Kudan

Kudan is the area along the north side of the Royal Palace, that is, the north side of the inner moat of Edo castle . The name of Kudan came from a slope which has nine (“ku”) steps (“dan”). This area is the border between Tokyo’s highland area and lowland area, which is the reason why this area has the name of Kudan .

In the course of this town’s long history, probably the biggest event was “February 26 Incident”. On February 26th 1936, a radical group of Japan’s militant officers staged Coup d’etat , occupied the governmental area of Tokyo, and killed many political and business leaders of Japan. In a few days it was suppressed and those officers were sentenced to death, but it brought junta government and Japan started to fall into the devastating defeat 10 years later. The formal military used Kudan Hall (Kudan Kaikan) ,the low and old-fashioned building in the picture, as the headquarter to fight against the “rebellion groups”. This building is about to be demolished ,symbolizing the passing of time.