The old Tokkaido must have been just about this wide
A "wagashi-ya" or Japanese candy store.
July 15 - Sometimes I enjoy walking in the city. Recently I decided to try and follow the old Tokaido road starting at its terminus in Nihonbashi.
Unfortunately, the Nihonbashi bridge made famous by Hiroshige's wood block print has long ago disappeared, and the river itself is now covered by an elevated expressway, but when I arrived in Shinagawa I came to a nice stone-covered road with many well preserved shops.
A bit hungry, I stopped for a "wagashi" of mochi and sweet beans. This shopping street was busy, and a number of tourists like myself had come to see this historical site.
This shrine provided a comfortable, quiet place to rest.
Continuing west, I passed many temples and shrines that had been frequented in earlier days by the Tokaido's many travelers. One of my favorites was Narita-san shrine because it offers a shady place to rest.
The old Tokaido continues through many of Tokyo's neighborhoods, sometimes disappearing and then reappearing. The residents in Omori seemed proud of their place in history, and many markers conveyed historical information about this part of the route.
This sign in Omori marks a stretch of a small shopping street that lies directly along the old Tokaido.
This is where I turned around.
The Narita Shrine is just off the Old Tokaido in Shinagawa.
I did not walk all the way to Kyoto, but I did journey across the Tama river into Kanagawa Prefecture. I took a photo at the 25-km marker just as I turned back toward Tokyo. I was tired from my walk and could only imagine how exhausting it must have been to travel all the way on foot from Edo to Kyoto.
Until next time,
Jim
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