The Bitter End

Art of the Edo Period

The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido

30. Maisaka-juku (Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu)

Maisaka-juku

Maisaka-juku was the thirtieth of the fifty-three stations of the Tokaido. It is located in the western portion of Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. During the Edo period, the area was part of Totomi Province. The kanji for the post station were originally written ?? (Maisaka).

History

Maisaka-juku was located on the eastern shores of Lake Hamana. Travelers crossed the lake to reach Arai-juku, the next post station on the Tokaido. A pine colonnade form the Edo period remains today and stretches from Maisaka Station to the entrance for the post station.

Many visitors still come to the area, which is popular with fishermen and clam-diggers. However, none of the old streetscape remains today; only part of one old sub-honjin remains.

The classic ukiyoe print by Ando Hiroshige (Hoeido edition) from 1831-1834 depicts a small port, with Mount Fuji having become a very small landmark in the distance.