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 Yahata to Shimo Suwa

Stages of the Nakasendo (8): From Yahata to Shimo Suwa

Photographed in early October 2003

The Yahata Stage: Asashina Village, Kita Saku County, Nagano Prefecture
The Mochizuki Stage: Mochizuki Town, Kita Saku County, Nagano Prefecture
The Ashida Stage: Tateshina Town, Kita Saku County, Nagano Prefecture
The Nagakubo Stage: Nagato Town, Chiisagata County, Nagano Prefecture
The Wada Stage: Wada Village, Ogata County, Nagano Prefecture
The Shimo Suwa Stage: Shimo Suwa Town, Suwa County, Nagano Prefecture

After leaving Yahata, the old Nakasendo Highway wanders onto a side road. If it weren’t for the marker, we might have missed the turning. A village suddenly appears. Then, after passing Ashida, a line of pine trees comes into view. We cross a mountain pass, and turn onto a side road, continuing to the torii gate of the Matsuo Shrine.
The village immediately after Matsuo Shrine is the Nagakubo post town. We turn left while surveying the line of mountains. We proceed along a path skirting the mountains, and eventually arrive at the Wada post town. Here, the old Nakasendo Highway continues from one village to the next.
Ahead is the Wada Pass (1531 meters), which we must negotiate if we are to reach the Suwa Taisha Shrine. Luckily, we’re traveling by car – but even then, there are some troublesome spots and very tight bends.