Old Routes of Japan: Tracking down Japan off the beaten path from the eyes of a Japanese native

木野川渡し(Konogawa watashi) was the river crossing site on Oze(Kono) river of San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido highway. And it was the boarder of the country of Suo(周防:today’s southwestern Yamaguchi prefecture) and the country of Aki(安芸: today’s Hiroshima prefecture).  I use Kono River here, but the river is actually called Oze River as well. This is because the river has different names by Hiroshima and Yamaguchi locals. In Hiroshima, it has been called Kono, while it is called Oze in Yamaguchi.   This is one of places not featured on regular guidebook. It looks that, many people who know this place visit because of San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido trail.  We are sort of derailing off from the trail. Konogawa boat ride site had a honjin inn, in case of high water level of Kono river. Tsuya honjin’s gate has been preserved here.  This is my discovery from Google map/street views. Near Tsuya honjin inn, there is a good number of old houses as if this was late Edo or early Meiji period(mid to...

小方(Ogata) unofficial inn town is about 20 minutes walk south of JR Kuba station.  According to a couple of guide maps, there is very little information.  I watched one of YouTube channels and read guide maps. And it looks like series of old houses start here. So I am guessing this is the beginning of Ogata unofficial inn town.  Basically going southwestward.  Turning right here.  Then turn left.  I am not sure if this structure of the road was built on purpose or not. Normally, if this was an official inn town, I would say yes.  In Ogata, there are very few signs that explain about San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido.  Off from the main route, there is Sainenji temple, built in 1615. This temple became one of hot spots of 1866 Second Choshu Expedition(also called Choshu War). Choshu army stationed here as their base camp, and a Tokugawa’s battleship fired a canon at this temple. You will still see the scar from the canon ball.  Kamei castle ruins is only ...

Kuba inn town is located in Otake city, and the last inn town of San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido highway in Hiroshima prefecture section(technically).  This time, Otake city historical society(大竹市歴史研究会) has a great website including an old map of Kuba inn town. I am posting this link on the reference section.  Before entering Kuba inn town, there is a stone-paved road in Narukawa area. It was paved in early 1630s. This is one of places you can still see what old San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido used to look like. Note that according to Otake city, the trail after this paved road over the hill is closed.  Entering Kuba inn town.  Today JR San’yo line goes through the tunnel. The San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido route used to go over the tunnel.  Looking at the tunnel, which was built during Meiji era(late 1800s).  Before the tunnel was built, this section was very steep, and it was named as 馬ためし坂(Umatameshizaka: the slope of testing horses). As the name tells us, horses seem to have had...

As mentioned in previous article, We are stepping a bit away from San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido highway. Since this is still relevant to San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido highway, I will touch this area but I‘m not deep diving. Instead, I am posting links so you guys can deep dive later.  So, from Hatsukaichi inn town, there seems to have had two ways at least in southward: San’yodo/Saigoku Kaido, and Jigozen Sando(地御前参道: Sando means an approach to a sacred places). There was another highway called 津和野街道(Tsuwano Kaido highway) but I am not going to touch this in this article.  When we talk about Jigozen, Jigozen cannot be separated from Itsukushima island. Itsukushima is a Workd Heritage site, where flocks of travelers visit in order to see its floating shrine, Itsukushima shrine. The entire island is also called Miyajima, which means the island of shrine. Today, Miyajima town belongs to Hatsukaichi city. We will tackle why these two shrines are related later.  I saw this sign that points ...