In Akasaka post-town
in Toyokawa city of Aichi prefecture, the traces of the Edo period (1603～1868) slightly remain. After visiting
Akasaka, I drove through Goyu pine tree-lined road and visited Toyokawa Inari temple which is famous as a deity of
business.
Reference: Kaido(Highway) and Shukuba (Post-town)
愛知県豊川市にある赤坂宿には、三河の国の天領を支配した代官所がありました。宿場町だった頃の名残が少しあります。その後、松並木を通って御油宿へ。旧道の雰囲気を感じますよ。その先には、商売繁盛などで信仰を集める豊川稲荷さんがあります。
Akasaka post-town、赤坂宿
The wooden building was an inn “Oohasi-ya” and the road in front was Toukaidou highway which linked Edo (old name and Tokyo) and Kyoto. The building is open to the public, but it was a regular holiday (Monday).
旧東海道の傍に立つ旅籠だった大橋屋さん。公開されていますが、スケジュールを合わせられず、休館日の月曜の訪問になってしまいました。
The picture above brought me to Akasaka post-town, even on the regular holiday of the inn. The ukiyo-e printing was created in the 19th century; the title is “Fifty-three post towns of Toukaidou: maids at an inn of Akasaka”. The party has just started in the left room, a man who got out of the bathtub is going to join it. Ladies in the right room are putting on makeup to join the party; they serve guests with sake (alcohol).
Akasaka-post town and its neighboring post-town Goyu were famous for entertainments. It was said, “I was never disowned by my father if I had not gone to Akasaka and Goyu.” or “I never go to Edo if I couldn’t stop by Akasaka or Goyu.” The male population of Akasaka in 1843 was 578, however, the female one was 726; many women worked.
休館日にかかわらず赤坂宿を訪ねたのは、広重の絵「東海道五拾三次 赤阪・旅舎招婦ノ図」（https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1873421/1/92）を見たからです。左側の部屋では宴会が始まっていて、風呂上がりのような格好の男が加わろうとしています。そして、右の部屋では女性たちが化粧中です。
赤坂宿は、隣の御油宿と共に遊興が盛んな宿場で、「御油に赤坂、吉田がなけりゃ親に勘当うけやせぬ」とか、「御油に赤坂、吉田がなくば、何のよしみで江戸通い」という歌が残っているそうです。1843年の人口は、男578人、女726人でした。なるほど。
Official website of Ohashi-ya（大橋屋）：https://www.city.toyokawa.lg.jp/saijibunka/bunka/bunkazai/oohashiya.html (in Japanese)
The building above (Ozaki-ya) is a manufacturer and a wholesaler of round wooden boxes. There are sites of inns for high-class travelers such as daimyo lords. There is also a rebuilt street bulletin board.
尾崎屋さんは曲げ物製造卸問屋だそうです。本陣跡、脇本陣跡、再建された高札場があります。
Goyu pine tree-lined road、御油の松並木
Around three hundred pine trees remain along the ex-Toukaidou highway. It is around 600 m road. The trees are designated as national natural monument. The trees protected travelers from sunshine and wind. It was the main road in the past, however, it is not wide road now.
There are
many sites where a row of trees or a tree remain, but this place has a special atmosphere
of the old days. (The drawing is an exhibit of Kusatsu Inn Highroads Community Square)
600mほどにわたり約300本の松が残っていて、国の天然記念物に指定されています。行き交う旅人への日射や風を防ぎました。かつての幹線道路は、今では車がすれ違えるぐらいの道幅です。
旧東海道には、松並木、或いは、残り松（一本だけ）があちこちに残っていますが、ここは雰囲気があります。（挿絵は、草津宿街道交流館の展示品です）
Official
website of Goyu pine tree-lined road museum、御油の松並木資料館公式サイト：https://www.city.toyokawa.lg.jp/shisetsu/bunkakyoiku/goyumatsunamiki.html
(in Japanese)
Toyokawa Inari、豊川稲荷
There are two foxes which are messengers of Inari deity, and there is also a torii gate. Therefore, I thought here was a Shinto shrine. But it is a Buddhism temple (the Soto school of Zen Buddhism),
正式名は「妙嚴寺」で、曹洞宗のお寺です。てっきり、神社だと思って鳥居をくぐり、本殿へ向かいました。
お祀りしている豐川吒枳尼眞天（とよかわだきにしんてん）様が、稲穂を荷い、白い狐に跨っておられるので「豊川稲荷」として広まったそうです。
The architectural style of the main hall is a typical temple.
寺院ですね。
Many banners were offered. People wrote their hopes, name and address on it. Small fox statues, which were offered, are behind the banners (lower right).
願い事と住所氏名を記した幟が奉納されています。千本幟です。幟の反対側には、小さな狐の像が納められています。
豊川稲荷公式サイト：https://www.toyokawainari.jp/ (in Japanese)
Around one million and half people visit Toyokawa Inari on the first three days of the New Year. Many people walk the street above at that time.
The temple is several kilometers away for Toukaidou highway. I feel I do something good while visiting a shrine or a temple. There was a worshiping establishment on Toukaidou highway; travelers could pray to Toyokawa Inari from there. I understand how travelers felt who couldn’t visit but wanted to pray.
三が日には約150万人が参詣する門前。旧東海道からは数キロ離れていますが、社寺参詣はいいことをした、という感じがして好きです。旧東海道には豊川稲荷遙拝所がありました。現地に行けなくても、道すがら手を合わせるという気持ちがよく分かります。
The article of Fujikawa post-town which is next to Akasaka、赤坂宿の隣、藤川宿の記事：Fujikawa post town museum、藤川宿資料館
Visited in
March, 2023
Previous post (old buildings on Toukaidou ): Komatsu-rou
and Kinokuni-ya in Arai post-town、新居宿小松楼・紀伊国屋
Next post (museum at the neighboring prefecture, Mie): Toba Sea-Folk Museum、鳥羽市立海の博物館
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