Christian William Lawrence

“ A little way beyond Matsuido, on the left, is the temple of Mamanji which formerly possessed a revenue of 70,000 koku given to it by the Shôguns on account of a celebrated priest, Takuwan, having been brought up here. The country now becomes less flat, the road crosses two hills to Kogane, 2 ri from Matsuido. Near Kogane is an extensive moor where the Shôguns used to rear horses. It is now cultivated. The Mitokaidô now branches away to the right to Tsuchiura, and 2 ri beyond Kogane the road to Tsukuba separates from it. ”

“ Tradition says that the earth with which Tsukuba was formed was transported from a sacred mountain in China called Godaisan, which, according to the Guide Book, accounts for there being species of grass and trees found on it which are not found elsewhere in Japan. The mountain is covered with cryptomeria and pine, and in the summit are huge rocks over which it is difficult to scramble. In several places there are chains to assist one. ”

“ The Nishiura lake is only 1 ri across; it runs up a long way into Mito. Crossing it one lands at the little village of Ofunatsu in the island of Kashima, or Deer Island, 14 ri from Tsuchiura. Kashima cannot strictly speaking be called an island. On the north it is separated from the mainland by a river. It is a spit of land, 13 ri in length, and 1 in breadth, separating the sea from the Lake of Nishiura and ending at the mouth of the Tonegawa opposite Chôshi. ”

“ From Ôdaki to Kururi 5 ri, and thence by way of Kanosan to Kisaradzu 9 ri. The whole way between Ichinomiya and Kisaradzu the road passes up and down hills, through a country broken up into small ridges; the scenery is very pretty. By going a little out of the direct road between Kururi and Kisaradzu, after crossing the Koitogawa at Ichijiku one can ascend Kanozan the highest of the hills of Kadzusa. There is a village on the summit, and the temple of Tônoji Kanosan is much frequented by pleasure seekers in hot weather and has very good inns. ”

“ The path passes over and often between huge rocks to which fanciful names have been given from their supposed resemblance to various parts of the human body. There are in all 120 shrines at different places on the mountain. ”

“ It is a long stage of nearly 5 ri from Yatabe to Hôjô through Karima, Ichinomiya, where is a Miya of great repute, Tatamori, Ozore, and Wakamori, which was at one time the seat of the Ken, and very large buildings were erected here for the Chiji and his officials. Between Wakamori and Hôjô the road crosses the Sakuragawa. Hôjô is a large place at the foot of a little hill on which formerly stood a castle of the Hôjô family. From here to Tsukuba is a walk of 1 ri through the villages of Kagori and Usui. ”

“ It is the highest mountain in Hitachi, if mountain it can be called. Its height is not much over 3,000 feet, but there not being any other mountains near it looks higher than it really is. The road to it is by the Mitokaidô which joins the Ôshiukaidô about half way down the long street of Senji. A shorter way of getting into the Mitokaidô than by way of Senji is to cross the Sumidagawa by the Adzuma bridge close to Asakusa, and then go through Mukôjma which brings one into the Mitokaidô, one ri from Niijiku, the first stage on the Mitokaidô and 2 ri from Senji. ”