Tōsandō

Tōsandō (東山道, literally, "eastern mountain circuit" or "eastern mountain region") is a Japanese geographical term.^[1] It means both an ancient division of the country and the main road running through it.^[2] It is part of the Gokishichidō system.^[3] It was situated along the central mountains of northern Honshu,^[4] specifically the Tōhoku region.

Tosandō provinces in pink

This term also refers to a series of roads that connected the capitals (国府, kokufu) of each of the provinces that made up the region.

The Tōsandō region encompasses eight ancient provinces.^[5]

• Ōmi Province
• Mino Province
• Hida Province
• Shinano Province
• Kōzuke Province
• Shimotsuke Province
• Mutsu Province^[6]
• Dewa Province

After 711 AD, Tōsandō was understood to include the Musashi province.^[7]

See also

• Comparison of past and present administrative divisions of Japan
• Nakasendō (post-Sekigahara Tōsandō)
• Sanriku, neighbouring region

Notes

1. Deal, William E. (2005). Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan, p. 83.
2. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tōsandō," Japan Encyclopedia, p. 998.
3. Nussbaum, "Goki-shichidō" at p. 255.
4. Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 57., p. 57, at Google Books
5. Titsingh, p.57 n1., p. 57, at Google Books
6. After 718, Mutsu was subdivided to include Iwaki Province and Iwase Province.
7. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tōsandō" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 988, p. 988, at Google Books.

References

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
• Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon (Nihon Odai Ichiran). Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691