Details (Highways That Supported Early Modern Japan)

The Edo Shogunate developed the Tokaido and Nakasendo as major highways connecting Edo, the political center, with Kyoto, the traditional imperial capital. Although the two routes crossed different types of terrain, both functioned as important transportation routes linking eastern and western Japan in the early modern period.

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The Tokaido ran along the Pacific coast and was characterized by relatively flat terrain. Connecting castle towns and port towns, it became one of Japan's major highways, carrying large numbers of people and goods between Edo and the Kyoto-Osaka region.

The Nakasendo, by contrast, ran through the mountains of the interior. Crossing mountain passes and highland areas, it offered landscapes and transportation conditions quite different from those of the Tokaido.

Various facilities were established to support travelers, including stone-paved sections for easier walking, rows of pine trees that provided shade from the summer sun, mile markers indicating distances, and ferry crossings for crossing rivers.

Each post town had facilities such as honjin, waki-honjin, and hatago inns, welcoming travelers ranging from samurai to ordinary people. Because places for lodging, rest, meals, and supplies were arranged continuously along the highways, long-distance travel was possible.

In this way, the Tokaido and Nakasendo were transportation spaces in which the roads, roadside facilities, and post towns functioned together. The highways that supported an age of travel on foot are still preserved in many places today.

Details (Highways That Supported Shogunate Rule and Diplomacy)

The Tokaido and Nakasendo were not only routes for people and goods, but also an important foundation through which the Edo Shogunate governed the country. Through the highways, the shogunate controlled the movement of people and maintained the order of early modern Japan.

One of the most representative systems was sankin-kotai, or alternate attendance. Daimyo from across Japan were required to travel to Edo at regular intervals to serve the shogunate, and the Tokaido and Nakasendo were major routes for these journeys. The movement of daimyo processions also had a major influence on the development of highways and post towns.

Checkpoints were established at strategic locations along the highways to control the passage of people and goods. Checkpoints such as Hakone, Arai, Usui, and Fukushima were important facilities supporting both shogunate control and highway security.

Large castles, including Odawara Castle and Nagoya Castle, were also built along the highways. These castles served as centers of regional rule while also functioning as important political and military strongholds controlling the transportation routes.

The Tokaido was used not only for domestic governance but also as a stage for diplomacy. Korean envoys and Ryukyuan missions traveled along the highway to Edo, attracting attention from people throughout the regions they passed through as symbols of international exchange.

In this way, the Tokaido and Nakasendo served as the setting for various systems of the Edo Shogunate, including sankin-kotai, checkpoints, castles, and the movement of diplomatic missions. The highways were not simply routes for travel; they were also a foundation of the state that supported the governance of early modern Japan.

Details (Economy and Culture Nurtured by the Highways)

Large numbers of people and goods traveled along the Tokaido and Nakasendo, and commerce and industry developed along the highways. The highways were not only transportation routes connecting people, but also an important foundation supporting regional economies.

Merchant houses lined the post towns, providing travelers with meals, lodging, and everyday goods. Local specialties and daily necessities were also transported along the highways, allowing post towns to develop as commercial centers where people and goods gathered.

Traditional industries making use of local resources and skills also flourished along the highways. Kiso Hirasawa's lacquerware craftsmanship and Arimatsu's tie-dyeing are representative examples. These products spread to other regions through travelers and eventually developed into industries representing their local communities.

Commercial cities also developed where waterways and highways came together, as seen in Omihachiman. Taking advantage of locations where both land and water transportation were available, these cities flourished as distribution centers where large quantities of goods were gathered.

The highways also had a major influence on people's culture, not just the economy. Scenic spots and landscapes along the routes were enjoyed by many travelers and depicted by ukiyo-e artists such as Utagawa Hiroshige.

Literary works set along the highways also emerged, including Shankin Tōkaidōchū Hizakurige and Before the Dawn. Through such works, the highways have been passed down not simply as transportation routes, but also as cultural stages reflecting people's lives and memories of travel.

In this way, the Tokaido and Nakasendo generated flows of people and goods while nurturing commerce, industry, and culture along their routes. The connections created between regions through the highways themselves became a major force shaping the society of early modern Japan.