What was the connection between 9-chome, Ōte-machi, Hiroshima, and Yoshihiko Maeda? This question becomes even more intriguing as we examine two additional postal cards sent to Maeda. One card was sent by 大谷健一 (Ōtani Kenichi) on January 1, 1890, and the other by 堤正巳 (Tsutsumi Masami) on January 5, 1890. Both cards were postmarked in 安芸広島 (Aki Hiroshima), and both senders listed their return address as 広島市大手町九丁目 (9-chome, Ōte-machi, Hiroshima).
The address 9-chome, Ōte-machi appears frequently in historical records, including the 文部省職員録 大正5年11月1日調 (Ministry of Education Staff Directory, compiled on November 1, 1916) and other related directories from Hiroshima during that period. However, these records typically include Banchi (番地), or street numbers, which were essential for accurate mail delivery. This raises an interesting question: why do these cards omit the street numbers?
Banchi referred to specific districts within cities, often covering large areas. Without precise street numbers, delivering mail accurately would have been challenging unless the individuals were well-known in their neighborhood. This suggests that Ōtani Kenichi and Tsutsumi Masami might have been prominent figures in 9-chome, Ōte-machi, or that the address itself was widely recognized, possibly housing a government office, school, or other institution.
No comments:
Post a Comment