"Had I not known that I was dead already, I would have mourned the loss of my life."
Ota Dokan, 1486
Every October 1, Tokyo celebrates its anniversary, in honor of the memory of the founder Ota Dokan. In 1457, Ota Dokan ordered the construction of the first castle of Edo (Tokyo), on the site now occupied by the imperial palace. The castle was chosen as the home of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1590, and was used as the seat for the government.
Ota Dokan (1432-1486) served the daimyo of the house Hojo, and was a renowned feudal lord in medieval Japan.
Among the other monuments built by Dokan are the Hirikawa Shrine, which is celebrated with a festival on April 24-25th. The shrine, located on the Edo-jo castle grounds, is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, the deity of poetry and scholarship.