Map of Edo, 1630s

This is one of the oldest maps of Edo printed with woodblocks. The Great Meireki Fire of 1657 destroyed sixty percent of Edo, killed about 100,000 people and claimed many early depictions of Edo. Reconstruction altered the look of the city. Firebreaks were created, streets were widened, plaster roofs were encouraged, and commoners were restricted to one- and two-story houses. Warrior class ostentation was also tempered and the tower of Edo Castle was not rebuilt. Many temples and shrines were moved to the outskirts of the city while the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters were rebuilt in the boonies of Asakusa. Ryôgoku Bridge, spanning the Sumida River, was also built during this time. In this map "up" is west and shitamachi ("low city," where mostly commoners lived) roughly corresponds to the brown area to the east. Although comprising only 16% of the land area, it housed 60% of Edo's population.