Tōkaidō

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Tōkaidō (東海道) (literally, East Sea Route) may refer to:

• National Route 1, which link Tokyo and Osaka
• The Tōkaidō Main Line, which links Tokyo and Kobe
• One of the Edo Five Routes, which linked Edo (now Tokyo) and Kyoto along the shore (see below)
• An ancient route from the capital region (Kinai; including Kyoto, Nara, and the Asuka region) to the eastern provinces along the south shore, or the set of provinces linked by the route : see also Gokishichidō
• Name of a Japanese company that makes what many consider to be the "Armani" of karate uniforms (karate gi)

It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article. (Discuss)

The Tōkaidō was one of the major Tokugawa-era roads connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the east coast of Honshū, hence its name, which means "East Sea Road." The famous artist Hiroshige depicted the Tōkaidō in his work, and the poet Basho travelled along the road.

Today, the Tōkaidō corridor is almost certainly the most heavily travelled transportation corridor in Japan, connecting Tokyo (Japan's capital and largest city) to Nagoya (Japan's fourth largest city), and then to Osaka(Japan's third largest city) via Kyoto. The Tokyo-Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka route is followed by the Tōkaidō Main Line (railway line) and the Tomei and Meishin Expressways, as well as the Tōkaidō Shinkansen.

The original Tōkaidō was made up of 53 stations between the two termination points of Edo and Kyoto. These stations consisted of porter stations and horse stables, as well as lodging, food and other places a traveller may visit.

[edit] The 53 stations of Tōkaidō starting at Edo (Nihonbashi) and ending at Kyoto:

starting: Nihonbashi (日本橋) in Edo, former Musashi Province: now Chūō-ku, Tokyo

1. Shinagawa (品川) , Tokyo prefecture
2. Kawasaki (川崎) , Kanagawa Prefecture: south side of Tama River (多摩川, Tamagawa^?) also called Rokugo River (六郷川, Rokugōgawa^?)
3. Kanagawa (神奈川)
4. Hodogaya (程ヶ谷,保土ヶ谷) former Musashi Province
5. Totsuka (戸塚) former Sagami Province
6. Fujisawa (藤沢)
7. Hiratsuka (平塚) west side of Sagami River (相模川, Sagamigawa^?)
8. Ōiso (大磯)
9. Odawara (小田原)
10. Hakone (箱根) former Sagami Province, now Kanagawa Prefecture: There was a checkpoint at the Hakone Pass.
11. Mishima (三島) former Izu Province, now Shizuoka Prefecture
12. Numazu (沼津) former Suruga Province
13. Hara (原) now a part of Numazu
14. Yoshiwara (吉原) now a part of Fuji-city: east side of Fuji River (富士川, Fujikawa^?)
15. Kanbara / Kambara (蒲原) now an exclave of Shimizu-ku
16. Yui (由井,由比)
17. Okitsu (興津) now a part of Shimizu-ku
18. Ejiri (江尻) now central area of Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka-city
19. Fuchū / Sunpu / Sumpu (府中,駿府) now central area of Shizuoka-city: east side of Abe River (安倍川, Abekawa^?)
20. Mariko / Maruko (鞠子,丸子) now a part of Suruga-ku, Shizuoka-city
21. Okabe (岡部)
22. Fujieda (藤枝)
23. Shimada (島田) former Suruga Province: east side of Oi River (大井川, Ōigawa^?)
24. Kanaya (金屋,金谷) former Tōtōmi Province: now a part of Shimada: west side of Oi River
25. Nissaka (日坂) now a part of Kakegawa
26. Kakegawa (掛川)
27. Fukuroi (袋井)
28. Mitsuke (見附) now Iwata
29. Hamamatsu (浜松): west side of Tenryū River (天竜川, Tenryūgawa^?)
30. Maisaka (舞阪) now a part of Hamamatsu
31. Arai (荒井,新居): There was also checkpoint as same as Hakone.
32. Shirasuga / Shirasuka (白須賀) former Tōtōmi Province, now a part of Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture
33. Futakawa / Futagawa (二川) former Mikawa Province, now a part of Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture
34. Yoshida (吉田) now Toyohashi
35. Goyu (御油) now a part of Toyokawa
36. Akasaka (赤坂) now a part of Otowa
37. Fujikawa (藤川) now a part of Okazaki
38. Okazaki (岡崎)
39. Chiryū / Chirifu (地鯉鮒,知立) former Mikawa Province
40. Narumi (鳴海) former Owari Province now a part of Midori-ku, Nagoya
41. Miya (宮) former Owari Province, now Atsuta-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture: Ferryboat service connected between Miya and Kuwana on Ise Bay to avoid three rivers: Kiso River, Nagara River, Ibi River.
42. Kuwana (桑名) former Ise Province, now Mie Prefecture
43. Yokkaichi (四日市)
44. Ishiyakushi (石薬師) now a part of Suzuka-city
45. Shōno (庄野) now also a part of Suzuka-city
46. Kameyama (亀山)
47. Seki (関) now a part of Kameyama
48. Sakanoshita (坂ノ下) former Ise Province: a part of Seki until 2005, and also merged into Kameyama, Mie Prefecture: southeast of the Suzuka Pass
49. Tsuchiyama (土山) former Ōmi Province, now a part of Kōka, Shiga Prefecture: northwest of the Suzuka Pass
50. Minakuchi (水口) now also a part of Kōka
51. Ishibe (石部) now a part of Konan
52. Kusatsu (草津)
53. Ōtsu (大津) former Ōmi Province, now Shiga Prefecture

ending: Kyoto (京都, sometimes 'Keishi', 京市) former Yamashiro Province, now Kyoto Prefecture

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