Shimosuwa-shuku

Hiroshige's print of Shimosuwa-shuku, part of the The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaidō series
Lake Suwa

Shimosuwa-shuku (下諏訪宿 Shimosuwa-shuku) was the twenty-ninth of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō, as well as being the ending location of the Kōshū Kaidō. It is located in the present-day town of Shimosuwa, Suwa District, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

History

First built around 1601,[1] Shimosawa-shuku flourished as a post town because it was located between two difficult mountain passes, Wada Pass and Shiojiri Pass. The town's onsens made it a heavily used rest area.[1] It also served as the entrance to the Suwa Taisha.

Records show that in 1843, Shimosuwa-juku had 1,345 residents and 315 buildings. Among the building, there was one honjin, one sub-honjin, and 40 hatago.

Neighboring post towns

Nakasendō
Wada-shuku - Shimosuwa-shuku - Shiojiri-shuku
Kōshū Kaidō
Kamisuwa-shuku - Shimosuwa-juku (ending location)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shimosuwa-shuku Aruki-net. Shimosuwa Chamber of Commerce. Accessed July 16, 2007.

Coordinates: 36°04′34.9″N 138°05′25.7″E / 36.076361°N 138.090472°E