NakasendÅ
The Nakasendō (Japanese中山 道·中 仙道) was one of the two roads in the Edo period, the (now Tokyo) connected the capital Edo with the ancient capital of Kyoto in Japan. In contrast to the coastal Tōkaidō the Nakasendō his name led by the domestic, so " road through the central mountains". In part, the term Kisokaido or Kiso Kaidō (木 曾 街道) is used, which refers to the shape of the road through the Kiso Valley.
Creation of the road system of the Edo period
After the Battle of Sekigahara was followed by two and a half centuries of almost unbroken peace, which became known as the Edo period. Among the many political, legislative, cultural and intellectual changes in the early years of the Edo period was a major renewal of the old Japanese road network. Five roads were officially designated as routes for the use of the shogun and the daimyo. They gave the Tokugawa shogunate, a communication network that allowed them to stabilize the country and to govern. One of these five roads is the Nakasendo, the ( where the emperor and his court - at least nominally - ruled ) from Kyoto extended over the central mountains of the island of Honshū up to Edo, where the Shogun exercised the real power.
On the route Formerly 67 stations with accommodation options for travelers. at the stations also trade was driven, and many developed into villages or towns.
The Nakasendō today
Although a large part of the Nakasendō no longer exists in its historical form, remained some sections that have been restored in recent decades. Perhaps the most famous route is between Magome and Tsumago in the Kiso Valley. This was made famous by the living in the 19th century writer Shimazaki Toson, the effects of the Meiji Restoration of the valley in his narrative Yoake Mae ( " Before the Dawn " ) described.
This part of the road you can still comfortably travel on foot. Both Tsumago and Magome have preserved their traditional architecture. It takes 2-3 hours by foot, through forests, in some places, restored paving and beautiful views of waterfalls.
The poet Bashō traveled the Nakasendō also.
The 69 Stations of the classic Nakasendō
Along the Nakasendō total of 69 stations were built between the bridges Nihombashi in Edo and Sanjō - Ōhashi in Kyoto. It originated Inns, postal and customs stations. The stations are:
( Nihombashi ) - Itabashi - Warabi - Urawa (now Urawa -ku, Saitama ) - Ōmiya (now Ōmiya -ku, Saitama ) - A geo - Okegawa - Konosu - Kumagaya - Fukaya - Honjō - Shinmachi (now Takasaki ) - Kuragano (now Takasaki ) - Takasaki - Itabana (now Annaka ) - Annaka - Matsuida (now Annaka ) - Sakamoto (now Annaka ) - Karuizawa - Kutsukake (now Karuizawa ) - Oiwake (now Karuizawa ) - Otai - Iwamurada (today: Saku ) - Shionada (today: Saku ) - Yawata (today: Saku ) - Mochizuki (today: Saku ) - Ashida - Nagakubo - Wada (now Nagawa ) - Shimosuwa - Shiojiri - Seba (now Shiojiri ) - Motoyama (now Shiojiri ) - Niekawa (now Shiojiri ) - Narai (now Shiojiri ) - Yabuhara - Miyanokoshi - Fukushima - Agematsu - Suhara - Nojiri - Midono - Tsumago - Magome (now Nakatsugawa ) - Ochiai (now Nakatsugawa ) - Nakatsugawa - Ōi (now Ena ) - Ōkute (now Mizunami ) - Hosokute (now Mizunami ) - Mitake - Fushimi - Ōta (now Minokamo ) - Unuma (now Inuyama ) - Kano (now Gifu ) - Godo ( today: Gifu ) - Mieji (now Mizuho ) - Akasaka (now Ogaki ) - Tarui - Sekigahara - imasu - Kashiwabara (now Maibara ) - Samegai (now Maibara ) - Banba (now Maibara ) - Toriimoto (today: Hikone ) - Takamiya - Aichigawa - Musa (now Omihachiman ) - Kusatsu - Otsu Cities - ( Sanjō - Ōhashi )
- Geography (Japan)
- Highway
- Altstrasse
- Road in Japan
- Traffic ( Tokyo Prefecture)
- Kyoto
- Edo period