from the Han Dynasty era, which is related to the Pairo (gate) east, west, north and south of Chinatown [Photo 8]. The roof tiles are tiles at the eaves, and the roof tiles are copied by applying ink to them. According to ancient Chinese thought, there is a beast that governs each, east, west, north and south, and the color that represents each is also determined. The east is Seiryu, the west is the White Tiger, the south is the Ruitori Suzaku, and the north is the black Xuanwu, where turtles and snakes are combined. In the direction of east, west, north and south, tiles in the shape of a beast were attached to prevent evil from entering the building. The plaques in Chinatown are also designed based on this idea.

　When you come to Yokohama-Chinatown for the New Year or the New Guan Emperor's Festival, we hope that you will reach Yokohama Museum of EurAsian Cultures and experience a part of the history and culture of Chinatown.

• Photo 1: Large lantern object at Bashamichi Station, Minato Mirai Line Spring Festival 2022 Shooted: Izumi Ito
• Photo 2: The Far East, September 16, 1871, Collection of Yokohama Archives of History.
• Photo 3: "Yokohama Famous Photo Book" after major renovation, Yokohama Archives of History Collection 1909
• Photo 4: 25th anniversary of the renovation of the Kan Imperial Mausoleum 1910 Postcard from Yokohama Archives of History　
• Photo 5: Exhibited items from the Yokohama Seki Imperial Mausoleum Photographed in 2024: Izumi Ito
• Photo 6: "The trajectory of Yokohama-Chinatown 160 years - because this city is my hometown." And the catalog of the exhibition "Yokohama Chinatown, dressed in Chinese overseas women's clothing magazine"
• Photo 7: Yokohama Museum of EurAsian Cultures Kura, donated by the Guangdong Kaikan Club around 1940.
• Photo 8: Takumoto Xuanwu (top) and Suzaku (bottom) Yokohama Museum of EurAsian Cultures (bottom)