What is Edokko?
Edokko are Japanese people who were born, bred and can trace their family history in the Edo time period. Edo was also the original name of Tokyo. Strictly speaking, Edokko need to have at least three generations of family memebers born and bred in a certain area of Edo (Tokyo). In the Edo era, there was a Edo castle in the center of Tokyo, now it is not there anymore, but Nihon Budokan is there instead of castle. Only the people who lived in the east area are considered, when Tokyo was divided by the four cardinal points as centered around the Nihon-Budokan.
Generally, Edokko people are shy, head-strong, short tempered and obsessed with cleanliness. They are also single-minded and we have an old proverb that says "fire and fighting make a prime Edo" Edokko has curiosities about fires and fighting that usualy happens at a festival. Although, they are sharp-tongued, they forget things the next day. In Rakugo (a Japanese sit down comedy), have many stories about Edokko's short temper and bluffing.　Here is the site you may see old news paper /pictures (Kawaraban ) to tell about fire in Edo. Very interesting to see.
Being stylish! Edokko's priority
Okay here is another old expressions to describe Edokko.
"When Edokko get money, he will use them up only one day, Edokko don't save money," .....because Edokko think saving money is uncool. And Edo had big fire every 6 month, saving money was very meanless. Also there is not bank, it's hard to keep money. So many Edokko thought spending money is much better than lost.
"Edokko likes to eat first food (primemur) of season".....because Edokko think it is stylsh.
"Edokko try take HOT bath patiently".....because Edokko think add and make it colder is not cool.
"Edokko eat Japanese noodle soba with a little sauce"..... because Edokko think eating soba with a lot of soup is not stylish. Of course using a lot of soup is more delicious. Edokko patience with a little soup becaus they want to be cool.
Yes Edokko's criterion of judgment is simple, "it is cool and stylish, or it is not cool" for them. In Japanese there are a lot of expression to describe [cool] for Edokko, like "IKI", "INASE". It would be good proof how they cared about it. Of course For other people, those thier priority might sound strange, acutually they seemed to bluff only. For example, as a joke, they say when season comes, Edokko eat bonito (Hatsu Gatsuo) even he put his wife in hock. Who can understand this! But for Edokko buffering is much better than "not cool". Here is another funny old joke, One edokko left the words when he dies, "oh yes I wanted to eat soba with rich sauce once"
Since Edokko a title requires a firm definition like above. there are not so many REAL edokko in Tokyo anymore. And There is no such a way to explain the character of people who live in Tokyo. because People live in Tokyo came from other different side of Japan, hardly have similar characteristics.
About Edo, please check my old articles Edo in Tokyo1 and Edoin Tokyo2 .
Compared to Shitamachi ( east Edokko area), west area is called Yamanote area, and my family was lived there for long time. yes more than three generations. Here is episode, there is a very old statue called faithful dog Hachiko in Shibuya. Hachiko picked up his master everyday at the Shibuya station. Even after master died. My grandmother used to give Hachiko a bun with red beans after her junior high school. She says Hachiko was very dirty. Our family have been lived in Tokyo for such long time. Yes I am a Yamanote Tokyo girl.
Comments