 |
|
|
|
|
|
Research Home
 Tools Thesaurus of Geographic Names Full Record Display
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vernacular Display | English Display |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Click the  icon to view the hierarchy. |
|
|
Tōkaidō (former structure) |
Coordinates: |
| Lat: 35 41 20 N degrees minutes |
Lat: 35.6894 decimal degrees |
| Long: 139 41 27 E degrees minutes |
Long: 139.6917 decimal degrees |
|
Note: Historic road that connected Ōsaka and Kyōto with Edo (now Tokyo) in Japan. The Tōkaidō was 303 miles long, primarily on the Pacific coast of the island of Honshu. From ancient times the road was the chief route from the capital city of Kyōto eastward to central Honshu. The Tōkaidō became even more important during the Tokugawa (Edo) period (1603-1867), since it connected Edo, the capital city of the Tokugawa shogunate, with western Honshu. Along the Tōkaidō were 53 post-station towns where inns and vendors provided lodging, refreshment, and gifts for the road’s travelers. The 53 stations were taken from the 53 Buddhist saints that Buddhist acolyte Sudhana visited to receive teachings in his quest for enlightenment. The road was well known for its picturesque views, which were recorded by several artists. During the Tokugawa period, the Tōkaidō is recorded as having a smooth, well-kept roadbed that averaged 18 feet (5.5 m) in width. This roadbed consisted of a deep layer of crushed gravel overlaid with sand and was paved with stone on mountain slopes. Wheeled vehicles were rare on the Tōkaidō, which was used chiefly by pedestrians, packhorses, and palanquins carried by bearers. The route of the historical Tōkaidō is now followed by a national highway and two important rail lines, one being a line of the high-speed Shinkansen. |
Names: |
| |
Hierarchical Position: |
|
|
.... |
Asia (continent) (P) |
|
................ |
Tōkaidō (former structure) (P) |
|
Place Types: |
|
|
Sources and Contributors: |
|
|
){kind=link}
){kind=link}