Flesh green: April 12-22, 2023

The season is turning from spring to early summer.

The air is getting hotter and flesh green is growing day by day.

New leaves of tulip trees opened in the early April in a walking path in Setagaya City. They grow rapidly.

Flesh-green leaves moved in the wind at the ruin of Setagaya Castle.

Maple trees now have new leaves in the Gotokuji Temple.

Various early summer flowers began to open.

The azalea flowers were fully open in the 2^nd week of April in the Hanegi Park in Setagaya City.

Azalea flowers used to fully open in the late April. Now the peak is earlier by a few weeks.

The double-flowered cherry tree had pink flowers

 

Omihachiman: April 5, 2023 (Off Tokyo)

I dropped in Omihachiman City during my Nakasendo walk.

The city locates on the east coast of Lake Biwa.

Toyotomi Hidetsugu, young brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late 16th century, built the town as well as a castle. Many historical buildings still remain.

Many artificial rivers have been developed in the historical area.

Tourist bouts went up and down.

The cherry was fully open. (See the top and 2nd photos)

There stands “Himure Hachiman Shrine” in the area.

A legend says that the shrine has 2000-year history.

The traditional buildings remain in the Shinmachi street.

The city includes Azuchi area, where the ruin of Azuchi Castle remain. Azuchi Castle was developed by Oda Nobunaga, the ruler of Japan between 1570s (before Toyotomi Hideyoshi). The photo was taken in May, 2019.

Nakasendo Walk (34) Yasu-Kusatsu (Arriving the goal): April 5, 2023 (off Tokyo)

 

I completed my Nakasendo walk today when I arrived at Kusatsu, the 68^th shukuba station.

I started my Nakasendo walk in October 2012; used total 34 days to walk from Nihonbashi in Tokyo to Kusatsu in Shiga Prefecture. As for the walk from Kusatsu to Kyoto, I finished it in my Tokaido walk in May 2015.

 

It took more than 10 years to finish my Nakasendo walk. I had to The stop walking for more than three years from 2020 to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

It is very impressive to finish walking of about 520 kilometers.

 

Today’s walk started from Yasu City. A monument of Nakasendo stands at the side of elementary school.

 

I passed Yasu River and entered into Moriyama City.

 

An old sake brewery called “Uno-ya” is preserved near the ruin of honjin (main inn of Moriyama shukuba station). It is a birthplace of former Japanese Prime Minister Sosuke Uno (served as PM in 1989). (See also the 4th photo)

 

I moved forward and found a milestone called ichiri-zuka in Imajuku. It is the 128^th milestone from Nihonbashi in Tokyo. As milestones were built in every (about) 4 kilometers, Imajuku’s one is about 510 kilometer from Tokyo.

 

I passed Ritto Town and moved into Kusatsu City. 

Nakasendo has been converted into a shopping street around Kusatsu shukuba station.

 

Naskasendo and Tokaido meet in Kusatsu shukuba station. (See also the 2nd photo)

The main inn (honjin) is preserved as it was in the Edo period. (See also the 3rd photo)

 

It was my first visit to Kusatsu since 2015, when I stayed here during my Tokaido walk. I was surprised with the changes of the towns.

Number of skyscrapers have been built around the shukuba station (and around the railway station, which is quite near from shukuba station). 

I found several high-rise apartments behind honjin.

The shopping street on Nakasendo has well been renovated.

 

The Kusatsu River used to be a ceiling river. Tunnels were made under the river move between both sides of the river.

An artificial river was developed in the 21th century and the water stopped running in the old ceiling river.

The site of former river was a grassland in 2015 when I visited here last time. Now it is a public park. (See also the top photo)

It was more than 400 years ago when Nakasendo was developed by Tokugawa Ieyasu. It continues changing now. The left photo is a merging point of Nakasendo and Tokaido taken from a park developed on the former ceiling river. 

 

 

Nakasendo Walk(33) Gokasho-Musa（66/69）-Yasu: April 4, 2023

I started today’s walk from Gokasho, about three kilimeters southwest from Echigawa shukuba station. A village developed along Nakasendo in the Edo era. Gokasho is now in Higashiomi City.

Gokasho is famous as it produced many famous merchants. 

Old merchants’ houses remain along Nakasendo.

Houses with straw‐thatched roofs also remain.

 

There stands a statue of a merchant at the southwest side of Gokasho. He carries a pole on his shoulder. It is a typical appearance of the Edo period’s merchant. (See also the top photo)

I continued walking and moved into Omihachiman city. There are houses, agricultural fields as well as factories along Nakasendo. Cherry blossom was beautiful in many places.

 

I arrived Musa, the 67^th station from Tokyo. It is in Omihachiman City. This place also produced famous merchants.

Some parts – the main gate and walls -- of the main guest house (honjin) as well as other traditional buildings remain here.

 

Wheat fields spread along Nakasendo. I found Shinkansen bullet train running over the field. (see the 2nd photo)

 

I passed the Hino River and enjoyed the cherry blossom on the riverbanks.

 

I moved in Ryuo Town. There are many spots relating to Minamoto Yoshitsune, a tragic hero in the late 11^th century. He had his coming-of-age ceremony in Kagami Shrine and neighboring places.

 

He killed the last leaders of Heike family, the rival of Yoshitsune’s family Genji, in the place.

 

Nakasendo is converted into National Route 8 in some places. There are many big factories along National Route 8.

 

I finished today’s walk at Yasu City. It is about three km before Moriyama, the 67^th shukuba station.

 

 

 

 

 

Nakasendo Walk (32) Toriimoto(63/69)-Echigawa(65/69)-Gokasho: April 3, 2023 (off Tokyo)

I resumed my Nakasendo Walk after 3-year halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic. My last walk was in May, 2019.

Today, I walked from Toriimoto, the 63rd shukuba station from Nihonbashi in Tokyo, to Echigawa, the 65th station. Today’s walk was about 16 km.

Toriimoto is in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture. There are many Edo period-style buildings preserved here.

They include old style drug store.

 

Toriimoto’s paper-made raincoats were famous in the Edo period. The signboard was preserved at a store.

 

One of traditional house was used as an elderly care service station.

 

The tourist information in the town, such as information boards and exhibitions in a tourist center, is much better now than four years ago, when I visited here last time. I was glad of the improvement.

 

I walked southward. Nakasendo runs through a flat place between Lake Biwa in the west and the Suzuka mountains in the east. Nakasendo, the Shinkansen Line and Meishinexpressway run in parallel.

I found statues of Jizo, a Buddhist guardina deity of children, in many places during my walk. (See the 2nd photo)

 

Takamiya, the 64^th station, is also in Hikone City. It was one of the largest shukuba stations in Nakasendo in the Edo era.

Old-style buildings are well preserved in Takamiys, too.

 

A big gate of Taga-taisha shrine stands in at the center of the shukuba street. Taga-taisha is the biggest shrine in Shiga Prefecture.

 

Takamiya was famous for its trade of linen fabric in the Edo era. One of trader’s house is now used as a tourist center.

A lantern shop in Edo period-style is open near the big gate. (See th 3rd photo)

 

I passed the “Muchin (free charge) Bridge” on the Inukami River when I left Takamiya station. Cherry blossom in the river banks were beautiful.

 

I continued walking. Agricultural fields spread on both sides of Nakasendo in some parts.

The Suzuka mountains were beautiful.

I found cherry blossom behind a wheat field (See the top photo).

 

I passed Toyosato Town before arriving in Echigawa station. The birthplace of famous merchants Ito Chubei 1st and 2nd – father was active in the Meiji to Taisho period; son in the Showa period – is preserved at the side of Nakasendo.

Omi, or Shiga prefecture in current name, was historically famous for producing many famous merchants.

 

Echigawa is in Aisho Town. It is also famous as a hometown of many famous merchants, including Yasujiro Tsutsumi.

Two gates in both sides of the station welcome tourists.

I finished today's walk at Gokasho, aout 3km from Echigawa.