All Japanese were repatriated in March, 1946.This map is provided by Mr Hirokawa's son. Marked in red, No 7 is where Kinoshita Seigai resided. Also, marked No 3, near MaZu Temple, was the Kurokawa salt and tobacco store [Mr Hirokawa and his bride actually lived above it after their wedding on May 20, 1939] which was at the now Chung Cheng Road No 125-7. And No 5 the Toda Stationery Store had been mislabeled on the map; it should have been at the now No 123. [All addresses identified by Mr Hong and his daughter Christina].
For a then and now comparison, below is a photo showing another tobacco store on Chung Cheng Road - the first house on the right - looking in the direction of the Triangular Park三角窗 [we have previously mistaken it as the Kurokawa store], taken not too long after the war:
Thanks to Mr Hong and Christina, the location of this store has also been identified: the now Chung Cheng Road No 148, 許明祥命相館.
Some locals still remember this grocery store. Also, there is a newly constructed memorial garden in honor of Kinoshita right in front of his old house. And the old fish market, initially built on the 街役場 (see map above), has been demolished recently to provide 媽祖MaZu a clear view of GuanYin Mountain (1), and an underground shopping center built in its place (2).______________________________________________________________
(1): For generations, the legend has always been: Tamsui will become truly prosperous only if MaZu can look out from her temple to the Mountain unobstructed. It is finally a reality, at least the view part:
[Looking out from MaZu temple at GuanYing Mountain. This square was originally the 街役場, later occupied by the Fish Market building. Courtesy of Christina Hong.](2): On March 26, newspapers report that, much to the chagrin of the locals, 6 portable johns are placed in front of the MaZu Temple. The explanation is that this is a temporary measure before the underground shopping center facilities become ready. Whoever instituted this has, unfortunately, failed to realize that it is not only a disrespect to the all-seeing MaZu but also an eyesore for a town renowned for its beautiful view of GuanYin Mountain. Some divine punishment maybe in order.
How do you know the right hand first house is KuroKawa's store at #37 Shin-Ten street? The picture seems not looking toward the train station but away from station since the street curves toward right. The KuroKawa's store, according to HiroKawa Sensei's rescription should be located between public market and city hall on river side. ChoSan
回覆刪除Hi ChoSan,
回覆刪除I kind of agree with you when I first looked at the picture. However, the end of the street does not look right as it extended for too far plus this section should only be a gentle curve, not so steep as that in the photo.
The only sharp bend would be if the picture was taken near 120 Chung Cheng Road, where the street begins to curve quickly to the right, all the way towards the train station. This'll put the store on almost the right spot.
The only sure way is of course to go down to the Town Hall and find out where 淡水街淡水字新店参拾七番地 was. This we will do in order to reconstruct the history of Tamsui between 1942-46 - a film documentary is being planned.
Thanks for the reply.
刪除I stayed with my wife's family at 中正路, 2nd house next to the public market市場 toward train station, on river side and commute to Taipei everyday that why I noticed the curvature of the 中正路 is swinging toward left.
BTW, my wife still remembered the KuroKawa's store after the war with a different owner.
The picture shows a bicycle going and a pedicab coming, both are on right side of the road; it tells the picture is taken after the war.
ChoSan
Hi ChoSan,
刪除Very good points. Thank you very much.
I was under the impression that your wife's family lived on the MaZu Temple side, the now 208 Chung Cheng Road or thereabouts. So it actually faced the entry to 重建街 then. I'll take a closer look next time and also check with the source as to when exactly the photo was taken.
Incidentally, do you remember/know anything about this Pilot 木村 (No 4 on the Mr Hirokawa's map)?
Hi ChoSan,
回覆刪除1. According to Mr Hong (Christina's father), 淡水街淡水字新店参拾七番地 is now Nos 121-131 Chung Cheng Raod.
2. And this supports your point, from one of my cousins:
我覺得這張老照片應該是位在剛過區公所一點門口拍的, 也就是說區公所是在照片左邊(淡水河也在左邊)面向舊市場方向拍的, 我的記憶中左邊靠河都是二層樓而靠媽祖廟山丘這邊都是三層樓;如按你的說法站味來香和區公所中間往車站方向看是右曲沒錯, 但是依照片的陽光光線看(雖下著小雨仍會有太陽光線)正前方是英專也是東邊, 拍攝時間應是上午10:00~11:00之間(路人不少), 我記憶中沒有這麼強的光線.反觀如果是站在區公所門口往舊市場方向看(河在左邊)正好面對遠方的淡水河口日落方向, 我認為拍攝時間在下午14:00~15:00之時段此光線強度相當吻合.如此一來也對應到廣川研一的地圖了, 我過幾天去淡水核對看哪一段街道彎曲最吻合再告訴你.
Stay tuned, then.
你好
回覆刪除我内人娘家是在中正路１１１号、現在是PUPPY House、隔壁、仙伯仔家是１１３号、公共市場是１１５号、市場那辺第一家是登峰魚丸博物館、１１７号；単号是河辺、双号靠山。号碼由火車站算起。如果黒川商店是在市場和鎮公所中間、那麼応該是中正路９１ー１０１号之間。中正路１２１ー１３１号已經来到建築合作社或者盧秋貴医院、現在是阿婆鉄蛋。
張三
It now appears that the old fish market was built on 街役場 itself, across the street from MaZu Temple, and 街役場 was not the Town Hall at all. These changed the entire perspective allowing us to narrow down where the Kurokawa store was.
回覆刪除Hi Eyedoc
回覆刪除Please see old tansui map（商工地図） on 1936（昭和11）, this map shows only stores and few monumental buildings.
http://www.geocities.co.jp/yosh_3jp/taiwan2/tansui1936.jpg
On 1936, Kurokawa's store shall be located much west from location in the photo. Mr.Hirokawa think the store moved there between 1936 and 1945, I agree with him.
三協成菓子店 is still continuing their buisiness at same location in map.
Bigger same photo is here;
http://taipics.com/images/cities/taipei_danshui/taiwan%20formosa%20history%20cities%20taipei%20danshui%20taipics115.jpg
yosh
Dear Yosh,
回覆刪除Thanks for the input. Yes, Mr Hirokawa did point out to me the original Kurokawa store location when he visited Tamsui again last November. It was next door to 盧秋貴 Clinic. As ChoSan has noted that the photo of the store was most likely taken after the war and since the 1937 map shows no such store, a relocation between this period was indeed possible. The store also seems short-lived, even the 三協成菓子店 owner can't recall it.