Highways

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 五街道 of theEdo 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 Kantô Plain.

Tôkaidô Highway東海道

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

Nakasendô Highway中山道

(From Lake Suwa on, Chûô Expressway) 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.

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.

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. 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 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 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 Plain-Echigo] Expressway; local Rd 36 and NR 17) Using Mikuni Pass

Shimizu Kaido 清水街道

(Kanetsu 関越 [Kantô Plain-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)