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The following route descriptions are not meant to be detailed or to strictly follow Edo-period or earlier routes, but to allow someone with a modern map see how the roads went and what the major barriers were. The indication of the expressways is just to give the reader a general orientation, as those are usually easy to find on maps.
The following route descriptions are not meant to be detailed or to strictly follow Edo-period or earlier routes, but to allow someone with a modern map see how the roads went and what the major barriers were. The indication of the expressways is just to give the reader a general orientation, as those are usually easy to find on maps.
==The "Five Highways"==
The following Five Highways, or ''Gokaidô'' 五街道 of the [[Edo Period]] started at [[Nihonbashi]] in [[Edo]] (modern Tokyo). Before the Edo Period, the ending point was not so clear, but at least was in the [[Kanto|Kantô Plain]]; prior to the construction of Nihonbashi, the Tôkaidô began in Kyoto.
The chief roadways of the [[Edo period]] were the so-called ''Gokaidô'' 五街道, or "Five Highways." These included four major highways which started at [[Nihonbashi]] in [[Edo]] (modern Tokyo), one more which branched off of these, and eight auxiliary roads.
The system contained 248 [[post-stations]], or ''shukuba'', which ranged in their spacing; in some parts, it was roughly 12.1 km from one station to the next, while in other parts it was only around 4.2 km.<ref name=gokaido>Constantine Vaporis, "Linking the Realm: The Gokaidô Highway Network in Early Modern Japan," in Susan Alcock et al (eds.) ''Highways Byways and Road Systems in the Pre-Modern World'', Wiley-Blackwell (2012), 90-105.</ref>
===[[Tokaido|Tôkaidô Highway]]東海道===
===[[Tokaido|Tôkaidô Highway]]東海道===
(From Tokyo to Okazaki [east of Nagoya] the Tomei Expressway; for the whole route, basically NR 1)
(From Tokyo to Okazaki [east of Nagoya] the Tomei Expressway; for the whole route, basically NR 1)
The Tôkaidô was most famous of the highways, going from Edo (Nihonbashi) to Kyoto ([[Sanjo Ohashi|Sanjô-Ôhashi]]), mostly along the Pacific coast, but cutting across the neck of the Izu Peninsula, where the famous [[Hakone]] check-point was located.
The Tôkaidô (lit. "Eastern Sea Road") was most famous of the highways, running roughly 300 miles<ref name=gokaido/> from Edo (Nihonbashi) to Kyoto ([[Sanjo Ohashi|Sanjô-Ôhashi]]), mostly along the Pacific coast, but cutting across the neck of the Izu Peninsula, where the famous [[Hakone]] check-point was located. Prior to the construction of Nihonbashi in [[1603]], the Tôkaidô was considered to begin in Kyoto, and to end, vaguely, somewhere in the [[Kanto|Kantô Plain]]; following the construction of Nihonbashi, the conceptual direction was reversed, with Edo (Nihonbashi) becoming the beginning point of the road, and Kyoto the end point.
The most formidible natural barrier was just west of Nagoya, where many great rivers--Kiso, Ibi, Nagara, Hida, Neo, etc.--flow directly or indirectly into Ise Bay 伊勢湾. The highway made no attempt to cross the rivers. Travellers would take a ship across the bay. After that, the highway goes west from Yokkaichi 四日市 through Suzuka Pass 鈴鹿峠 . At Kusatsu 草津 it is joined by the Nakasendô highway.
The most formidable natural barrier along the Tôkaidô lay just west of [[Nagoya]], where many great rivers - the [[Kiso River|Kiso]], [[Ibi River|Ibi]], [[Nagara River|Nagara]], [[Hida River|Hida]], among others - flow directly or indirectly into [[Ise Bay]] 伊勢湾. The highway made no attempt to cross the rivers, but rather left travelers to take ferries across. Beyond this point, the highway went west from [[Yokkaichi]] 四日市 through the Suzuka Pass 鈴鹿峠, and was joined at [[Kusatsu]] 草津 by the [[Nakasendo|Nakasendô highway]].
The 57 stations of the Tôkaidô ended at the Sanjô Bridge over the [[Kamo River]] in Kyoto, but four additional stations were later added. This extension, known alternatively as the Ôsaka Kaidô, Kyôkaidô, or simply considered an extension of the Tôkaidô, ended at Kôraibashi in Osaka.
The 57 stations of the Tôkaidô were located an average of 8.4 km apart from one another; a survey conducted in [[1843]] indicates that at that time each station had an average of 55 commoner inns (''[[hatagoya]]'') and an average population of 3,950.<ref name=gokaido/> The road originally ended at the Sanjô Bridge over the [[Kamo River]] in Kyoto, but four additional stations were later added. This extension, known alternatively as the Ôsaka Kaidô, Kyôkaidô, or simply considered an extension of the Tôkaidô, ended at Kôraibashi in Osaka.
===[[Nakasendo|Nakasendô Highway]]中山道===
===[[Nakasendo|Nakasendô Highway]]中山道===
The Nakasendô (lit. "Central Mountain Road"), also known as the Tôsandô or Tôsendô (東山道), ran from Edo to Kyoto through the interior. Major points included Takasaki (to the northwest of Edo), the Usui Pass 碓氷峠, [[Lake Suwa]] 諏訪湖, the Kiso River 木曽川 valley, and the [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]] Pass 関ヶ原峠.
(Kan-etsu [Kantô-Echigo] 関越 Expressway to Fujioka Jct., then to Saku佐久 via the Jôshinetsu 上信越[ [[Kozuke province|Kôzuke]]-[[Shinano province|Shinano]]-[[Echigo province|Echigo]]] Expressway, then SW to Lake Suwa 諏訪湖 by NR 142, then Chûô 中央 Expressway to north of Nagoya, where it enters the Meishin [Nagoya-Kôbe] 名神 Expressway, and from there to Kyoto.)
Earlier, the route of the the Tôsendô was somewhat different. Among other things, it joined the Hokkoku-dô at the Shinano Kokubunji in Ueda instead of at Oiwake. Also, the old Usui Pass is somewhat north of the pass on the modern highway.
The 67 stations of the Nakasendô were spaced an average of 5.2 km apart, and in 1843 each had an average of 1,165 residents and 27 ''hatagoya''.<ref name=gokaido/>
===[[Oshukaido|Ôshûkaidô Highway]]奥州街道===
===[[Oshukaido|Ôshûkaidô Highway]]奥州街道===
(Tohoku東北 Expressway; NR 4) From Edo to Shirakawa白河, in the northern province of [[Mutsu province|Mutsu]]
(Tohoku東北 Expressway; NR 4) The Ôshû-kaidô ran north from Edo, to Shirakawa 白河, in the northern province of [[Mutsu province|Mutsu]] (also known as Ôshû).
Its ten stations were located roughly 7.9 km apart. As of 1843, each had an average population of 1,186 people and an average of 27 ''hatagoya''.<ref name=gokaido/>
===[[Nikko Kaido|Nikkô Kaidô]]日光街道===
===[[Nikko Kaido|Nikkô Kaidô]]日光街道===
(NR4, NR 119) From Edo to Nikkô, where [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] was enshrined. This separated from the Ôshû kaidô in Utsunomiya 宇都宮
(NR4, NR 119) The Nikkô-kaidô, also known as the Nikkô Dôchû 日光道中, ran from Edo to [[Nikko|Nikkô]], where [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] was enshrined. It separated from the Ôshû-kaidô in [[Utsunomiya]] 宇都宮.
Its 21 stations included Utsunomiya, Shimo-, Naka- and Kami-Tokujira (徳次郎), Ôzawa, Imaichi, Hatsuishi（鉢石), and Nikkô bôchû 坊中. These were located roughly five kilometers apart, and in 1843 each station had an average of 2,264 residents and 39 ''hatagoya''.<ref name=gokaido/>
===[[Koshu Kaido|Kôshû Kaidô]]甲州街道===
===[[Koshu Kaido|Kôshû Kaidô]]甲州街道===
(Chûô 中央Expressway; NR 20) From Edo to Lake Suwa諏訪湖, where it joined the Nakasendô, passing through [[Kai province]], which was also called Kôshu. The modern NR 20 passes south of Mt. Takao 高尾山 in Tokyo, but this is a route developed for automobiles. The original route went north of Mt. Takao through Kobotoke Pass 小仏峠, parallel to the Chûô train line 中央線.
(Chûô 中央 Expressway; NR 20) The Kôshû-kaidô ran from Edo to Lake Suwa 諏訪湖, where it joined the Nakasendô, passing through [[Kai province]], which was also called Kôshû. The modern NR 20 passes south of [[Mt. Takao]] 高尾山 in Tokyo, but this is a route developed for automobiles. The original route went north of Mt. Takao through the Kobotoke Pass 小仏峠, parallel to the route today of the Chûô train line 中央線.
Kai had come under Ieyasu's control in [[1582]], and during the Edo period the Kôshû Highway was considered a militarily sensitive escape route. Only a few daimyo were allowed to use it; most had to take the longer route of the Nakasendô highway.
Kai had come under Ieyasu's control in [[1582]], and during the Edo period the Kôshû Highway was considered a militarily sensitive escape route. Only a few daimyo were allowed to use it; most had to take the longer route of the Nakasendô highway.
There was a barrier at or near Kobotoke Pass, originally called the Fujimi ("Mt. Fuji-viewing") barrier. Early in the Edo period it was moved a a place a little to the east of the pass, Komakino 駒木野. From 1623 four guards were stationed there. A pass was necessary to use the road.
There was a barrier at or near the Kobotoke Pass, originally called the Fujimi ("Mt. Fuji-viewing") barrier. Early in the Edo period it was moved a little bit east of the pass, to a site known as Komakino 駒木野. From [[1623]] four guards were stationed there. A permit was necessary to use the road.
The 45 stations of the Kôshû-kaidô were roughly 4.2 km away from one another; in 1843, each station had an average of 11 ''hatagoya'' and 779 residents.<ref name=gokaido/>
===Auxiliary Roads===
The eight auxiliary roads counted as part of the Gokaidô ("Five Highways") system were the [[Saya Road]] (''Sayaji''), [[Mino Road]] (''Minoji''), [[Mibu Road]] (''Mibudô''), [[Reiheishido|Reiheishidô]], [[Mito-Sakurado|Mito-Sakura-dô]], [[Nikko onarido|Nikkô onaridô]], [[Honzaka dori|Honzaka dôri]], and [[Yamazaka dori|Yamazaka dôri]].<ref name=gokaido/>
==(Highways Linking the [[Kanto|Kantô plain]] and [[Echigo province]])==
===[[Hokkoku Kaido]]北国街道===
===[[Hokkoku Kaido]]北国街道===
(Jôshinetsu 上信越[ [[Kozuke province|Kôzuke]]-[[Shinano province|Shinano]]-Echigo] Expressway from Saku佐久 to Jôetsu上越; NR 18)
(Jôshinetsu 上信越[ [[Kozuke province|Kôzuke]]-[[Shinano province|Shinano]]-Echigo] Expressway from Saku佐久 to Jôetsu上越; NR 18)
*Explanation talk in the Nakasendo Museum, Oiwake (中山道６９次資料館).
*Explanation talk in the Nakasendo Museum, Oiwake (中山道６９次資料館).
*Information sign at the site of the Komakino Barrier
*Information sign at the site of the Komakino Barrier
<references/>
[[Category:Art and Architecture]]
[[Category:Art and Architecture]]
[[Category:Geographic Locations]]
[[Category:Geographic Locations]]