Hagi Okan Road

The Road of the Lords of Hagi

The Hagi Okan Road (萩往還) is an Edo-period road linking the castle town of Hagi with Mitajiri (Hofu), running through Hagi, Yamaguchi and Hofu cities in Yamaguchi Prefecture, designated a Historic Site in 1989.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it under the criterion for transport and production sites; further areas were added in 2011 and 2012.

According to the Agency, it was opened after Hagi Castle was built in 1604 as a nearly straight road between the castle town and Mitajiri for the lords' journeys to Edo, linking the Japan Sea and Inland Sea sides over about 53 kilometres.

Route and Remains

According to the Agency, the Hagi Okan Road leaves the Karahi notice board in Hagi and runs via Kasegasaka, Akiragi, Sasanami, Itado Pass and Yamaguchi to Mitajiri, passing the Namidamatsu pine, milestone mounds, an execution ground and palanquin rest stops. At Issho-dani, restoration uncovered 250 metres of buried stone paving.

Itado Pass marked the border of Nagato and Suo, with a boundary stone of 1808. At Miyaichi the Kobe family's honjin, the official lodging for lords on the Hagi Okan Road, survives, and at Mitajiri the lord's lodge built by the second lord Mori Tsunahiro in 1654, the domain boat house, and the 7-metre stone lighthouse of Sumiyoshi Shrine, built in 1863.

The designation covers about 9.2 kilometres of the old road, mainly the restored sections, with related sites such as teahouses, the honjin, milestone mounds, the boat house and the lighthouse.

What to Look For

The Agency notes that Namidamatsu is where Yoshida Shoin is said to have written a poem while under escort in 1859, and that the Mitajiri lodge housed Sanjo Sanetomi and the six other exiled nobles in 1863. It values the road as a route for the lords' journeys, for ordinary travellers and for the activists of the Restoration.

Yamaguchi Prefecture explains that Issho-dani, "one-sho valley", is so long and steep that one would eat a whole sho of roasted beans before reaching the top; its paving keeps the feel of the old road.

Visiting the Hagi Okan Road

The old road can be walked; check conditions with Hagi, Yamaguchi and Hofu cities.

Enquiries go to the boards of education of each city.