Beneath our feet lies a story etched in time. This is the \u65e7\u938c\u5009\u8857\u9053. It whispers tales of warriors and ancient highways.
The \u65e7\u938c\u5009\u8857\u9053 was not just one road. It was a network. These roads converged on Kamakura the military capital. Kamakura is in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The name \u65e7\u938c\u5009\u8857\u9053 emerged later. It likely appeared during the Edo period. It simply meant any old road going to Kamakura. The T\u014dkaid\u014d highway was also part of this network. It connected Kyoto to Kamakura.
These routes facilitated quick army movements. They were crucial during internal wars. Nitta Yoshisada used the Kami no Michi for his 1333 attack on Kamakura. Battlefields like Kotesashi and Kumegawa dot its course.
The \u65e7\u938c\u5009\u8857\u9053 network remained vital during the Muromachi period. Kamakura was essential to control the Kant\u014d region. The Later H\u014dj\u014d clan shifted the political center to Odawara.
The Tokugawa shogunate dealt the final blow. They made Edo their capital in the 17th century. Kamakura’s importance waned. The network fell into disrepair. Parts of it vanished altogether.
The three main routes were Kami no Michi Naka no Michi and Shimo no Michi. They all ended at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-g\u016b’s Shinto gate. Their courses are described in medieval books.
The Kami no Michi passed through several key points. It went through the Kewaizaka Pass and Susaki. It also went through Watauchi and Karasawa. It continued through Iida and Seya. Tsuruma and Tamagawa were also on the route. Finally it went through Bubai and Fuch\u016b. It then branched out at the Usui Pass.
The Naka no Michi took a different path. It departed from Tsurugaoka Hachiman-g\u016b with a left turn. It passed through the Kobukurozaka Pass and Yamanouchi. Then it went through Ofuna and Kasama. It linked with the Kami no Michi later on.
The Shimo no Michi branched off from the Naka no Michi. It went before Tsurumi. It crossed Maruko and Shibuya. It passed through Hatogaya and Yono. It reached Utsunomiya after Koga and Y\u016bki.
Even today the name \u65e7\u938c\u5009\u8857\u9053 lingers. Modern roads follow sections of the old routes. They remind us of Kamakura’s rich past.
So as we stand here remember the echoes. The \u65e7\u938c\u5009\u8857\u9053 a testament to a bygone era continues to connect us to the heart of ancient Japan.