Kōshū Kaidō

The Kōshū Kaidō (甲州街道) was one of the five routes or major highways of the Edo period.

It was built to connect Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Kai Province in modern-day Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

The route continues from there to connect with the Nakasendō's Shimosuwa-shuku in Nagano Prefecture.

[1] Many feudal lords from Shinano Province made use of the road during sankin-kōtai, including those from the Takatō, Suwa and Iida domains.

There are 44 post stations along the Kōshū Kaidō.

The Five Routes
Nihonbashi's highway distance marker, from which modern highway distances are measured
View of Mount Fuji from Tama River in Fuchū
Kōfu
Hiroshige 's print of Shimosuwa-shuku, part of The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaidō series