The Bounty of Nature - Stages of the Nakasendo

自然の恵み　春夏秋冬に戻る諸国一の宮旧中山道　神社の絵馬 (1) Start of a Journey – A Guide to Travel in Japan 　

〔1月〕.. .〔2月〕. ..〔3月〕 ...〔4月〕 ...〔5月〕 ...〔6月〕 ...〔7月〕 ...〔8月〕 ...〔9月〕.. .〔10月〕 ...〔11月〕 ......〔12月〕

日本橋～板橋宿蕨宿～熊谷宿熊谷宿～倉賀野宿倉賀野宿～松井田宿松井田宿～軽井沢宿軽井沢宿～小田井宿小田井宿～八幡宿

八幡宿～下諏訪宿下諏訪宿～塩尻宿塩尻宿～洗馬宿洗馬宿～本山宿本山宿～贄川宿贄川宿～奈良井宿奈良井宿～薮原宿
旧中山道鳥居峠薮原宿～宮ノ越宿宮ノ越宿～福島宿木曽福島初雪の御嶽山福島宿～上松宿上松宿～須原宿野尻宿～三留野宿
三留野宿～妻籠宿三留野宿～妻籠宿妻籠宿～馬籠宿京都三条大橋
　

Stages of the Nakasendo
– From Kumagaya to Kuragano

Stages of the Nakasendo (3): From Kumagaya to Kuragano

Photographed in early October 2003

The Kumagaya Stage: Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture
The Fukaya Stage: Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture
The Honjo Stage: Honjo City, Saitama Prefecture
The Shinmachi Stage: Shinmachi Town, Tano County, Gunma Prefecture
The Kuragano Stage: Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture

We leave the Kumagaya post town and reach the first ichirizuka mile marker. The stone lantern remains as a monument at the roadside. From Takinomiya Shrine, we can see Mount Akagi, far in the distance beyond the leek fields of Fukaya – just as people must have done in old Edo days.
The old Nakasendo Highway continues from shrine to shrine. But at length, it opens out to offer a view over the surrounding countryside.
There are nearly always massive trees growing in the shrine precincts. Sacred groves can also be seen, though now somewhat rare and precious.

We cross the Kanna and Karasu Rivers on our way to Kuragano. In front of us appears the stone lantern of Amidado Temple. Just ahead, the site of the Kuragano post town remains in the form of a monument.