Shichirino watashi park in Nagoya

16/10/2024

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Hidden Historical Spot in Nagoya

Nagoya is the midpoint between Tokyo and Kyoto, and that has remained the same throughout history. During the Edo period, the Tokaido road connected Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Nagoya and Kyoto. This route had 53 post towns, which are well-known thanks to Hiroshige’s famous ukiyo-e prints. Part of the Tokaido route included a sea passage. Between Nagoya and Gifu, there is a large river, making land travel time-consuming. As a result, it was common to travel by boat from Atsuta-juku in Aichi Prefecture to Kuwana-juku in Mie Prefecture. The boat landing site on the Atsuta-juku side has been preserved and turned into a park, known as Shichiri-no-Watashi Park.

During the Edo period, this area around the park faced the sea and served as a boat landing site. However, the land has since been reclaimed, and it is now a river area. As a Japanese person familiar with the historical background, I enjoyed walking around this park. However, for visitors from overseas, it might feel a bit plain. Since it’s also a bit far from the station, I wouldn’t recommend it to those visiting Japan for the first time.