Walking along the Koshu Kaido | Discover how to make potted grapes! | Tsuruse – Katsunuma

I discovered how to make potted grapes. It was a Columbus egg kind of idea.

Tsuruse-juku
Katsunuma-juku
Walking data

Tsuruse-juku

Kaiyamato Station

Starting from Kaiyamato Station.

Until 1993, Kaiyamato Station was called Hajikano Station. It is said to be a historic station that was opened as the terminus of the Central Line of the Japanese National Railways when it opened on February 1, 1903.

The stone in the foreground is the main pillar of the Shin-Hajikano Bridge. It seems to be made of Koshu Kurama stone, which is mined in this area.

Remains of the Tsuruse Barrier

At the west end of Yamatobashi Bridge, the road joins the Koshu Kaido, and about 350 meters west of the bridge, I found the remains of the Tsuruse barrier. It says that it was one of the 12 Koshu Sekisho. There were many Sekisho, weren’t there?

Koshu Kurama stone mining source

There was a mining source for the aforementioned Koshu Kurama stone.

Koshu Kurama stone is a diorite. In light of the way I remember igneous rocks, “Shinkansen Ha Kariage,” it is a deep-metamorphic rock, and the color is somewhere between whitish granite and blackish gabbro, right? Well, yes, but Koshu Kurama stone has a particularly distinctive rust color.

Kannon Tunnel

The Kannon Tunnel appeared. I was relieved to see that a sidewalk had been secured. Without a sidewalk, there would be nowhere to run when a car came.

Kannon Tunnel Connection Point

However, the walkway has been taken out of the Kannon Tunnel in the middle of the tunnel.

The cross section at the entrance of the tunnel was square, but from here on, it’s round.

I wonder if they were made at different times. As for the area with a round cross section, I think there was originally space for a sidewalk outside the tunnel, and the tunnel was dug only for the roadway.

Intersection west of Guanyin Tunnel

Crossing the crosswalk at the intersection of Kannon Tunnel West, I pass under this road in a U-shaped loop. Did the Koshu Kaido Road always have this kind of loop shape?

Kyowa Dōmon (Cave)

The elevation dropped by about 20 meters at once. The Kyowa Dōmon (Cave) on the road I was walking on earlier looks so high up.

Chuo Expressway

On the left, you can see the Chuo Expressway. It was an amazing construction work, carving the mountains and building piers.

Ｒoad in Yokobuki

Here I am on the road in Yokobuki.

As I tried to pass a child in the upper grades of elementary school, she greeted me with a “hello. Of course, I greeted her back in a clear voice. In Tokyo, I rarely get greeted by strangers, so it was a refreshing experience.

It is said that the streets of Yokobuki still retain the atmosphere of the past, but I wonder if it was a place where greetings were common from long ago.

Yokobuki Ichirizuka

I found the remains of a Ichirizuka! There is no name written on it, but I think it is the remains of Yokobuki Ichirizuka (29 ri). In the old days, it took people from Edo to here in three days. For me, it took 12 days. However, the Koshu Kaido still continues.

Katsunuma-juku

Hydraulic iron pipe at Kashio Power Plant

I found the hydraulic pipes of TEPCO’s Kashio Power Plant! It even has a polite roof.

I thought they were drawing water from a nearby river, but when I looked at the topographical map, I realized that they were not, and that they were drawing water from a conduit over 2 km long. The Komabashi Power Station and the Yatsusawa Power Station, both of which do not have dams, basically use water conduits, I guess.

The Kashio Power Plant has a constant output of 810 kW, which means that if I assume that the power consumption of a microwave oven is roughly 1 kW, about 800 units can be used. It is a facility that I pass by without thinking, but it is doing its best to protect the global environment.

Statue of Kondo Isami at Kashio ancient battlefield

There was a statue of Kondo Isami. This is the place where Kondo Isami of the Shogunate army fought against the government forces and lost. The reason why the statue of Kondo Isami was erected instead of the statue of the victorious commander is probably because his name value prevails.

Daizenji Temple

This is Daizenji Temple, founded by Gyoki.

The main hall of Daizenji Temple and one of its attached miniature shrines have been designated as national treasures. The temple also possesses several important cultural properties. I hope to visit the temple someday.

Kashio intersection

About 400 meters from Daizenji Temple, you will come to the Kashio intersection. The road to the left is Route 20 (Katsunuma Bypass). Katsunuma Bridge, which starts here, spans the Hikawa River. Koshu Kaido is the road to the right.