Mar 25, 2025
The Five Old Roads of Japan: Exploring the Historic Highways of the Edo Period
Japan’s history is deeply connected to its roads, which once served as vital arteries for trade, travel, and communication. During the Edo period (1603–1868), the Tokugawa shogunate developed an extensive network of highways, the most famous of which were the Five Routes, or Gokaido. These roads connected Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to different parts of the country, ensuring the movement of people…