Day 8 - From Idagawa To Yokkaichi And The Poetry Of Nobutsuna Sasaki, Walking The Tokaido Road In Japan
Day 8 - From Idagawa To Yokkaichi And The Poetry Of Nobutsuna Sasaki, Walking The Tokaido Road In Japan
In the morning, we boarded an hour-long train back to Idagawa, where we had stopped walking two days ago.
It was a chilly but sunny morning.
Our intentions were to walk northeast for about 20 km and then to take the train back to Nagoya Station.
Our estimate was that we would walk until about 4 or 5 pm, depending on the sightseeing that we would do along the way.
In Idagawa, it had become very windy and rainy.
We had not brought our umbrellas, relying on the weather forecast that called for no rain until evening time.
On a whim, we borrowed two umbrellas from the supply of old lost and found umbrellas at the train station.
We thought that we would use them for two hours and then leave them at the next train station at the lost and found box there.
A strong wind started gusting, collapsing our borrowed umbrellas.
We stopped at the local shrine to readjust our clothing, and we removed some of our layers and continued walking.
Then we arrived at Shono-Juku post town.
Shono-juku was located about 120 Ri from Edo, (every Ri is about 4 km so it is located 480 km from Tokyo) and it was the 45th station on the Tokaido road.
It was established later than most post towns, in 1624.
Shono town had a main inn and 8 side inns, about 200 houses and about 15 inns for common people, making it a small post station on the Tokaido road.
It was eight blocks long, stretching from north to south.
Hiroshige Utagawa's painting
"White Rain at Shono" is said to be one of his masterpieces and has received high praise worldwide.
The distance from the neighboring Ishiyakushi post station to Shono post station is only about 2.7 kilometers, which is said to be the second shortest distance on the Tokaido road.
Even today, as you walk along the road, you can still see traces of the old Tokaido road, and remnants of the Edo period, in the old buildings and information boards.
We came upon a rest area with a stove that had a copper tea pot on it to keep the water boiling.
The space looked inviting with chairs to sit on and even a heater to warm your fingers.
A lovely old man was inside to welcome travellers, and he chatted with us and showed us the local shrine with a 400 year old tree.
Perhaps the highlight of the day for me was translating the poetry of a 19th century poet who was born here called Nobutsuna Sasaki, whose poetry lines the road from Shōno-juku to Ishiyakushi-juku, the 44th post town.
Here are some of his poems, roughly translated:
“I am over 69 now.
I wonder if I can climb up
Mount Suzuka again?”
“Spring is here
In the wake of the new morning sun
Mountain and river plants
There is light everywhere.”
“When I go to my birthplace,
My weak mother fights with me.
Let me be!
Shall we cross this River?”
“The shape that burns in the heart
cares about the country.
I'm so skinny,
An old poet too.”
“lazy.
Master's faith
Standing in the garden.
Rhododendrons bloom.”
“The human world.
Happy morning
Under the sun.
Plow and dig leaves.
Blue Sparkles”
“I'm in heaven!
Only my father listen,
The song I sing,
At least is in tune.”
“High autumn
Morning clouds over the Suzuka Mountains.
While looking vaguely
Refreshing for my soul.”
“Don't be discouraged.
Don't be sad,
Over all humans,
The sun is shining its light.”
“Mountain lily
I gathered thousands of flowers
After the gathering
I slept all night”.
There were all together fifty poems posted along the road.
We visited the poet’s house that is now a museum, called the Sasaki Nobutsuna Memorial Hall, and used the time to rest and use their toilet.
We wanted something to eat, but the famous udon restaurant in the area was closed for the day.
Up the road from the museum, we saw a small sign for a shop specialising in Chiffon cakes.
It was a tiny cafe with one table, but at least it was open.
We stripped off our backpacks and sat down to drink hot matcha and eat a banana and chocolate chiffon cake and a Salted Sakura flower chiffon cake. It was so fluffy and light that we also ordered an Earl grey chiffon cake also.
We walked all the way to Kintsetsu Yokaichi station with only toilet breaks along the way, which we found in train stations and convenience stores.
Joseph made us laugh by posing differently at each of the “Aichi Ri” mile markers along the way.
By the time we made it to our destination for the day, Kintsetsu Yokiachi Station, it was already almost 5pm, and the local museum was closed.
It was a long day of walking, with very few rest stops.
The last hour of walking was tough and I wanted it to be over already.
Back in Nagoya, we had hot tea at the Starbucks and went to eat dinner at a Shabu Shabu restaurant.
Shabu Shabu is a hot pot that is simmering at your table, and you dip into it vegetables and seafood or meat, and eat them with a ponzu sauce.
This Shabu Shabu restaurant offered vegetarian soup which is rare to find, and their vegetables are set up in an all you can eat buffet.
We chose lots of different green vegetables and mushrooms, carrots, celery, leek, etc., and some noodles.
It was a warming meal but to be honest, it wasn’t really delicious, perhaps because their ponzu sauce wasn’t that tasty and they didn’t offer any other dipping sauces.
Sending you love and blessings,
Tali
Today’s Stats:
35,481 steps
25 km
Total walked: 156.5 km
Old Post Towns Visited:
Shōno-juku station #45
Ishiyakushi-juku #44
Yokkaichi #43
