Overview : The 53 stages of the Tokaido
Tokaido (Lit: East sea route) ,connecting with Edo from Kyoto, runs along the pacific coast. This route originally was set in Heian period (8th ? 11th century) but during Edo period, since Tokugawa opened Edo Shogunate, this route got more important than before and fifty-three stages were posted as a route of important distribution from Kyoto to Edo(Tokyo now) and also? for travelers.
Hiroshige Utagawa (1797-1858), one of the most famous Ukiyo-e Artists, depicted “The Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido”and published but it has been still discussed whether he actually visited to each stages and drew it or he imitated some pictures because similar expressions could be seen prints which other people drew.
You can see the whole route with prints on Map.
[ MAP ]
Tokyo
Kanagawa
Shizuoka
Aichi
Mie
Shiga
