Nakasendo Walk (29) Akasaka(56/69)-Tarui(57/69)-Sekigahara(58/69): May6, 2018

The walk started today at the east side  of Akasaka, the 56th shukuba station.

Akasaka was a crossing point of roads and river transportation in the Edo era. A river port was built on Kuise River. It flourished through the Meiji era. A fire watch tower stands behind.

They produce limestones in the era. 

A railroad was developed to bring cargo and people in 1919. They still operate the railways, but some stations were closed.

The Battle of Sekigahara, which determined Tokugawa Ieyasu to be the ruler of Japan, took place in 1600. Total 200 thousand soldiers gathered in the area.

Akasaka is about 10 kilometers from Sekigahara. Tokugawa Ieyasu　placed his first battle headquarters in Akasaka. The place is now called Kachiyama (mountain of victory).

Akasaka is also conceived as a place of good fortune because of .a victory of Tokugawa Ieyasu in Sekigahara. Such information is displayed in many places in Akasaka shukuba station. In

There is a huge ancient kofun tomb called in the wests of Akasaka. It is called Hirui-Otsuka kofun.  It is keyhole-shaped -- square at the front and rounded in the rear – and 150-meter length.

We can see Sekigahara from the top of the tomb.

I walked westward and entered Tarui Town. The town is famous for its honey production. I found a honey shop along the street.

There usually spread wide lotus flower field in this season. They have, however, less lotus flowers this year because of a plant disease. They produce honey from other flowers.

I met many flying carps at the entrance of Tarui shukuba station. This event is nationwide famous. It continue about two months in this season. (See also the top photo)

There remain various historical buildings and monuments in Tarui station. The Kamemaru-ya inn has continued operation for about 200 years.

The Tarui spring produces clean water.

The walls of the buildings are used as the boards of outdoor exhibitions.

Tarui is about 5 kilometers from Sekigaghara. Many feudal loads (and military leaders) laced their battle headquarters here. (See the 2nd photo from the top)

I entered Sakigawhara Town. I walked along a row of pine trees. 

JR railways, JR bullet train, and Meishin expressway run along Nakasendo.

Sekigahara is surrounded by many mountains. People need to go through a narrow valley to move between east and wast. It is why various important battles, including the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, took place here.

One of the battle headquarters of Tokugawa Ieyasu was here. The place was a battle headquarters of Prince Oama in 672 in the Jinshin War. Oama won the war and became Emperor Tenmu. (See also the 3rd photo from the top)

Many other military leaders, in addition to Tokugawa Ieyasu, opened their battle headquarters.

The signs on the electric poles say: “The whole parts of the town stand on the old battle fields.”

I often felt history here.