和田宿 WADA-juku コラム 28th post station, Wada-juku What’s こくようせき P West to East 142 Higashi-Shinshu 142 WADA-juku 1 142 Many travelers gathered near the beginning of Wada NAKASENDO ? 142 Pass, the hardest pass to go over in Nakasendo, which “ ” 142 67 was also a route for the daimyo's procession. WADA-juku KARUIZAWA-juku 142 下諏訪町 長和町 142 The Nakasendo Trail Shukuba 12 Shukuba The post station (shukuba) was where commemorative stamps About 400 years ago was the Edo Period in travelers and horses could rest. Each Shukuba has a unique stamp that Many accommodation facilities were Japan. represents its own characteristics. In 1604 (Keicho 9), the Edo-Shogunate gathered in the shukuba town, and You can collect twelve Shukuba stamps. flourished as a center of information 旧和田トンネル designated142 the five routes starting from and trading. Nihonbashi, Edo (now Tokyo). The142 five routes are Tokaido, Nikko Kaido, Oshu "The Nakasendo passing through the east of with challenging passes at both ends You can preparing for going over the challenging pass, or "MOTAI-ainoshuku" "MOCHIZUKI-juku" Kaido, Koshu Kaido, and Nakasendo. The Nagano prefecture" enjoy the view of vast rice fields, the Chikuma resting after finishing the hardest part of their The Motai-ainoshuku is between the Ashita-shuku The Mochizuki-juku was named after the full moon. Nakasendo was the route from Nihonbashi The route from Karuizawa town to Nagawa town is (Shinano) River, which is the longest north-south journey. and the Mochizuki-juku. Ainoshuku means a rest This was also a well-known area for raising horses. to Kusatsu, Shiga. called "the Higashi-Shinshu Nakasendo". Nagano river in Japan, and an active volcano, Mt. Asama, in station created between post stations. It is a The name Mochizuki is related to the event where Known as a smooth route, it was also called prefecture has many mountains and is blessed with the north "NAGAKUBO-juku" small-scale station and travelers could not pass the a horse was donated to the Shogun on a night in the Hime-Kaido, which means the road for beautiful nature. There were eleven Shukubas in The Nagakubo-juku was a relatively large Shyukuba night there. The irrigation canals can still be seen in August with a full moon. Also, Mochizuki was often the princesses. Since it passes through the this section of Nakasendo; Karuizawa, Kutsukake, "WADA-juku" in the Nakasendo. You can enjoy the old-world the old town. sung about in waka poems. interior of Japan, you can enjoy beautiful Oiwake, Otai, Iwamurada, Shionada, Yawata, Coming from Edo, the flavor of the town. mountains. Mochizuki, Ashita, Nagakubo, and Wada. Wada-juku locates just in The west side of Higashi-Shinshu Nakasendo goes front of the Wada Pass (at an "ASHITA-shuku" up through the Wada Pass, which is the hardest elevation of approximately The Kasatori Pass famous for its pine avenue is in pass to go through in Nakasendo, while the steep 1600m). the Ashita-shuku. It is one of the oldest Shukubas in Usui Pass lies on the east side. This area is a basin Many travelers stayed there, Higashi-Shinsyu. 望月宿 142 長久保宿 MOCHIZUKI-juku ●Higashi-Shinshu Nakasendo Council Kasatori Pass 25th post station, P Mochizuki-juku TEL:0267-42-2491 142 http://www.higashi-sinshu_nakasendo.com/ NAGAKUBO-juku P 27th post station, Nagakubo-juku ●Nakasendo Tourist Federation 152 TEL:0267-42-5538 P "Tsuchiya Residence, ●Karuizawa Tourist Federation Ashita-shuku Honjin" MOTAI-ainoshuku TEL:0267-42-5538 芦田宿 Tsuchiya family was committed to opening It was a well known rice-producing 142 the Ashita-shuku. For generations, the family 142 region. If you like to visit sake breweries, served as the Honjin of Ashita-shuku. Shimowada NAGAKUBO-juku ASHITA-shuku Takeshige-Honke and Osawa breweries Mochizuki Folk The name plate for each daimyo is still 26th post station, are here. The characteristic L-shaped preserved. Heritage Museum streetscape will tell you Ashita-shuku 茂田井間の宿 The museum is built at the site of 152 Shukuba's history of evolution. West to East Honjin, using old beams of MOTAI-ainoshuku houses from Edo-era. 2 Higashi-Shinshu NAKASENDO Guide Map “ ” 小田井宿 SHIONADA-juku It was the only post station in Nakasendo where the OTAI-juku West to East Chikuma River could be crossed. This ferry town 21st post station, Otai-juku flourished as a key junction for river transportation. しなの 鉄道 Shidarezakura of Ichiri Zuka 3 塩名田宿 (weeping cherry trees) (milestone) Going downhill from Oiwake-juku, you'll 10 CVS see the weeping cherry trees of Ichiri Zuka. 祝言道祖神 SHIONADA-juku23th post station, Shionada-juku Tinted flowers will bloom in the spring. Looking at the old cherry trees with Mt. Asama behind them, you'll feel the history 142 Mt. Asama 岩村田宿 of the post stations. 八幡宿 Hokuriku Shinkansen コラム Joshin-etsu IWAMURADA-juku Expressway 22nd post station, Iwamurada-juku Hokuriku Shinkansen YAWATA-juku Yawata Honjin Ato Hokuriku Shinkansen 24th post station, Yawata-juku Chikuma River The Yawata-juku was originally a place for Sakudaira Station Imperial Princess Kazunomiya to stay. Only the front gate is left now. "YAWATA-juku" Chikuma River. of Iwamurada-juku and Oiwake-juku. As women 141 The Chikuma River runs through two shukubas. Old stone used for connecting the boat is still here. preferred this quiet post station, it was sometimes Koumi Line Chubu-Odan Expressway As well as Yawata-juku, many people stayed here called Hime-no-juku, which means a post station for One of them is Yawata-juku. Saku-Nakasato IC Ryuunji Temple Yawata-juku was an important post station when when the river was swollen. princesses. Shingen Takeda died of disease in 1573 in the Chikuma River, which often floods, was On the street, you can still see the old trade names Ina-Komaba. The mourning for him was Kumano Kotai Jinja of shops hanging. swollen. "OIWAKE-juku" concealed for three years. However, it is said It is one of the three major Kumano shrines. Yawata Shrine, with its gate from over 300 years It was a crossroad of the Hokkoku Kaido and that Hokko-Zenji, a Zen Buddhist master, There are two shrines in its precinct, which "IWAMURADA-juku" Nakasendo. Many travelers passed this crossroad "KUTSUKAKE-juku" secretly buried his remains at Ryuunji is rare throughout Japan. ago, is here. temple. The rice fields of this region produce a rice brand It evolved as a strategically important fort in this called Oiwake. A song called The Osasa Kaido that leads to Kusatsu or Suzaka Located in two prefectures, the shrine is started from here. A massive fire burned down most named Kumano Kotai Jinja for the Nagano called Gorobei-Mai, which is often selected by mountain area because of its unusually flat land. You Oiwake-bushi was written here. prefecture side and Kumano Jinja for the high class Japanese restaurants. can see the old site in places. The packhorse drivers and travelers of the town; the town was renamed Naka-karuizawa. Gunma prefecture side. The must-see is the brought the song back to their stations. mountain and the town view seen from the Miharashi Dai (a lookout platform). The "SHIONADA-juku" "OTAI-juku" home towns and the song became "KARUIZAWA-juku" Since the Usui Pass was steep, many travelers Karuizawa-juku was on the border for entering the stayed in the Karuizawa-juku. platform was once called sunset point by The Shionada-juku is on the east bank of the It was a quiet shukuba next to the vibrant neighborhoods popular. the missionaries who had the cottages Shinano region for travelers who came from Edo. It Now, this place is called "Old Karuizawa Ginza", one there. Nagano Gunma was the furthest east of the Nakasendo post of the most famous sightseeing spot in Japan. Prefecture Prefecture Oiwake no Wakasare 133 West to East Mt. Asama 沓掛宿 × 18 oint The Hokkoku View P 18 Kaido 4 KUTSUKAKE-juku19th post station, Kutsukake-juku 追分宿 1 8 OIWAKE-juku 18 KUTSUKAKE-juku Shinano Railway OIWAKE-juku Around the crossroad of the "Glossary" It was the street along the east of Yukawa. 20th post station, Oiwake-juku Hokkoku Kaido and Nakasendo, ■Honjin ■Kosatsuba When coming from Edo, travelers continued to there are seven stone statues, An inn for daimyo or court nobles. The locally influential The place where a signboard on which the Shogun's 18 see Mt. Asama on their right. When they including the Wakasare no Hi かけ family was designated as the Honjin. proclamations including prohibitions or ruling were started walking on this street, Mt.くつ Asama 133 軽井沢宿 (milestone), a signpost built in 1679, ■Waki-honjin posted. appeared on their left, which was a topic of a lantern, a comic Tanka monument An inn used when the Honjin was not big enough to ■Tonya conversation among travelers at that time. CVS of Shinratei Bansho, and Kosodate accommodate all daimyo or court nobles. It was also Cared for people and goods. 大山神社 KARUIZAWA-juku Jizo (child-raising Jizo). They are the opened for general travelers. ■Ichirizuka 18th post station, Karuizawa-juku cultural properties designated by ■Hatago A distance marker. It was placed per ichiri, approximately Karuizawa town. 道標 An inn for general travelers where meals were served. 4 kilometers. Functioned as a milepost. Functioned as Hokuriku Shinkansen 栄 町 しなの鉄道 same as a milepost. Higashi-Shinshu NAKASENDO Guide Map 御代田中学校入口 “ ”.