Zenkoji Road, Branch of the Hokkoku Road

Top 100 Historical Roads

Zenkoji Road, Branch of the Hokkoku Road

Top 100 Historical Roads

Moon-Viewing Alive Today
Legendary Locale

A major connecting road between the Nakasendo (one of the 2 main roads between Kyoto and old Edo) and the Hokkoku Road (that led from Edo to the Sea of Japan).
Travel on the road flourished with pilgrimages to Zenkoji Temple and Ise Shrine.
The Zenkoji Road starts from the Nakasendo post town of Seba in Shiojiri City, passes through Matsumoto City and Omi Village before crossing Sarugabanba Pass into Chikuma City’s Nakahara, Kuwabara and Inariyama districts before joining the Hokkoku Road at Nagano City’s Shinonoi Oiwake junction.
The master haiku poet Basho traveled the Zenkoji Road on his way to Obasute for moon-viewing.
(Location: Yawata)