Today I will walk through the Mito Kaido.
Fuchu-juku (Ishioka City)
Grand Mariage
This is the Hotel Grand Mariage where I was staying.
It was 5,940 yen for a bare night’s stay. Although the noise from next door is a bit annoying, it is clean and close to the street, so I think it would be a good place to use when staying in Ishioka.
Ishizuoka Irizuka
I entered Mito Kaido from the intersection in Izumi-machi, and as soon as I started walking, I found Ishioka’s Ichirizuka milestone!
I felt powerful because there were a pair of them remaining. I was also told that it is rare to find an izarizuka with an hackberry tree still standing.
It is designated as a prefectural historic site, but I think it is no less impressive than the other nationally designated Ichirizuka I have seen in Shimura, Nishikida, Nomura, Ano, and Ohira.
Ｗisteria flower
I introduced pictures of wisteria yesterday, and they are blooming beautifully here and there today.
Japanese snowball
Japanese snowball is also beautiful.
Takehara-juku (Omitama City)
Melon Road
At the Nakanoya Chuo intersection, I found the words “Melon Road”!
Ibaraki Prefecture is the largest melon producer in Japan, right?
I wonder if you can pick melons along this road when they are in season.
Katakura-juku (Omitama City)
Nakanotani Kita bus stop
There was a bus stop called Nakanodani Kita, so I looked at the timetable. There were only eight buses on weekdays and only four on weekends and holidays.
I couldn’t wait for four hours, so I guess I’d have to call a cab if I got tired.
Example of a magnificent Japanese house
As I was walking along the Mito Kaido, I kept thinking that there are many magnificent Japanese houses in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Especially in the center of the old inns, there are many mansions with gates and fences that look like the main camp. If the red gate of the University of Tokyo was built when the Maeda family welcomed the daughter of the Shogun as their daughter-in-law, then the houses along the Mito highway must have welcomed the daughter of the Mito Tokugawa family from one end to the other. The depth of the houses is longer than the frontage, and there are huge zelkova trees that are hundreds of years old towering in the back of the houses.
However, there are no vast fields around the houses, and few houses have stores in front of them. How on earth do they earn enough money to build all those houses? If there is an income-efficient way, I would love to hear about it.
Yamanaka Bridge
Now, here is the Yamanaka Bridge.
When I was walking along the Tokaido Highway, I decided to take pictures of all the bridges along the way, and I did it, so even now, whenever I see a bridge on my way, I tend to take pictures of it. This photo is one of the ones I took that way. However, please pay attention to the person at the end of the bridge. He too seems to be walking along the Mito Kaido. When you see him walking along a deserted street with a hat on his back, you can easily tell that he is walking along the street. Because I am dressed in the same way.
His speed is fast. I think he’s going about five kilometers per hour. I walk at my own pace, about 4km/h, to avoid getting tired and damaging my legs.
Obata-juku (Ibaraki-machi, Higashiibaraki-gun)
Small buildings in the villa
In this picture, pay attention to the small building in the middle. What is it?
I didn’t ask the owner of the building, so I’m just guessing, but it’s probably a bath. It has what looks like a chimney. In the old days, some houses had separate bathrooms and toilets to avoid damaging the house with water. On the Mito Highway, I saw several such annexes with chimneys. Taking care of houses in this way may be the reason why so many mansions still remain.
Senkan cherry blossoms
I could see the Senkan cherry blossoms across the road.
It was not yet the cherry blossom season, but it was dangerous to cross Route 6, so I held back and just took pictures from a distance.
Obata Kitayama Haniwa production ruins
Discover Obata Kitayama Haniwa production ruins! This place has been designated as a national historic site. Here, clay was dug, the shape of Haniwa (clay figurine) was made, and it was fired. There are 59 kilns here, the largest number in Japan.
Since I had plenty of time and would probably never come here again, I decided to visit. There was no charge for the tour.
Clay mining resistance
This is the clay mining drag. The plants planted all around the area are said to be mining pits. It was not clearly indicated on the sign, but I asked the janitor who was taking a break.
Haniwa type toilet
There is somewhat of an orderly path through the grounds. However, there are many places where there is no clear path, and it seems that you are basically free to go wherever you want.
Wildflower and medicinal herb corner
There is also a wildflower and medicinal herb corner in the site of the ruins.
I was impressed by the fact that people in the past studied the medicinal properties of many common plants.
I’m not sure how they are related to Haniwa.
Cross section of a kiln
This is a cross section of a kiln. Haniwa (clay figurine) was apparently fired in this kind of climbing kiln. They must have been creeping to set the Haniwa.
Ruins of kilns lining the slope
The remains of the kilns are lined up on the slope. The angle of the slope seems to have been just right.
Restored circular-shaped ancient tomb with rectangular frontage and example of Haniwa use
There is a reconstructed circular-shaped ancient tomb with rectangular frontage and a haniwa (clay figurine) on top of it. It is imagined that the haniwa was used in this way.
By the way, I didn’t see any human-shaped Haniwa. Wasn’t it excavated in this place?
Nagaoka-juku (Ibaraki-cho, Higashi-Ibaraki-gun)
The old trailer
Found an old Yamato Transport trailer!
It’s a simple written logo.
Mito Kaido in a straight line
The Mito Kaido Road has sections with straight lines like this in some places.
It may have been a place where nothing much happened in the past.
Mito-juku (Mito City)
The Mysterious Shape of Power Distribution Lines
It’s kind of strange. A high-voltage distribution line is blocking a pole. Even though it was not important, I was curious.
It was to avoid interfering with the voltage conversion
Here, there are two high voltage lines, one above and one below, and it seems that the voltage of the upper high voltage line needs to be increased. It seems that the transformer in the middle of the pole is used to convert the voltage, and the lower high voltage line is bypassed so as not to interfere.
Perhaps because of the long distance between substations in Ibaraki Prefecture, I saw these huge transformers in other places as well.
Crimson Clover
This time, I looked at my feet and saw a strawberry-like grass growing. It’s called Crimson Clover (also known as Strawberry Candle). It’s a pretty flower, but it’s a clover, so if I planted it in my garden, I’d probably have trouble getting more.
A beautifully landscaped house
Speaking of gardens, some of the houses had such beautiful gardening.
I would like to know how I can make my garden so beautiful.
Yoshida Ichirizuka
I found Yoshida Ichirizuka! This is the last Ichirizuka on the Mito Kaido Road.
There is a hackberry tree growing here, while the Ishioka’s Ichirizuka states that it is rare to find an Ichirizuka with a hackberry tree remaining. Also, on the explanatory board here, Shimotoda is next to Takehara, and there is no mention of Ishioka’s Isarizuka. Maybe…there is something to it.
RIGHT angle？
There is a bend in the road, is this the RIGHT angle? There are various similar names and structures, such as masugata, kuichigai, and umadashi, so it must be one of them. Anyway, I think this is evidence that my final destination, Mito, is near.
Amateur Radio Antennas
Yes, another thing I noticed on the Mito road was that there were many amateur radio operators. There were high antennas all over the place.
Distant view of the Tamakebashi Bridge
At last, the end of the road (for now) was in sight. The bridge you can see is the Tamakebashi Bridge.
Stone marker at the starting point of Edo Kaido
At the side of the bridge, there was a stone marker for the starting point of the Edo Kaido.
I would like to say, “Thank you for your hard work,” but it seems that there is more to come.
Stone marker at the site of an Edo (Mito) Kaido-juku
As evidence of this, after a short walk, you will see a stone marker for the site of the Edo (Mito) Kaido-juku.
The side of the marker says, “This area was the center of Mito’s juku and the busiest shopping district,” but it seems to be a bit lackluster now.
Intersection of 513 Humming Road and Naka-Ishizaki-Mito Route
This intersection of 513 Humming Road and Naka-Ishizaki-Mito Route (Prefectural Route 179) seems to be the end of the road. However, I couldn’t find any landmarks that looked like it.
From here, I headed toward Mito Station.
I didn’t have the energy to go to Kairakuen, so I tried to go to the ruins of Mito Castle. But I couldn’t find a good way to get there on the topographical map.
Tengu Natto Sohonke Sasanuma Goro Shoten
I had no choice but to walk along Joto Street in Saku-machi, and I found Tengu Natto Sohonke Sasanuma Goro Store!
I was told that I could visit the factory and the Natto Nandemo Exhibition Hall, so I did.
At the factory, they were making natto by putting soybeans in straw and tying them with a binding machine.
In the exhibition hall, the origin of natto and the tips on how to make it are written in detail, and if you are so inclined, you will be able to gain a very deep knowledge. It was also mentioned that natto has a whitening effect. Perhaps that’s why the shopkeeper was a white person.
Of course, I bought some natto as a souvenir.
Statue of Mito-Komon？
In front of Mito Station, there was a statue that looked like Mito Komon. But it was under construction, so I couldn’t get close to it.
Mito Station
At Mito Station, I bought some melon jelly and pickled plums as souvenirs other than natto.
Walking data
Course: Mito Kaido, Fuchu-juku (Ishioka City) – Mito-juku
Distance: 34.9km
Time: 9h9m
