Nakasendo Walk (23) Nakatsugawa (45/69)-Ohi (46/69): May 4, 2017

My Nakasendo Walk came into the Mino Road (Mino-ji) in Gifu Prefecture.

Leaving Nihonbashi in Edo (Tokyo), Nakasendo goes through Musashi district (Tokyo and Saitama in today’s dprefectures), Joshu district (Gunma Prefecture), Shinshu Road (east parts of Nagano Prefecture), Kiso Road (southwest parts of Nagano Prefecture) Mino Road, Ohmi Road (Shiga Prefecture) and arrives in Kyoto.

There are 17 shukuba stations in Gifu Prefecture from Magome (43/69) to Imasu (59/69). Most of them are on Mino Road.

The old atmosphere remains here in Nakatsugawa. 

It was the season of May festival and I found the floating carps were displayed on the walls of many houses, including the building of village headman and traditional shops. (See also the top photo)

Nakatsugawa is the birthplace of sweet chestnut paste, or kuri kinton. They produce many chestnuts in the area. There are several stores in Nakatsugawa.

I walked westwards about 4 kilometers and arrived in Sakamoto district, where they have a small railway station named Mino Sakamoto.

JR Tokai, helped by the government, plans to build a maglev line (Chuo Shinkansen high-speed train) between Tokyo and Nagoya by 2027. The maximum speed would be about 500 km/h. Most parts of the line will go under the mountains.

One of six stations, including Tokyo’s Shinagawa and Nagoya, is planned to be constructed in Sakamoto. I found a board described “the linear’s town” in front of the station. I wondered how the area would change in the next two decades.

Nakasendo goes through the fields and small hills before arriving in Ohi, the 46^th Station. (See also the 2nd Photo from the top)

They preserve old station buildings here in Ohi. The main inn (honjin) building is kept.

Old merchant’s house is used as a welcome center for the tourists. The commercial transactions were made in the entrance room of the building more than 100 years ago.

Famous Ukiyoe artist Utagawa Hiroshige published many works on Nakasendo, just as he did for Tokaido. The Hiroshige Museum is open here near Ohi station in Ena City.

Hiroshige’s works are displayed in the handrail of a bridge. They are also painted on the roads.

Hiroshige drew the Ukiyoe of Ohi in the eastern outskirt of the shukuba station. There is a small park in the place and Hiroshige’s monument is placed.

Passing Ohi shukuba station, Nakasendo goes into the mountainous areas again. The districts are called “the thirteen paths” as there are many passes, slides and hills. Some parts of the roads are paved with stones. (see the 3rd photo from the top)

There are farmer houses and fields in relatively flat (but small) places.

I continued my walk to Fukakaya, a place between Ohi and Okute, the 47^th station.