Shinjo (Izumo Kaido)

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Postal Town Shinjo　新庄村






Main Street flanked by Cherry Trees in full bloom
Gaisen Sakura 凱旋桜（がいせんさくら）

Most of the trees are older than 100 years.











The Pine Marker for the Distance
Ichiri Zuka with Pine




tea for two
in the old postal town -
cherry blossom visitors



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Running Water in the Village

The old system still intact, villagers wash vegetables and keep a few carp in the private ponds.









fresh water
from the nearby mountains ...
all the colors of spring


these petals float
between spring flowers -
village peace


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IZUMO KAIDO SHINJO-SHUKU
[Designated in 2003]

Sounds of village echo in the colonnade of cherry trees as you walk down the old road...

Reminiscence of the town of the ancient posting station colored by the beautiful four seasons.
Izumo Road has been critical since old times connecting Izumo to Yamato ancient capital region. Shinjo was a town of posting station situated at the foot of Shijumagari Pass, the hardest point for the entire extension of the road to go through.

It once prospered as due to the Sankin-Kotai, or the passage of Daimyo feudal lord's processions for alternate-year residence in Edo. The Honjin (feudal lord's lodging) for Matsue Province, Ochaya (resting place), and inns are reminiscent of such prosperity.

Owing to the nostalgic environment of the town, including the "Cherry Trees of Triumphant Return" that were planted in commemoration of the victory in the Russo-Japanese War and the murmur of the brook that was selected as one of the Hundred Japanesque Sound Landscapes, the town was designated by Okayama Prefecture as a "Town Landscape Preservation Area" and was granted the "Okayama Landscape Award."
©　Yume-Kaido Renaissance Project Team

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From Shinjo, the road climbs up steadily and fast. A steep pass let the travellers of olden times to the other side of the mountain ridge, now Itaibara in Tottori prefecture. This "pass with 49 curves"shijuu magari tooge 四十曲峠 can now since 1968 be crossed by car in a long and dark tunnel of more than four kilometers. It goes down quite steep and has many sharp curves and is considered dangerous also becuase of stones falling down.
At its end in the very steep valley of the Itaibara River is a small barrack-like rest area, that does not look very frequented these days any more.


Shinjo Photo Album


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More detailed Izumo Entries to enjoy !


Izumo Kaido, The Old Road of Izumo 出雲街道

Shinjō
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