Changes

==The "Five Highways"==

==The "Five Highways"==

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. Even where highways ran through a ''daimyô's'' domain, they fell under the jurisdiction of the shogunate;<ref>Luke Roberts, ''Mercantilism in a Japanese Domain: The Merchant Origins of Economic Nationalism in 18th-Century Tosa'', Cambridge University Press (1998), 17n37.</ref> the shogunate also effected and paid for the maintenance of the highways.<ref>''Hosokawa-ke monjo: ezu, chizu, sashizu hen II'', Tokyo: Yoshikawa kôbunkan (2013), 197.</ref>

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. Even where highways ran through a ''daimyô's'' domain, they fell under the jurisdiction of the shogunate;<ref>Luke Roberts, ''Mercantilism in a Japanese Domain: The Merchant Origins of Economic Nationalism in 18th-Century Tosa'', Cambridge University Press (1998), 17n37.</ref> the shogunate also effected and paid for the maintenance of the highways.<ref name=hoso197>''Hosokawa-ke monjo: ezu, chizu, sashizu hen II'', Tokyo: Yoshikawa kôbunkan (2013), 197.</ref>

Some records indicate that many sections of the road were quite well-maintained. Ditches running along the sides of the roads were maintained to help drain off water, sand was spread over the roads when they were wet, and in hot, dusty weather, water sprayed to settle the dust. In certain sections in the mountains, stones were carefully placed to help increase traction and prevent mudslides, while also providing for effective drainage. In other sections, rows of trees (often [[cryptomeria]], aka ''sugi'') were planted, providing shade for travelers and helping to prevent erosion. Distance markers were placed one ''[[Japanese measurements|ri]]'' apart along the road, and other markers or signs indicated major junctions. The roads were also commonly swept and cleaned when an important party, such as a daimyô's ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' procession, or a foreign embassy, was expected to be passing along that section of road.<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>

Some records indicate that many sections of the road were quite well-maintained. Ditches running along the sides of the roads were maintained to help drain off water, sand was spread over the roads when they were wet, and in hot, dusty weather, water sprayed to settle the dust. In certain sections in the mountains, stones were carefully placed to help increase traction and prevent mudslides, while also providing for effective drainage. In other sections, rows of trees (often [[cryptomeria]], aka ''sugi'') were planted, providing shade for travelers and helping to prevent erosion. Distance markers were placed one ''[[Japanese measurements|ri]]'' apart along the road, and other markers or signs indicated major junctions. The roads were also commonly swept and cleaned when an important party, such as a daimyô's ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' procession, or a foreign embassy, was expected to be passing along that section of road.<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 (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. It typically took about 13 days to walk the Tôkaidô on foot.<ref>Plaques at the Odawara post station.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/8396933861/sizes/l]</ref>

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. Though already existing previously in some form, the Edo period Tôkaidô is considered to have been completed in [[1624]].<ref name=hoso197/> It typically took about 13 days to walk the Tôkaidô on foot.<ref>Plaques at the Odawara post station.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/8396933861/sizes/l]</ref>

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. 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 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. 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]].

===[[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.

The Nakasendô (lit. "Central Mountain Road"), also known as the Tôsandô or Tôsendô (東山道) and as the Kisô Kaidô (木曽街道), 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. The road is considered to have been completed by [[1694]].<ref name=hoso197/>

(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.)

(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.)