Highways

Routes

The routes of the highways changed little-by-little over time, often by improvements to get around natural barriars. Most of the highways below are still in use and are commonly called by their old names. One normally talks about "Kôshû Kaidô" rather than NR (national route) 20, for instance. The modern expressway network does not follow the old routes, however.

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 Kantô Plain; prior to the construction of Nihonbashi, the Tôkaidô began in Kyoto.

Tôkaidô Highway東海道

(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 (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 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 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.

Nakasendô Highway中山道

This was earlier called the Tôsandô or Tôsendô (東山道).

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 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[ Kôzuke-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.)

Earlier, the route of the the Tôsendô was somewhat different. Among other things, it joined the Hokkokudô 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.

Ôshûkaidô Highway奥州街道

(Tohoku東北 Expressway; NR 4) From Edo to Shirakawa白河, in the northern province of Mutsu

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 Stages were: Utsunomiya, Shimo-, Naka- and Kami-Tokujira (徳次郎), Ôzawa, Imaichi, Hatsuishi（鉢石), Nikkô 坊中bôchû (It was also known as Nikkô Dôchû 日光道中)

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.

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.

Hokkoku Kaido北国街道

(Jôshinetsu 上信越[ Kôzuke-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　小諸, Unno-juku 海野宿 (which preserves many Edo-period buildings), and 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 and fourth battles of Kawanakajima. The castle of Kaizu, later 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

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

Shimizu Kaido 清水街道

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

Hokurikudô北陸道

(Meishin名神 [Nagoya-Kôbe] Expressway, Hokuriku北陸 Expressway; NR8) From Kyoto to Etchû province, then north along the Japan Sea coast

References

• Kôjien Dictionary
• Super Mapple Road Map of Kanto (Shobun-sha, 1999)
• Explanation talk in the Nakasendo Museum, Oiwake (中山道６９次資料館).
• Information sign at the site of the Komakino Barrier