Fujisawa-shuku, the 6th station of Tokaido

It is near noon.  Sun shining down on me, my knapsack with 10kg of belongings hanging heavily from my shoulders.  By then, my head was completely blank - the first time in several weeks that "work" completely left my head.

After walking 7km from Totsuka, I finally reached Fujisawa-shuku, the next station.

Again the mark for "Honjin" (main lodging where only high ranking people can stay) - this one being the Makita Honjin.

Needing to rest every 200m, I decided to have my lunch in this town and rest.
I had unagi at a restaurant called "Unagiya" - don't ask me what it is, because you won't like it. (Eel!)  But it was delicious.

After lunch, I left Fujisawa and started on another long walk of 13.7km.

400 years ago, men were said to have travelled 40km in one day.  Women, 20km.  So, having very good shoes, I figured I would walk 30km a day - so on this first day, I had layed out a plan to walk 21.5km.  An easy walk, right?

WRONG!

We modern human beings are not used to walking long distances.  Therefore, it was a huge mistake to have thought I can walk more than people in the past did.

In reality, a pace of 15km a day would be a good pace.  So, feeling blisters forming under my toes, I dragged myself to walk through a bed town, and then onto a huge highway (cars speeding past), across rivers...and when I could not walk a step further, I found the modern day version of "Ichirizuka" or 4km mark - McDonald's!

After resting in a well air conditioned place, all refreshed, I once again started walking towards the next station "Hiratsuka."

Walked past the old "Ichirizuka."  (4km sign)

Walked past several shrines, and past an old pillar which used to support the bridge that crossed the river.  How could this pillar have survived 400 years?  It is magic!

Walked, walked, walked and reached Hiratsuka!
This is my lodging for tonight.  The same town people lodged 400 years ago.

Having completed my 21.5km walk, carrying a load of 10km - I was left with a sore back, blank head, and 4 blisters on my toes.  Not bad for day 1.

Totsuka-shuku: 5th station of Tokaido

The thought of walking through Edo (old name for Tokyo), the city I work in every day, did not feel too attractive at first, so I decided to take the JR Tokaido train to outside of the metropolitan area.  For that reason only, my walk started at Totsuka the 5th of the 53 stations located between Edo (Tokyo) and Kyo (Kyoto).

Here, I took my first step on the Tokaido Highway.  The pavements and buildings are new, but this surely was the road people walked 400 years ago, when Ieyasu Tokugawa decided to build a robust logistics system that spans across Japan.  Tokaido being the busiest among the 5 Highways he built.

The first place I visited by was the Seigen-in Temple.  This temple is the place where Omannokata, the famous mistress of Ieyasu Tokugawa, was cremated.

This monument is built at the top of the hill behind the temple.  At the foot of the hill are several monuments with famous poetry written on them - one of them being the poetry by the famous poet Matsuo Basho.  It is difficult to imagine that such icons of Japanese history has left foot steps that I can visit and see in this modern world - the Japanese history still lives today.

I return to the Tokaido Highway, and with the guidebook in one hand, Google Maps on the other, look for monuments that mark where the Main Lodging was.  

This is what the monument looks like.  This place used to be the Uchida Honjin, where only very high ranking people can stay.  It was said that, when important people lodged here, the place was furnished with curtains that has the family symbol, so everybody knew who was staying in town.  Well, but everything is gone now, so I cannot really imagine what it was like 400 years ago.

As I walk down the road, I passed Sawabe Honjin (2nd main lodging), Yasaka Shrine, Tomitsuka Temple and there was supposed to be Mitsuke-ato (edge of the shuku or station town), but being a novice Tokaido traveller, I couldn't find it.

After I left Totsuka-shuku, there was 1 more interesting sight.  The Ichirizuka which stands 1ri of approx. 4km apart and marks the distance from Edo (Tokyo).

Nothing here but a sign - but by this time my back was so sore from carrying a load of 10kg, that I knew what the people 400 years ago did here - REST!

Long time ago, there were pine tress lining the Tokaido Highway, so people enjoyed the shade as they walked to and from Kyo.  But today, most of the trees were cut down, so I have the sun shining down on me.  By then I have learned the lesson.

DON'T CARRY TOO MUCH STUFF WITH YOU WHEN YOU TRAVEL ON FOOT.

Very basic, but very easily forgotten rule #1.

Beginning...

April 25, 2013.  It was just 1 day away from Golden Week, the largest holiday week in Japan.  It was also the first time I had completely forgotten about the holiday week.  I sat in front of my calendar, shocked.

I have let my work rule over my life - rule so much of my life that I had forgotten the holiday week I look forward to every year.

What can you do, just 1 day from the holiday week?  All of Japan is ready to enjoy the week.  Vacation spots are all reserved and full, traffic jam packed, flights out of Japan all booked.  Everybody is packing to enjoy what they have planned far ahead.  And I HAVE NOTHING.

Returning from work, I thought "well, I can at least pick up a book I can read during the holiday" - and strolled into a bookshop in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.  And one book caught my eye - "Walking the Tokaido - 492km."

Walking?  Well, for that you don't need to plan ahead.  Even I can do that!  The idea of walking down the highway built 400 years ago really intrigued me for some reason, so I picked up the book, walked home, and packed just enough things to keep me going for 3 days.

I did not know at this time that this would become my greatest hobby.  But now I know - this was probably the best course of action I took in decades.

So, here I am, at the starting point of roads in Japan - Nihonbashi, Tokyo - to embark on a long jorney of 492km towards Kyo (= Kyoto), and also a long journey to understand the heart and soul of Japan.