Ninenzaka

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Streets brimming with tradition.
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Once upon a time, an old couple who were woodcutters lived in a place where they had to cross a ridge to go to the marketplace. This ridge, known for a tale that falling over it results in death three years later, was called 'Sannenzaka'. One day, the grandfather fell at this ridge startled by a rabbit that appeared suddenly. He thought, 'Now, I might live only for another three years.' Worried, he eventually became bedridden.

As the three-year mark since the grandfather's fall was nearing, his grandson asked him about it. After learning the whole story, the grandson suggested that falling over more could extend his life. The grandfather then got up and purposefully fell over 'Sannenzaka' ten more times, living another thirty years.
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This tale mirrors legends from Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka in Kyoto, where stumbling at Ninenzaka is believed to shorten life by two years, and at Sannenzaka by three years. However, falling multiple times is said to negate the curse, showing a striking similarity to the Sannenzaka legend.
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Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka are streets located in Kyoto, nestled along the path from Gion to Kiyomizu-dera. These streets are lined with souvenir shops, traditional workshops, tea houses, eateries, and traditional restaurants, essentially forming a village catering to visitors of Kiyomizu-dera with goods and residences for merchants and shopkeepers.

The book 'Walking through a Thousand Years of Kyoto' refers to these places as 'sahachon', meaning a collection of souvenir shops around temples or shrines. Although similar setups can be found near other temples or shrines in Kyoto, those in front of Kiyomizu-dera are considered emblematic sahachons.
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The old houses and traditional goods surrounding Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka epitomize Japanese identity, captivating tourists who make purchases, thus enabling merchants to make a living. It is thought that the architecture reflects people's lives, which, in aggregate, form a city.

Cities can be planned, but they also emerge naturally. Sahachon-like communities, characterized by their traditional offerings and preservation, naturally evolve around temples and shrines embedding Japan's identity, enabling residents to continue traditions, sell them, and live off them. Subsequently, these residents' lives through architecture aggregate to shape the city's identity.

Typically, the intent is to express the context of the surrounding land through architecture. Temples and shrines provide the context of tradition that draws people in, and those residing in such places strive to uphold tradition while meeting the demands of tourists. These spaces arise from the intersection of history, human needs, architecture, urban identity, commercial interests, and tourism.
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