Moriyama-juku
- Japanese: 守山宿 (Moriyama juku)
Moriyama-juku was the 67th of the 69 post-stations along the Nakasendô highway. It is today located in Moriyama city, Shiga prefecture.
In the Edo period, the main stretch of the post-town was about 1300 meters long (11 chô, 53 ken), situated between the Mitotsugawa River to the north and the Kikkawa River to the south. It was home to about 1700 people. A 1677 map shows some 77 buildings along the Nakasendô, surrounded by agricultural fields. The primary honjin was run by a Komiyayama Kyûemon; following the end of the Edo period, the site was home to a post office and post office manager's residence until 2004, when it was torn down. Today, a stone marker stands on the site. Two toiyaba were maintained near the southern end of town, providing porters and post-horses to travelers.
The neighboring kashuku (additional post-town) of Imajuku was linked to Moriyama across a short bridge spanning a narrow river; it contained additional inns, teahouses, and the like.
One of the chief temples in the town is Tômon-in, also known as Tômon-in Moriyama-dera. It is said to have been established by Saichô sometime in the Enryaku era (782-806) to guard the town from the kimon (lit. "devil's gate") direction. Korean embassies to Edo frequently took up lodgings at this temple on their way to and from Edo.
The local Tenmangû Shrine was long home to a series of paintings of the 36 Poetry Immortals (Sanjûrokkasen) painted on wooden boards. Today, these are held at the nearby Nakasendô Kaidô Bunka Kôryûkan.
Moriyama is the hometown of Uno Sôsuke, who served briefly as Prime Minister in 1989. A historic machiya associated with him is open to the public as a historic house and rentable venue today.
| Preceded by: Musa-juku |
Stations of the Nakasendô | Succeeded by: Kusatsu-juku |
