海への扉

During the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa periods, politicians and business leaders
began saying things like, “Isn’t Odawara great?” and the area expanded from being a destination for tourism, summer retreats, and convalescence
to a place for permanent residence and vacation homes.
It was relatively close to Tokyo, had just the right amount of urban life, and, above all, offered natural surroundings.
And another thing—there were places to have fun.
Well, to put it bluntly, it was a place of entertainment. Both the elite and the common folk would head out to the entertainment district.
This is what Miyakoji looks like today.
It seems many literary figures also moved to Odawara,
but this aspect was a major draw. After all, people were bound to let loose.

Speaking of another entertainment district, it was, quite simply, a red-light district.
Kawasaki Chōtarō, who lived in Odawara and depicted the city’s red-light district,
was a writer who described that area quite candidly.
He would write in a fishing gear shed near the Odawara coast and go out night after night.
The so-called “Makko-machi,” which became the title of his novel,
doesn’t refer to Hatsune Shinchi, but rather describes Shinkaichi (the café district). (Around the current Renshoin area)
Even if we don’t call it “Daimon,” you can clearly see the signs in Showa-era photographs.
I’ll go into more detail about this area another time.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)