Aftermath Great fire of Meireki

historical marker memorial victims of great fire of meireki

on 24th day of new year, 6 days after fire began, monks , others began transport bodies of killed down sumida river honjo, sumida, tokyo, community on eastern side of river. there, pits dug , bodies buried; ekō-in (hall of prayer dead) built on site.

reconstruction efforts took 2 years, shogunate took opportunity reorganize city according various practical considerations. under guidance of rōjū matsudaira nobutsuna, streets widened , districts replanned , reorganized; special care taken restore edo s mercantile center, protecting , boosting extent overall national economy. commoners , samurai retainers alike granted funds government rebuilding of homes, , restoration of shogun s castle left completed last. area around castle, restored, reorganized leave greater spaces act firebreaks; retainers homes moved further castle, , number of temples , shrines relocated banks of river.

one of greatest disasters in japanese history, death , destruction incurred meireki fire comparable suffered in 1923 great kantō earthquake , 1945 bombing of tokyo in world war ii. each of these 20th-century events, meireki fire less 3 centuries earlier, saw 100,000 deaths, , destruction of majority of city.