Nakasendo Way

A journey to the heart of Japan

Brought to you by Walk Japan

  • The Journey
    • Map
    • Introduction
    • 1. Kyoto to Sekigahara
    • 2. Sekigahara to Nakatsugawa
    • 3. Nakatsugawa to Kiso-Fukushima
    • 4. Kiso-Fukushima to Nagakubo
    • 5. Nagakubo to Karuizawa
    • 6. Karuizawa to Fukiage
    • 7. Fukiage to Tokyo
    • Post-towns
  • Post Towns
    • About Post Towns
    • Articles
  • History
    • Early History
    • Go-Kaido
    • Politics in the 19th Century: Shogun vs Emperor
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  • Culture
    • Basho and Poetry
    • Forestry
    • Hot Springs and Shrines
    • Religions
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  • People
    • Basho’s Life and Work
    • Hiroshige
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  • Themes
    • Battle of Sekigahara
    • Forestry
    • Pilgrimage
    • Rural Problems
    • Explore topics
    • View all
  • Popular
    • Tokugawa Political System
    • The Highway
    • The Story of the Battle of Sekigahara
    • Omote-ura – Public and Private Faces
    • The Kisoji Post-towns
    • View glossary
  • Galleries
    • City life
    • History
    • Post-Towns
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  • About
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Home / The Journey: Post Towns

The Journey

Post-towns were spaced out along the old highways of Japan for the convenience of travelers. In the eyes of the Tokugawa government, ‘travelers’ were officials, daimyo and samurai who were moving around on business connected either with their administrative responsibilities or with the system of alternate attendance (sankin kotai). The term did not include individuals who were traveling for pleasure or on pilgrimage, merchants moving themselves or goods from place to place, others who were involved in commerce, or commoners moving in search of employment.

1. Kyoto to Sekigahara

  • Kyoto to Osaka Toge
  • Osaka Toge to Otsu
  • Otsu to Seta
  • Seta to Omi Kokufu
  • Omi Kokufu to Kusatsu
  • Kusatsu to Takamiya
  • Takamiya to Hikone
  • Hikone to Toriimoto
  • Toriimoto to Surihari-toge
  • Surihari-toge to Bamba
  • Bamba to Sekigahara

2. Sekigahara to Nakatsugawa

  • Sekigahara to Tarui
  • Tarui to Mieji
  • Mieji to Gifu
  • Gifu to Mitake
  • Mitake to Saito
  • Saito to Hosokute
  • Hosokute to Biwa-toge
  • Biwa-toge to Okute
  • Okute to Jusan-toge
  • Jusan-toge to Nakatsugawa

3. Nakatsugawa to Kiso-Fukushima

  • Nakatsugawa to Shinchaya
  • Shinchaya to Magome
  • Magome to Odaki – Medaki
  • Odaki-Medaki to O-tsumago
  • O-tsumago to Tsumago
  • Tsumago to Midono
  • Midono to Agematsu
  • Agematsu to Kiso-Fukushima

4. Kiso-Fukushima to Nagakubo

  • Kiso-Fukushima to Mienokoshi
  • Mienokoshi to Torii-toge
  • Torii-toge to Narai
  • Narai to Niegawa
  • Niegawa to Shiojiri
  • Shiojiri to Shiojiri-toge
  • Shiojiri-toge to Shimo-Suwa
  • Shimo-Suwa to Wada-toge
  • Wada-toge to Nagakubo

5. Nagakubo to Karuizawa

  • Nagakubo to Mochizuki
  • Mochizuki to Ashita
  • Ashita to Shionada
  • Shionada to Otai
  • Otai to Oiwake
  • Oiwake to Karuizawa

6. Karuizawa to Fukiage

  • Karuizawa to Sakamoto
  • Sakamoto to Annaka
  • Annaka to Takasaki
  • Takasaki to Honjo
  • Honjo to Okabe
  • Okabe to Fukaya
  • Fukaya to Kumagaya
  • Kumagaya to Fukiage

7. Fukiage to Tokyo

  • Fukiage to Kitamoto
  • Kitamoto to Omiya
  • Omiya to Urawa
  • Urawa to Arakawa River
  • Arakawa River to Itabashi
  • Itabashi to The University of Tokyo
  • University of Tokyo to Kanda
  • Kanda to Nihonbashi

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