Explanation of the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido 13 Numazu
5.9km from Harajuku to Numazu-juku, 35°6′0.4″N 138°51′26.7″E
Numazu-juku is the 12th post station on the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido.
It is located on the west side of the base of the Izu Peninsula.
It is around Otemachi, Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
The post station has 3 honjin, 1 wakihonjin, 55 hatago, and a total of 1234 houses.
It is a port town located at the base of the Izu Peninsula overlooking Suruga Bay, at the foot of Mount Aitaka.
However, it belonged to Suruga Province, not Izu Province.
It is a transportation hub connecting the land and sea routes of the Tokaido, and in the Edo period, Numazu Castle was built and it flourished as a post station town on the Tokaido.
As a hub for the exchange of people, goods, and information, it has played a central role in politics, economy, commerce, and culture.
The city has a warm climate and is conveniently located as a base for sightseeing in Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and Mt. Fuji.
It also developed as a resort town.
The first lord of Numazu Castle was the lord of Numazu Domain.
It was destroyed in a great fire in 1641.
The castle ruins were then reclaimed land.
The castle was completed in September 1779 after three full years of construction.
The drawings of Mimabashi Castle and Numazu Castle are the same.
It is believed that the two castles were built in the same location, with part of the moat filled in and Sanmaibashi Castle used as Numazu Castle.
Numazu Castle was the government office, and its area is about half that of Sanmaibashi Castle.
It flourished as a castle town with 50,000 koku of rice under the eight generations of the Mizuno family.
The castle was auctioned off and demolished in 1872.
The site of the main citadel has been developed into a central park, and a monument reading “Site of the Main Citadel of Numazu Castle” has been erected.
As the eastern end of the Suruga Trough is off the coast of the city, deep-sea fish such as frilled sharks and spider crabs are landed here.
Numazu Port Deep Sea Aquarium is a private aquarium located in the “Minato 83-banchi” complex tourist facility near Numazu Port.
It is the world’s first aquarium themed on deep-sea creatures, mainly deep-sea fish.
It is the only aquarium in the world to exhibit a frozen specimen of a coelacanth.
The famous “Numazu Himono” is a major production area for dried horse mackerel.
A moderate sea breeze blows from Suruga Bay. The water comes from the spring water of the “Kakita River” in the Mount Fuji range, which is one of the “100 Famous Waters of Japan.”
The wind, water, and fish conditions allow “high-quality ingredients” to be gathered from all over the country.
Numazu has come to be known as the mecca of dried fish due to various factors.
① “Hoeido version”
A sentimental depiction of the evening in Numazu.
The subtitle is “Twilight Scenery.”
Mishima depicts the nostalgia of a morning journey, while Numazu depicts the sentimentality of an evening.
This is a narrow road along the Kise River.
Across the bridge is Numazu Inn.
Note the large Sarutahiko mask carried by the man in the center.
This man is on his way to visit Konpira Shrine in Sanuki.
This mask is thought to have been an offering to Konpira Daigongen.
This depicts a journey of three pilgrims, a father and his two children.
It is dusk, as darkness draws in. The moonlight gently bathes the father and his two children as they make their way to the inn.
This is the only image of the moon in the Hoeido version.
② “Gyousyo version”
This depicts the making of the famous bonito flakes in a garden.
This is a scene of drying a bonito flake.
The group of female travelers are carrying shamisen, so they are traveling entertainers.
③ “Reisho version”
The Senbonmatsubara pine forest, Mt. Aitaka, and Mt. Fuji are depicted from the perspective of the sea.
④ “Hokusai version”
It appears to be a narrow road along the Kise River.
A woman in a palanquin and a samurai are taking a break.
⑤ “Travel image”
JR Numazu Station.
⑥ “Stamp image”
This is a stamp from JR Numazu Station.
Hoeido version
Gyousyo version
Reisho version Hokusai version Travel image Stamp image
Hokusai version
Travel image Stamp image
Stamp image
