Tokaido Walk (30) Sakanoshita-Minakuchi (off Tokyo): May 2, 2015

I resumed my Tokaido walk after a year's interval. Today’s walk was from Sakanoshita in Mie Prefecture through the Suzuka Pass to Minakuchi in Shiga Prefecture.

Sakanoshita is the 48^th shukuba station from Nihonbashi, Tokyo. It locates quite near from the Suzuka Pass. It was a big shukuba station with about 160 inns in the Edo era, but it is now a small village with tens of houses and no hotels.

I found tea fields there.

There were high ways through the mountains. I also found steel towers to bring electricity on the mountains over the village.

I walked up the mountain road.

I saw cans, plastic sacs and other garbage wasted under the highway. It was shameful.

With about 30 minutes walk, I arrived at the Suzuka Pass. It is 357 meter high and is the border between Mie and Shiga Prefectures. A beautiful tea field spread in the area (top picture).

I walked down the slope. There are farmers' houses along the road. I found the fences around the rice and other farm crop fields. The purpose is to prevent monkeys and other animals from coming into the place, according to a farmer.

I found a solar panel generation system introduced at the side of the road. 

The New Hanshin Highway was built in this ten years.

I walked nearly 10 kilometers before arriving at Tsuchiyama, the 49^th shukuba station. 

Tsuchiyama preserves the old atmosphere of the town. Many housed are reconstructed in traditional style. The sukuba station town continues about 2.5 kilometers.

The tea fields are in the shukuba station. 

I found the old name of the house (e.g. Hotel Torii) displayed in the board. This type of board sign were found in many places along Tokaido in Shiga Prefecture.

I had another 10 kilometer walk and arrived at Minakuchi, the 50^th station.