Changes

==General==

==General==

==Routes==

==Routes==

===(The "Five Highways")===

===(The "Five Highways")===

The following Five Highways 五街道 of the[[ Edo Period]] started at [[Nihon Bashi]] in [[Edo]] (modern Tokyo). Before the Edo Period, the starting (or ending point) was not so clear, but at least was in the  [[Kanto|Kantô Plain]].

The following Five Highways 五街道 of the[[ Edo Period]] started at [[Nihon Bashi]] in [[Edo]] (modern Tokyo). Before the Edo Period, the starting (or ending point) was not so clear, but at least was in the  [[Kanto|Kantô Plain]].

===[[Tokaido|Tôkaidô Highway]]東海道===

===[[Tokaido|Tôkaidô Highway]]東海道===

(NR1) From Edo to Kyoto, mostly along the Pacific coast

(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 to Kyoto, mostly along the Pacific coast, but cutting across the neck of the Izu Peninsula, where the famous Hakone check-point was located.

 

 

===[[Nakasendo|Nakasendô Highway]]中山道===

===[[Nakasendo|Nakasendô Highway]]中山道===

The Nakasendô goes from Edo to Kyoto through the interior. Major points are Takasaki (NW of Edo), Usui Pass, Lake Suwa, the Kiso River valley, and Sekigahara Pass.

 

The Nakasendô goes from Edo to Kyoto through the interior. Major points are Takasaki (NW of Edo), Usui Pass碓氷峠, Lake Suwa諏訪湖, the Kiso River 木曽川valley, and [[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] 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.)

(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.)

=== (Tôkaidô and Nakasendô compared)===

=== (Tôkaidô and Nakasendô compared)===

===[[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.  

(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.  

===(Highways Linking the [[Kantô plain]] and [[Echigo province]])===

===(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)

The Hokkoku Kaidô starts at Oiwake 追分 (in Karuizawa) on the Nakasendô, shortly after the Nakasendô climbs out of the Kantô Plain via Usui Pass 碓氷峠 and enters [[Shinano province]]. It follows the Chikuma River 千曲川 west, downstream, passing through [[Komoro castle|Komoro]]　小諸, Unno-juku 海野宿 (which preserves many Edo-period buildings), and [[Ueda castle|Ueda]]上田.  The region shortly after the Chikuma River turns sharply to the north and the Sai River enters is called Kawanakajima 川中島; it was the scene of several famous battles, especially the [[Second Battle of Kawanakajima| second]] and [[Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima|fourth battles of Kawanakajima]]. The castle of [[Kaizu castle|Kaizu]], later Matsushiro　松代, was near here. At Toyono 豊野 the highway leaves the Chikuma River and follows the Torii River upstream, eventually going through the 666 m. Nojiri Saka Pass 野尻坂峠　into Echigo. From there it goes north down the valley to Naoetsu 直江津 (Jôetsu) on the coast, where it joins the Hokurikudô.

The Hokkoku Kaidô starts at Oiwake 追分 (in Karuizawa) on the Nakasendô, shortly after the Nakasendô climbs out of the Kantô Plain via Usui Pass 碓氷峠 and enters [[Shinano province]]. It follows the Chikuma River 千曲川 west, downstream, passing through [[Komoro castle|Komoro]]　小諸, Unno-juku 海野宿 (which preserves many Edo-period buildings), and [[Ueda castle|Ueda]]上田.  After the Chikuma River turns sharply to the north and the Sai River enters, the region is called Kawanakajima 川中島; it was the scene of several famous battles, especially the [[Second Battle of Kawanakajima| second]] and [[Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima|fourth battles of Kawanakajima]]. The castle of [[Kaizu castle|Kaizu]], later [[Matsushiro han|Matsushiro]]　松代, was near here. At Toyono 豊野 the highway leaves the Chikuma River and follows the Torii 鳥居River upstream, eventually going through the 666 m. Nojiri Saka Pass 野尻坂峠　into Echigo. From there it goes north down the valley to Naoetsu 直江津 (Jôetsu) on the coast, where it joins the Hokurikudô.

===[[Mikuni Kaido]]三国街道===

===[[Mikuni Kaido]]三国街道===

(Kanetsu 関越 [Kantô Plain-Echigo] Expressway; local Rd 36 and NR 17) Using Mikuni Pass

(Kanetsu 関越 [Kantô-Echigo] Expressway; local Rd 36 and NR 17) Using Mikuni Pass

===[[Shimizu Kaido]] 清水街道===

===[[Shimizu Kaido]] 清水街道===

(Kanetsu 関越 [Kantô Plain-Echigo] Expressway;NR 291) Using Shimizu Pass

(Kanetsu 関越 [Kantô-Echigo] Expressway;NR 291) Using Shimizu Pass

===(Others)===

===(Others)===

===[[Hokurikudo|Hokurikudô]]北陸道===

===[[Hokurikudo|Hokurikudô]]北陸道===

[[Category:Art and Architecture]]

[[Category:Art and Architecture]]