Koshu Kaido

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. Kaido 日本の街道 The Ancient Roads of Japan .
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Kooshuu Kaidoo, Kōshū Kaidō 甲州街道 Koshu Kaido Road
The Highway from Edo via Kofu to Suwa

One of the Edo Gokaidoo 江戸五街道 Edo Gokaido, Gokaidō - Edo Five Routes
Five Kaido starting at Nihonbashi, Edo

Koshu Kaido 甲州街道 Kōshū Kaidō
Nakasendo 中山道 . 中仙道 Nakasendō
Nikko Kaido 日光街道 Nikkō Kaidō
Oshu Kaido 奥州街道 Ōshū Kaidō
Tokaido 東海道 Tōkaidō

The Koshu Kaido was especially planned by Tokugawa Ieyasu to secure his route to escape Edo in case of an attack.
He had a group of 100 special armed guards live in Shinjuku to help and protect him in case of need.

. Hyakuninchoo　百人町 Hyakunincho district .
teppoogumi hyakunin tai 鉄砲組百人隊　100 Riflemen Team
Hyakunin (hundred-man) brigade of shooters //100 men musket (teppo) corps
stationed in Shinjuku

From Sekino-shuku (関野宿) there was a possibility to use the river 相模川　Sagamigawa to ship luggage coming from Kyoto to the coast (now to the towns of Chigasaki and Hiratsuka) and from there by boat to Edo.

. 甲州裏街道 Koshu Ura Kaido .
Another fast exit road from Edo.

. Yotsuya 四谷 / 四ッ谷 Yotsuya district - "four valleys" - Shinjuku .
There were also yotsuya 四ツ家 four rest houses on the 甲州街道 Koshu Highway:
梅屋 Umeya, 保久屋 Hokuya, 茶屋 Chaya and 布屋 Nunoya.

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There are 44 post stations along the Kōshū Kaidō:

Tokyo
Nihonbashi's highway distance marker, from which modern highway distances are measured
View of Mt. Fuji from Tama River in Fuchū

Starting Location: Nihonbashi (Chūō)
1. Naitō Shinjuku (内藤新宿) (Shinjuku)
. 2. Shimotakaido-shuku (下高井戸宿) (Suginami)
. 3. Kamitakaido-shuku (上高井戸宿) (Takaido, Suginami).

Fuda-Goshuku（布田五宿）Five Stations from Fuda (Chōfu, Chofu)
They are all small post stations:
4. Kokuryō-shuku (国領宿) (Chōfu)
5. Shimofuda-shuku (下布田宿) (Chōfu)
6. Kamifuda-shuku (上布田宿) (Chōfu)
7. Shimoishihara-shuku (下石原宿) (Chōfu)
8. Kamiishihara-shuku (上石原宿) (Chōfu)

. 9. Fuchū-shuku (府中宿) (Fuchū, Fuchu) .
10. Hino-shuku (日野宿) (Hino)
. 11. Hachiōji-shuku (八王子宿) (Hachiōji, Hachioji) .

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12. Komagino-shuku (駒木野宿) (Hachiōji)
There was a special barrier (sekisho　関所) to prevent women to get out of Edo and weapons to come into the town. The barrier was beside a steep river.

CLICK for more photos !

At the barrier were two stones, one for the traveller to place his hands 手付き石 tetsuki ishi, while the official checked his papers, and one to place his papers in front of the official 手形石 tegata ishi.

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13. Kobotoke-shuku (小仏宿) (Hachiōji)
Also called 富士見関 because Mount Fujisan could be seen from here.
There were no lodgings at this station.

Kanagawa Prefecture
14. Ohara-shuku (小原宿) (Sagamihara)
15. Yose-shuku (与瀬宿) (Sagamihara)
16. Yoshino-shuku (吉野宿) (Sagamihara)
17. Sekino-shuku (関野宿) (Sagamihara)

Yamanashi Prefecture / Kōfu
18. Uenohara-shuku (上野原宿) (Uenohara) - Momotaro legend

19. Tsurukawa-shuku (鶴川宿) (Uenohara) - Momotaro legend
20. Notajiri-shuku (野田尻宿) (Uenohara)

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21. Inume-shuku (犬目宿) (Uenohara)- Momotaro legend

甲州犬目峠 Inume Toge Pass by Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎　

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22. Shimotorisawa-shuku (下鳥沢宿) (Ōtsuki, Otsuki) - Momotaro legend
23. Kamitorisawa-shuku (上鳥沢宿) (Ōtsuki) - Momotaro legend

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24. Saruhashi-shuku (猿橋宿) (Ōtsuki) - Momotaro legend
It was famous for its 猿橋 Saruhashi, the "Monkey Bridge".

- quote -
Located in Otsuki is one of Japan's most famous bridges. The 1300 year old wooden bridge crosses the Katsura River in Yamanashi as it flows between two high cliffs. The ingenious cantilevered design is said to have been inspired by monkeys holding hands to cross the river. Obviously it must have been rebuilt many times, but the basic design has never been changed.
- source : japantravel.com/yamanashi -

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25. Komahashi-shuku (駒橋宿) (Ōtsuki, Otsuki)
26. Ōtsuki-shuku (大月宿) (Ōtsuki) - Momotaro legend
27. Shimohanasaki-shuku (下花咲宿) (Ōtsuki)
28. Kamihanasaki-shuku (上花咲宿) (Ōtsuki)
29. Shimohatsukari-shuku (下初狩宿) (Ōtsuki)
30. Nakahatsukari-shuku (中初狩宿) (Ōtsuki)
31. Shirano-shuku (白野宿) (Ōtsuki)
32. Kuronoda-shuku (黒野田宿) (Ōtsuki)

Sasago Toge Pass 笹子峠 - 1067 m

33. Komakai-shuku (駒飼宿) (Kōshū)

34. Tsuruse-shuku (鶴瀬宿) (Kōshū)
35. Katsunuma-shuku (勝沼宿) (Kōshū)
36. Kuribara-shuku (栗原宿) (Yamanashi)
37. Isawa-shuku (石和宿) (Fuefuki)
38. Kōfu-shuku (甲府宿) (Kōfu, Kofu)
39. Nirasaki-shuku (韮崎宿) (Nirasaki)
40. Daigahara-shuku (台ヶ原宿) (Hokuto)
41. Kyōraiishi-shuku (教来石宿) (Hokuto)

Nagano Prefecture

42. Tsutaki-shuku (蔦木宿) (Fujimi, Suwa District)
43. Kanazawa-shuku (金沢宿) (Chino)
44. Kamisuwa-shuku (上諏訪宿) (Suwa)
Ending Location: Shimosuwa-shuku 下諏訪宿 (Shimosuwa, Suwa District)
(also part of the Nakasendō)

- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. Saku Koshu Kaido 佐久甲州街道 Saku Highway .
also called Koshu Okan 甲州往還 Kosho Road

. Kunitachi 国立市 Kunitachi town .
lies along the historical Kōshū Kaidō.

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- reference source : free-age.jp/bridgestone-

There are various legends along the Koshu Kaido. Even Momotaro, the Peach Boy, was here!
This story is basically fun with the pun words.
桃太郎伝説もある甲州街道
From the mountain in the North of the road, called 百蔵山 Momokurayama (momo is a pun with momo 桃, the peach) the peach came rolling down the river. It was picked up at 鶴島 Tsurushima (Tsurukawa) in 上野原 Uenohara. From this peach Momotaro was born. When he grew up, he got his helpers, the dog from 犬目 Inume, the 雉 pheasant (bird) from 鳥沢 Torizawa and the monkey from 猿橋 Saruhashi.
They went to Mount 九鬼山 Kukiyama (Mountain of the nine demons) in 大月南方 Otsuki-South
and to Mount 岩殿山 Iwatonosan, Iwadonosan in 大月北方 Otsuki-North to drive away the demons.
One of the demons was wounded and bleeding, so now at the shrine 子神神社 Nenokami Jinja there can be found red soil, remains of the demon's blood.

- reference source : ymnco2.sakura.ne.jp/me/onitue -

The red soil, used for a stone wall in the shrine compound, had to be demolished in 2003 due to the danger of collapsing.

. Momotaroo 桃太郎 Momotaro the Peach Boy .

. Kukiyama 九鬼山　"Mountain with Nine Demons" .

- 大月桃太郎研究会 - facebook -

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

.................................................................................　Fukushima 福島県
平田村 Hirata

The old demon hag from Adachihara in Nihonmatsu 二本松の安達が原の鬼ババア
used to kill and eat travellers on the Koshu Kaido. From others she extracted money or valuable things.

source : rg-youkai.com/tales/ja/07_fukusima

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

安達が原の鬼婆
安達が原の岩屋に鬼婆が住み、旅人を食べる。泊まった僧侶に骸骨の山を見られ、殺そうとしたが観音像とお経の力に近づくことができず、そのうち朝日が昇って、鬼婆は光にやられて死んだ。

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甲州街道こうしゅうかいどう
- reference source : jinriki.info/kaidolist/koshukaido -

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- - - - - H A I K U and S E N R Y U - - - - -

お山開きし甲州街道となりにけり
O yamabirakishi kooshuu kaidoo to nari ni keri

after the opening
of the mountain this becomes
the Old Koshu Road . . .

. Tomiyasu Fuusei 富安風生 Tomiyasu Fusei .
(1885 - 1979)

. yamabiraki 山開 "opening the mountain" .
- - kigo for late summer - -

Usually a ritual at a shrine at the foot of the mountain, with members then climbing the mountain for the first time in this new season.

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