Per the 1843 "中山道宿村大概帳" (Nakasendō Shukuson Taigaichō) guidebook issued by the Inspector of Highways (道中奉行, Dōchu-būgyō), the town had a population of 928 people in 228 houses, including one honjin, one waki-honjin, and 29 hatago.

The post station is relatively well-preserved, with a number of historical artifacts and buildings, including some machiya and a sake brewery.

The first version is nicknamed "Retainers in the Rain", as it depicts three samurai in green cloaks and straw hats walking down the banks of the Nakatsugawa River in a downpour.

In the background are the thatch-roofed buildings of the post station, with several other similarly green cloaked figures in various poses.

One man dressed green has already crossed and two bearers with a kago (palanquin) are preparing to follow, while a local with two buckets on a pole on his should heads in the opposite direction zigzagging access a marsh towards what appears to be a sizable town on a large river or lake.