Minoji
Encyclopedia
The was a 60 km highway in Japan
during the Edo period
. It was a secondary route, ranked below the Edo Five Routes
in importance, and connected Miya-juku
on the Tōkaidō
with Tarui-juku
on the Nakasendō
.
The road received much use before and after the Battle of Sekigahara
in 1600. Fukushima Masanori
, the leader of the eastern armies, traveled the Minoji from Okoshi (modern-day Ichinomiya
) to Mino Province
for the battle. Tokugawa Ieyasu
, the victor of the battle, traveled the route afterwards to a hero's welcome. It was also referred to as the Kichirei Kaidō (吉例街道).
Including the starting and ending points, there were only nine post stations
on the Minoji. The route was named after Mino Province, which makes up the southern portion of the modern-day Gifu Prefecture
. As such, the route spans both Aichi
and Gifu prefectures. The stations are listed below, with their current municipality in parentheses.
, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and the Tōmei
and Meishin
expressways all follow the historical Tōkaidō from Tokyo
to Nagoya. From Gifu
to Kusatsu
, the routes all follow the historical Nakasendō. As such, the route between Nagoya and Gifu is also called "Minoji." Also, the modern Route 22
follows the path of the Minoji.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. It was a secondary route, ranked below the Edo Five Routes
Edo Five Routes
The were the five major roads that started at Edo during the Edo period, the most important of which was the Tōkaidō, which linked Edo and Kyoto...
in importance, and connected Miya-juku
Miya-juku
was the forty-first of the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō. It is located in the Atsuta-ku section of the city of Nagoya, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was six km from Narumi-juku, the preceding post station.-History:...
on the Tōkaidō
Tokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
with Tarui-juku
Tarui-juku
was the fifty-seventh of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō. It is located in the present-day town of Tarui, Fuwa District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.-History:...
on the Nakasendō
Nakasendo
The , also called the , was one of the five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected Edo to Kyoto in Japan. There were 69 stations between Edo and Kyoto, crossing through Musashi, Kōzuke, Shinano, Mino and Ōmi provinces...
.
The road received much use before and after the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
in 1600. Fukushima Masanori
Fukushima Masanori
was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku Period to early Edo Period who served as lord of the Hiroshima Domain. A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the battle of Shizugatake in 1583, and soon became known as one of Seven Spears of Shizugatake which also included Katō Kiyomasa and...
, the leader of the eastern armies, traveled the Minoji from Okoshi (modern-day Ichinomiya
Ichinomiya, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi, Japan. The city is often called Owari-Ichinomiya to avoid confusion with another Ichinomiya . The pre-expansion city was once part of now-defunct Nakashima District until September 1, 1921....
) to Mino Province
Mino Province
, one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassed part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mino Province bordered Echizen, Hida, Ise, Mikawa, Ōmi, Owari, and Shinano Provinces....
for the battle. Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, the victor of the battle, traveled the route afterwards to a hero's welcome. It was also referred to as the Kichirei Kaidō (吉例街道).
Major travelers
- Royal embassies to Tokugawa JapanRoyal embassies to Tokugawa JapanThe Joseon Tongsinsa were goodwill missions sent intermittently, at the request of the resident Japanese authority, by Joseon Dynasty Korea to Japan. The Korean noun identifies a specific type of diplomatic delegation and its chief envoys...
from KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
traveled along the route ten times. Their general itinerary was they stayed the night in Ōgaki-jukuOgaki-jukuwas the eighth of nine post stations along the Minoji. It is located in the present-day city of Ōgaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. In addition to serving as a post station, it was also a castle town to the Ōgaki Domain's Ōgaki Castle...
, then rested at either Sunomata-jukuSunomata-jukuwas the seventh of nine post stations along the Minoji. It is located in the present-day city of Ōgaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. In addition to serving as a post station, it was also a castle town for Sunomata Castle. Sandwiched between the Nagara and Ibi rivers, it was an active post...
or Okoshi-jukuOkoshi-jukuwas the sixth of nine post stations along the Minoji. It is located in the present-day city of Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Established on edge of the Kiso River, the post station was also on the border of Mino and Owari provinces.-History:...
, before spending the following night in Nagoya-jukuNagoya-jukuwas the second of the nine post stations of the Minoji. It is located in the Naka-ku section of the city of Nagoya, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.-History:...
. - Official travelers from the Ryukyu IslandsRyukyu IslandsThe , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
also traveled along the Minoji. Though initially just traveling along the Tōkaidō, they began traveling along the Mioji in 1714.
Stations of the Minoji
Shukuba
were post stations during the Edo period in Japan, generally located on one of the Edo Five Routes or one of its sub-routes. They were also called shukueki . These post stations were places where travelers could rest on their journey around the nation...
on the Minoji. The route was named after Mino Province, which makes up the southern portion of the modern-day Gifu Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
. As such, the route spans both Aichi
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
and Gifu prefectures. The stations are listed below, with their current municipality in parentheses.
Aichi Prefecture
- 1. Miya-jukuMiya-jukuwas the forty-first of the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō. It is located in the Atsuta-ku section of the city of Nagoya, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was six km from Narumi-juku, the preceding post station.-History:...
(宮宿) (Atsuta-kuAtsuta-ku, Nagoyais one of the wards of the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the 2005 census it had a population of 63,608. Atsuta Shrine is well known. The rolling stock manufacturer Nippon Sharyo has its headquarters in the ward.-References:...
, NagoyaNagoya, Aichiis the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan.Located on the Pacific coast in the Chūbu region on central Honshu, it is the capital of Aichi Prefecture and is one of Japan's major ports along with those of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama, Chiba, and Moji...
) (also part of the Tōkaidō) - 2. Nagoya-jukuNagoya-jukuwas the second of the nine post stations of the Minoji. It is located in the Naka-ku section of the city of Nagoya, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.-History:...
(名古屋宿) (Naka-kuNaka-ku, Nagoyais the heart of Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Largely hemmed in by Sakura-dōri , Ōtsu-dōri , Fushimi-dōri and Tsurumai-dōri , it contains the main shopping area of Sakae, a massive air-conditioned 5 square-kilometer underground mall) and the 'after-five' semi-red light districts of Nishiki and...
, Nagoya) - 3. Kiyosu-jukuKiyosu-jukuwas the third of nine post stations of the Minoji. It is located in the city of Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.-History:Kiyosu-juku was originally formed as a castle town for Kiyosu Castle; however, the original town was decimated when much of the populace was moved to Nagoya Castle...
(清須宿) (KiyosuKiyosu, Aichiwas a town located in Nishikasugai District, Aichi, Japan., the town had an estimated population of 19,409 and a density of 3,696.95 persons per km²...
) - 4. Inaba-jukuInaba-jukuwas the fourth of the nine post stations of the Minoji. It is located in the city of Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.-History:Originally, the post station was just a village named "Inaba" but the neighboring village of Kozawa . The two villages merged and combined their characters to form the...
(稲葉宿) (InazawaInazawa, Aichiis a city located in Aichi, Japan. The city was founded on November 1, 1958. As of February 1, 2010 the city has an estimated population of 136,904 and a population density of 1,730 persons per km²...
) - 5. Hagiwara-jukuHagiwara-jukuwas the fifth of nine post stations along the Minoji. It is located in the present-day city of Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Located on the banks of the Nikkō River, Hagiwara-juku was the smallest post station along the Minoji....
(萩原宿) (IchinomiyaIchinomiya, Aichiis a city located in Aichi, Japan. The city is often called Owari-Ichinomiya to avoid confusion with another Ichinomiya . The pre-expansion city was once part of now-defunct Nakashima District until September 1, 1921....
) - 6. Okoshi-jukuOkoshi-jukuwas the sixth of nine post stations along the Minoji. It is located in the present-day city of Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Established on edge of the Kiso River, the post station was also on the border of Mino and Owari provinces.-History:...
(起宿) (Ichinomiya)
Gifu Prefecture
- 7. Sunomata-jukuSunomata-jukuwas the seventh of nine post stations along the Minoji. It is located in the present-day city of Ōgaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. In addition to serving as a post station, it was also a castle town for Sunomata Castle. Sandwiched between the Nagara and Ibi rivers, it was an active post...
(墨俣宿) (ŌgakiOgaki, Gifuis a city located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It was incorporated as a city on April 1, 1918. As of July 2011, the city has an estimated population of 160,999 and a total area of .Ōgaki was the final destination for the haiku poet Matsuo Bashō...
) - 8. Ōgaki-jukuOgaki-jukuwas the eighth of nine post stations along the Minoji. It is located in the present-day city of Ōgaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. In addition to serving as a post station, it was also a castle town to the Ōgaki Domain's Ōgaki Castle...
(大垣宿) (Ōgaki) - 9. Tarui-jukuTarui-jukuwas the fifty-seventh of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō. It is located in the present-day town of Tarui, Fuwa District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.-History:...
(垂井宿) (TaruiTarui, Gifuis a town located in Fuwa District, Gifu, Japan.As of July 2011, the town has an estimated population of 28,461. The total area is 57.14 km².- Railroad :*JR Tōkai**Tōkaidō Main Line - Tarui Station-External links:*...
, Fuwa DistrictFuwa District, Gifuis a district located in Gifu, Japan.As of July 2011, the district has an estimated population of 36,426. The total area is 106.43 km²....
) (also part of the Nakasendō)
Other uses
The Tōkaidō Main LineTokaido Main Line
The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...
, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and the Tōmei
Tomei Expressway
The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...
and Meishin
Meishin Expressway
The is a toll expressway in Japan. It runs from a junction with the Tomei Expressway in Nagakute, Aichi west to Nishinomiya, Hyōgo . It is the main road link between Osaka and Nagoya, and, along with the Tōmei Expressway, forms the main road link between Osaka and Tokyo...
expressways all follow the historical Tōkaidō from Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to Nagoya. From Gifu
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
to Kusatsu
Kusatsu, Shiga
is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on October 15, 1954, and as of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 123,690 and the density of 1,820 persons per km². The total area is 67.92 km².- Overview :...
, the routes all follow the historical Nakasendō. As such, the route between Nagoya and Gifu is also called "Minoji." Also, the modern Route 22
Japan National Route 22
is a national highway connecting Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and Gifu, Gifu Prefecture in Japan. The route follows the old Minoji, a 17th century trade route that connected the Nakasendō and the Tōkaidō.-Route data:*Length:...
follows the path of the Minoji.