Great Ryōgoku Fire Explained

The Great Ryōgoku Fire, or Great Kanda Fire, occurred on 26 January 1881, in Tokyo, Japan. The fire was the largest and most destructive of the Meiji era.^[1]

At about 2 a.m., two fires broke out simultaneously on the path along the Kanda River. Due to strong seasonal winds, the fire spread and was carried throughout Tokyo by the Ryōgoku Bridge. The fire destroyed 15,221 homes across over 100 acres, including much of the Edo period architecture.^{[2] [3]} Over 36,000 people were left homeless.^[4]

On 11 February 1881, another major fire broke out in .

Depictions of the fire by Kiyochika

Kobayashi Kiyochika, an ukiyo-e artist of the period, made several sketches of the events. His home, studio, and birthplace were all destroyed in the Ryōgoku fire.

See also

• Great Fire of Meireki

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Great Fire at Ryōgoku Bridge . 2024-09-19 . Princeton University Art Museum.
2. Web site: The History of Fires and Firefighting in Japan and Six of its Major Cities [#2] ]. 2024-09-19 . International Fire Service Information Center.
3. Web site: Fire 1: Great Fire in Ryogoku . . 7 July 2016 . . 2024-09-22.
4. Web site: Kiyochika's Tokyo — III . 2024-09-19 . Visualizing Cultures.