Explanation of the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido 15 Yoshiwara
11.2km from Kanbara to Yoshiwara, 35°9’46″N 138°41’8.3″E
Yoshiwara is the 14th post station on the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido.
It is currently Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
In addition to being a base for land and water transportation, it also functioned as a post station for pilgrimages to Fuji.
The post station had two honjin, three wakihonjin, and 60 lodgings, a population of 2,832, and 653 houses.
When the post station was established in the Edo period, it was located near the current Motoyoshiwara area, but was relocated due to tsunamis and other events.
Yoshiwara was originally located near the current JR Yoshiwara Station.
It suffered devastating damage from a high tide in 1639.
To prevent a recurrence, it was relocated inland to the current Yodawara area of Fuji City.
As a result, the Tokaido, which ran along the coast between Hara-juku and Yoshiwara-juku, left the sea just before Yoshiwara-juku and made a large curve inland to the north.
When heading from Edo to Kyoto, Mt. Fuji was visible on the right, but now it can be seen on the left, so it became a scenic spot called “Left Fuji”.
It is about 12.4 km from Harajuku to Yoshiwara-juku. On the way, you can eat the local specialty, kabayaki, at a tea shop in Tateba.
The white sake from Tachiba, located between Yoshiwara-juku and Kanbara-juku, was popular.
White sake is made by adding steamed glutinous rice and koji to shochu or mirin, aging it, and then grinding it.
It has an alcohol content of 8 to 9%. It is also called Yamakawa sake.
It is sweet and has less alcohol than regular sake, so it was popular as a drink for the Hinamatsuri during the Edo period.
It is perfect as a nightcap at a post station.
From the production area of Suruga-hanshi paper, it has now become a modern paper-making town. The area was rich in water resources, including the Fuji River and underground water from Mt. Fuji.
From the middle of the Edo period, papermaking using the bark of the Mitsumata tree became popular in Suruga Province.
This paper is flexible and absorbs ink well, so it was widely used by common people as calligraphy paper and woodblock paper.
It was shipped in large quantities to the city of Edo.
As a result, paper from Suruga Province was called Surugamono or Suruga-hanshi.
The Okitsu River basin and Shiba River basin are mainly known as production areas of Suruga-banshi.
In Hara Village, Fuji County (now Hara, Fujinomiya City), Watanabe Hyozaemon Sadakane began making paper using Mitsumata, and the entire village got involved in production.
The practice spread to nearby villages, and the area became a producer of Suruga-banshi.
In the Meiji period, Watanabe Tosaburo, a descendant of Watanabe Sadakane, promoted Mitsumata cultivation and reforestation projects in order to develop Suruga-banshi. He also contributed to the development of his hometown by being involved in the establishment of a paper mill.
In addition, taking advantage of its location close to the capital region, a major consumer area, Fuji City flourished as a paper town with a shipping volume of 603.5 billion yen in 1991, the peak of its popularity.
Many paper mills, such as Daishowa Paper’s Head Office Factory (currently the Fuji Mill Suzuki Office of Nippon Paper Industries) and Oji Materia (formerly Oji Paper), were actively producing paper.
However, in February 2009, part of the papermaking line at Oji Paper’s Fuji Mill was shut down.
The number of “pulp and paper” businesses decreased from 275 to 224.
In 2011, the shipping value of the paper industry fell to 440.7 billion yen.
At the end of September 2012, paper production at the Nippon Paper Fuji Mill Suzuki Office (formerly the Daishowa Paper Head Office Factory) was completely halted.
The decline of the paper industry and the downward trend in paper and pulp production continue.
① “Hoeido version”
This composition is known as “Left Fuji.”
The pine-lined road winds through the rice fields from Motoyoshiwara to Yoshiwara, and Mount Fuji can be seen to the left.
Known as “Left Fuji,” this is a well-known spot.
Of the three children riding horses, the two on the left notice Mount Fuji in front of them and stare at it engrossed.
The child on the right seems to be dozing off, with his head bowed to the right and looking down.
The pine trees looming over the road express the very narrow road.
② “Gyousyo version”
The only subject on the road from Motoyoshiwara to Yoshiwara is Left Fuji, so this one depicts the famous Yamakawa Shiro Sake.
A traveler is taking a break at a teahouse next to the sign for the famous Yamakawa Shiro Sake.
Mount Fuji is modestly drawn on the far left.
③ “Reisho version”
This depicts a woman riding a horse along the road lined with pine trees.
A modest Mount Fuji is depicted in the center.
④ “Hokusai version”
It depicts a rural scene of beans being ground.
⑤ “Travel image”
Yoshiwara-Honmachi Station on the Gakunan Electric Railway Line.
⑥ “Stamp image”
A stamp from JR Yoshiwara Station.
Hoeido version
Gyousyo version
Reisho version
Hokusai version
Travel image
Stamp image
