The Five Routes
Each of the routes started at Nihonbashi in Edo. From that point, each road linked the capital with other parts of the country.
- Tōkaidō
- The Tōkaidō had 53 stations and ran along the Pacific coast, connecting with Kyoto. Once it reached Kusatsu-juku, it shared its route with the Nakasendō.
- Nakasendō
- The Nakasendō (also often called the Kisokaidō) had 69 stations and ran through the center of Honshū, connecting with Kyoto. The Nakasendō's Shimosuwa-shuku served as the end point for the Kōshū Kaidō. Also, the Nakasendō merged with the Tōkaidō at Kusatsu-juku.
- Kōshū Kaidō
- The Kōshū Kaidō had 44 stations, connecting with Kai Province (Yamanashi Prefecture), before ending at the Nakasendō's Shimosuwa-shuku.
- Ōshū Kaidō
- The Ōshū Kaidō had 27 stations, connecting with Mutsu Province (Fukushima Prefecture). There were subroutes that connected to other places of northern Japan, too.
- Nikkō Kaidō
- The Nikkō Kaidō had 21 stations, connecting with Nikkō Tōshō-gū in modern-day Tochigi Prefecture.
Read more about this topic: Edo Five Routes
Famous quotes containing the word routes:
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—Terri Apter (20th century)