Japan HeritageShimotsu-michi Road
This thoroughfare traverses the Yamato basin. It is likely that Empress Jito observed this road during the construction of the capital of Fujiwara-kyo. Ancient roads like Shimotsu-michi and Yoko-oji provided a guideline for planning a grid-pattern city layout for Fujiwara-kyo. What’s more, these routes also played an important role as transport arteries for the capital. Fujiwara-kyo was connected to its surrounding areas via old roads that traversed the Nara basin from east to west and north to south. Shimotsu-michi, for example, connected to the Suzaku-oji boulevard of Heijo-kyo (the capital of Japan in the 8th century). This boulevard in turn led to the Suzakumon gate of Heijo Palace. To this day, Shimotsu-michi remains in use as a thoroughfare in the city of Kashihara.
Information
- Address
- Yagi-fudano-tsuji Crossroads, Yagi-cho, Kashihara-shi
- Access
- 8 min. walk from Kintetsu Yagi-nishiguchi Station