Arai-juku
Arai-juku was the thirty-first of the fifty-three stations of the Tokaido. It is located in the city of Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. During the Edo period, it was located in Totomi Province.
History
Arai-juku was located on the western shores of Lake Hamana. Travelers crossed the lake to reach Maisaka-juku, the previous post station on the Tokaido. Though there were many checkpoints along the Tokaido, the Arai Checkpoint is the only one that existed both on land and on the water.
Both the checkpoint and post station were often damaged from earthquakes and tsunami, which led to them both being moved to different locations. The current location was established after the earthquake of 1707. The existing checkpoint building was used as a school after the checkpoint was abolished at the start of the Meiji period. It is now preserved as a museum dedicated to the history and culture of the post stations.
The Kii-no-kuni-ya, a preserved hatago still remaining today, served as a rest spot for official travelers coming from Kii Province further south. It is now a local history museum.
The classic ukiyoe print by Ando Hiroshige (Hoeido edition) from 1831-1834 depicts a daimyo procession on sankin kotai crossing between Maisaka-juku and Arai-juku by boat. The daimyo is in a large vessel with his family crest, while his retainers follow in a smaller boat with the baggage.
Created: 4th January 2013 - - - - Last Updated: 8th January 2013