Tateba or rest stops were located mid-way between post-towns. Typically, they were a small cluster of tea houses which were unofficially established by local people who took advantage of the needs of travelers who would stop for a rest and some refreshment before moving on to the next official post-town. Today, some tateba have disappeared entirely and some are merely an isolated tea house or liquor store. Others grew large enough to justify a railroad station and have become bustling urban centers in their own right.
