Okute-juku is the 47th post station from Nihonbashi in Edo and located in the depths of mountains now.
In this post station, there are old houses with lattice doors in a row, which give us feel for the atmosphere of this post station in ancient times. The honjin became an elementary school, but there is a waki honjin left now. In Shinmei Shrine, there is a 1300-year-old big cedar.
◆From Okute-juku to Hosokute-juku
There is no question that the highest spot in this portion of course is “Biwa Pass,” which passes from Okute-juku to Yasezawa roadside rest station ruin. In Biwa Pass, which is traffic free and the highest point of Nakasendo Minoji, “Biwa Pass cobblestone pavements” remains, with which people in ancient times were familiar.
“Benten Pond” and “Okunota-no-Ichiri Zuka,” which is 92 ri to Edo and 42 ri to Kyoto, remind us of ancient times, although the roads have been paved.
