北国街道/善光寺街道(Hokkoku Kaido/Zenkoji Kaido) overview: Eastern Nagano-Western Niigata route

The picture is 松代(Matsushiro inn town) in Nagano city,  taken by me in September 2023. 


The name “Hokkoku Kaido”(北国街道) refers to several routes which includes:

1) Eastern Nagano-western Niigata prefecture route.

2) Eastern Shiga - Fukui route.

3) Eastern Shiga - Fukui - Toyama - Niigata - Akita route.

4) Shiojiri - Nagano route. 

According to my research, there is a significant overlap between  Hokkoku Kaido route 1) and Zenkoji Kaido route, which leads travelers to Zenkoji temple in downtown Nagano city. 

Here in my blog, I am taking the route 1), therefore I named this series as “Hokkoku Kaido/Zenkoji Kaido series” in order to avoid confusion with other routes with “Hokkoku Kaido” name. 


Starting point of the east: 
Oiwake (追分) - today’s Karuizawa town.

Komoro (小諸) - Komoro city

Tanaka (田中) and Unno (海野) - today’s Tomi city. These two inn towns were considered as one big inn town. Unno is certified as a Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, aka Judenken. 

Ueda (上田) - Ueda city

Nezumi (鼠) - Sakaki town, Hanishina District. It was an unofficial inn town aka Ainoshuku.

Sakaki (坂木) - Sakaki town, Hanishina District

Kami Togura (上戸倉) and Shimo Togura (下戸倉) - Chikuma city. 

Yashiro (屋代/矢代) - Chikuma city. 

Shinonoi Oiwake (篠ノ井追分) - Nagano city. An unofficial inn town. 

Tanbajima (丹波島) - Nagano city.

Zenkoji (善光寺) - Nagano city. 

Shinmachi (新町) - Nagano city

Mure (牟礼宿) - Iizuna town, Kamiminochi District. 

Furuma (古間) and Kashiwabara (柏原) - Shinanomachi, Kamiminochi District.

Nojiri (野尻) - Shinano, Kamiminochi District. Up to here, all inn towns are in Nagano prefecture. 

Sekigawa (関川宿) and Uehara (上原) - Myōkō city, Niigata prefecture. 

Tagiri (田切) and Futamata (二俣宿) -  Myōkō city. 

Sekiyama (関山) - Myōkō city. 

Matsuzaki (松崎)  and Nippongi (二本木) - Joetsu city. 

Arai (新井) - Myōkō city. 

Takada (高田) - Joetsu city. 


Matsushirodo(松代道): a route that connects Yashiro and Mure, and bypasses Zenkoji temple town. This route connects Seba on Nakasendo with Tambashima on Hokkoku Kaido. 

Matsushiro(松代宿) - Nagano city. 

Kawada(川田宿) - Nagano city

Fukushima(福島宿) - Suzaka city

Naganuma(長沼宿) - Nagano city

Kajiro(神代宿) - Nagano city

Hokkoku Nishi Kaido(北国西街道), also called as Zenkoji Kaido(善光寺街道), by central Nagano locals. 
Seba(洗馬宿) - Shiojiri city 

Gobara(郷原宿) - Shiojiri city

Murai(村井宿) - Matsumoto city

Matsumoto(松本宿) - Matsumoto city. It is a castle town, under Matsumoto castle. 

Okada(岡田宿) - Matsumoto city

Kariyahara(刈谷原宿) - Matsumoto city

Aida(会田宿) - Matsumoto city

Aoyagi(青柳宿) - Chikuhoku village

Omi(麻績宿) - Omi village

Inariyama(稲荷山宿) - Chikuma city

The picture above: the sign of JR Nagano station Zenkoji entrance. Hokkoku Kaido Highway goes on northwestern corner across JR Nagano station. 

References: 

Hokkoku Kaido. Wikipedia. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8C%97%E5%9B%BD%E8%A1%97%E9%81%93_(%E4%BF%A1%E8%B6%8A) (Accessed in 4/22/2025)

Hokkoku Nishi Kaido. Wikipedia.com(in Japanese only: 北国西街道 ウィキペディア) https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8C%97%E5%9B%BD%E8%A5%BF%E8%A1%97%E9%81%93 (In Japanese only. Accessed in 4/7/2026)

「北国街道を歩く」岸本豊著　信濃毎日新聞社　2010年(Walk on Hokkoku Kaido Highway. Yutaka Kishimoto/Shinano Mainichi Shimbun Inc. 2010)

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