Depending on the municipality, the object of your attention will change. Finding them is one of the pleasures of a walk. Ibaraki Prefecture seems to be obsessed with U-shaped ditch covers.
Toride-juku
For the first time in about a year, I’m going to continue walking along the Mito Kaido. Today I will start from Toride.
From the station, I will go back along the railroad tracks toward Abiko, then take the Mito Kaido highway and head east.
A signpost on the Mito Kaido Highway, ten miles and eight streets from Edo
After a while, I found a signpost. Ten ri and eight cho from Edo. If a traveler in the old days walked ten miles a day, it would be exactly one day’s journey. I guess I should say that it was quite a long way from Nihonbashi to Ibaraki Prefecture.
Water pumping station
After walking about 5km, I found an unfamiliar machine in the rice field. It wasn’t even in operation, so I didn’t know what it was for during the walk. When I got home, I checked and found out that it was a water pumping station. In other words, they are pumping up water for use in the rice paddies. Even though I heard that, I couldn’t understand the principle of scooping water. If I had taken the photo from the left, I would have been able to see the surface where the water is scooped.
Fujishiro-juku
The mirror-like surface of the Kokai River
After walking about 10km, I came across the Kokai River. The photo shows the Kokai River as seen from Fumimaki Bridge. The Kokai River used to be in trouble, with its banks often breaking down. But today, the surface of the river is as calm as a mirror. It was just lunch time, so I ate my lunch here.
Wakashiba-juku
After crossing the Egawa River near the intersection of Sanuki Station’s east entrance and passing through a rice field area for about 500 meters, you will climb a hill with an elevation difference of about 15 meters. After the climb, the streets of Wakashiba-cho are calm and lovely.
U-shaped ditch covers marked with “thorns”
But what surprised me so much that I forgot to take a picture of the street was the lid of the U-shaped ditch. The symbol for “Ibara (thorns)” is engraved on it. The unit price must have been quite high, because there was even a hole to put your hand in. Ibaraki Prefecture is to be admired.
Pheasant occupying a mound
On the way down the slope toward the intersection at the entrance to the Wakashiba water distribution plant, I spotted a pheasant. It was climbing on top of a thick mound, making a distinctive sound. I think this is the second time in my life I’ve seen a pheasant in the wild.
It’s fun to see unexpected things on a walk in Ibaraki.
Walking data
Course：JR Joban Line Toride Station -> Toride-juku -> Fujishiro-juku -> Wakashiba-juku -> JR Joban Line Ushiku Station
Distance: 19km
Time: 4h48m
コメント