Walking Along the Nankaido
Course 1Across the Matsuchiyama
- JR Suda Station
- Akai-kan ruins
- Tobikoeishi
- Matsuchiyama
- Taisi-no ido
- Sumidagawara
- Suda Hachiman Shrine
- Rishogokokuji temple
- Kuragari-toge
- Tsumano-mori
- Old Hashimoto-honjin Ikenaga-ke house
- Kosada abandoned temple ruins
- Misasagiyama Kofun
- Ogaji temple
- Yamato-kaido Road signpost
- Ougadai-jinja
- Ichiwaki Oga Kofun-gun
- Ogano
- Zenzaka-jo castle ruins
- The site of the tower of Konono-ji abandoned temple
- Hikino-ike pond
- Sansai-tsubo archeological sites
- Ichiri matsu
- Nagoso abandoned temple ruins
- The view place of the Mt. Seyama and Mt. Imoyama
- Old Katsuragi-kan
- JR Koya-guchi Station
- Course 2
Matsuchiyama
During the era of the Manyoshu, the mountain acted as a border between Yamatonokuni (Nara Prefecture) and Kinokuni (Wakayama Prefecture). For travelers from Yamato, crossing this mountain meant they were stepping into a foreign country back then. This was a place where their sentimental feelings toward their hometown Yamato and their yearnings for the unknown country Kinokuni intertwined. Eight poems were composed here. The central part of the mountain is where you can see the buildings at the top center of this picture.
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Matsuchiyama yukoe ikite Iosaki no Sumidagawara ni hitori kamo nemu In the evening, I will go over Mt. Matsuchiyama, and will sleep alone in Ihosaki’s Sumidagawara. |
（No3、298、Benki） |
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Asamoyoshi Kihito tomoshimo Matuchiyama yukikuto miramu Kihito tomoshimo I am jealous of the people of Kinokuni because they can always see Mt. Matsuchiyama on their way back and forth. I am really jealous of them. |
（No1、55、Tuki No Obito Oumi） |
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Asamoyoshi Kii e yuku kimi ga Matuchiyama koyoramu kyouso Ame na furisone You went on a trip to Kinokuni. You will be going across the Mt. Matsuchiyama today. I hope it will not rain. |
（No9、1680） |
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Okure ite wagakoi woreba Sirakumono tanabiku yama wo kyou ka koyuramu I remain home and am missing you. You must be going across the mountain covered with long, white clouds today. |
（No9、1681） |
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Ohkimi no Miyuki no manima Mononofu no Yasotomonowoto Ideteyukishi Utukushitumawa Amatobuya Karunomichiyori Tamadasuki Unebiwomitsutsu Asamoyoshi Kijiniiridachi Matuchiyama Koyuramukimiwa Momichibano Chiritobumitsutsu Nikibinishi Warewaomowazu Kusamakura Tabiwoyoroshito Omoitsutsu Kimiwaaruramuto Asosoniwa Katsuhashiredomo Shikasugani Modamoearaneba Wagasekoga Yukinomanimani Owamutowa Chitabiomoedo Tawayameno Wagaminishiareba Michimorino Towamukotaewo Iiyaramu Subewoshiranito Tachitetsumazuku My dear husband who went on a trip with the Emperor along with many servants must have gone across Mt. Matsuchi by now, as he watched Mt. Unebiyama from the Karu road and stepped into the Kii road where I dream to go to. I somehow know that you must be enjoying your trip as you feast your eyes on the view of the falling autumn leaves, forgetting all about my face you have been familiar with all those days and nights. That doesn’t stop me from having so many thoughts of me getting up and chasing after you, but I’m just a helpless woman so I wouldn’t know what to say when the keeper at the Sekisho (checkpoint) confronts me. I got up and tried to go after you, but my legs won’t move. *Karu = Area in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture from Oogaru Town to Ishikawa Town. |
（No4、543） |
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Poem in response Okureite Koitsutsuarazuwa Kinokunino Imosenoyamani Aramashimonowo It is painful to be left behind in the city and missing you. I might as well be Mt. Imoseyama laying peacefully in Ki no Kuni so all this pain goes away. |
（No4、544） |
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Waga sekoga Atofumimotome Oiyukaba Kinosekimori Itodometemukamo If I follow the path where he went through, will the keeper of Ki’s Sekisho stop me? |
（No4、545） |
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Isonokami Furunomikotowa Tawayameno Maoiniyorite Umajimono Nawatoritsuke Shishijimono Yumiyakakumite Ohkimino Mikotokashikomi Amazakaru Hihaenimakaru Furugoromo Matsuchiyamayori Kaerikonukamo Mr. Otomaro Isonokami was tricked by a graceful and gentle woman, roped like a horse, surrounded by bows and arrows like a deer, and will banished to a country far, far away under the command of the Emperor. I just wish he will come back from Mt. Matsuchiyama. |
（No6、1019） |
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Shirotaeni Nioumatsuchino Yamagawani Wagaumanazumu Iekourashimo Mt, Matsuchiyama is shining bright like a white cloth. When I try to cross the river that flows through Mt. Matsuchiyama, my horse stops and hesitates to cross the river. My family must be missing me. |
（No7、1192） |
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Tsurubamino Kinutokiarai Matsuchiyama Mototsuhitoniwa Naoshikazukeri Best friends are those who are as familiar as a cloth washed and dyed with sawtooth acorns. |
（No12、3009） |
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Idewagakoma Hayakuyukikoso Matsuchiyama Matsuramuimowo Yukitehayamimu Now, my horse, quicken you pace! I want to go across Mt. Matsuchiyama as fast as I can to see my wife who should be longing for me. |
（No12、3154） |
During the era of the Manyoshu, the mountain acted as a border between Yamatonokuni (Nara Prefecture) and Kinokuni (Wakayama Prefecture). For travelers from Yamato, crossing this mountain meant they were stepping into a foreign country back then. This was a place where their sentimental feelings toward their hometown Yamato and their yearnings for the unknown country Kinokuni intertwined. Eight poems were composed here. Unlike the Mt. Fuji or the Mt. Nagusa-yama (Wakano-ura), Mt. Matsuchi-yama does not look like a “mountain”. The picture was taken from Gojo City in Nara prefecture. The central part of the mountain is where you can see the buildings at the top center of this picture.
Read Aloud
MeaningIn the evening I will go across the Mt. Matsuchiyama and will sleep alone at the riverbank of Sumida in Ihosaki.
The song composed when the Emperors had visited Kinokuni in September of the year 702.
Read Aloud
MeaningI am jealous of the people of Kinokuni because they can always see Mt. Matsuchiyama on their way back and forth. I am really jealous of them.
The song composed by the family left behind when the Emperors had visited Kinokuni in October of the year 701.
Read Aloud
MeaningYou went on a trip to Kinokuni. You will be going across the Mt. Matsuchiyama today. I hope it will not rain.
MeaningI remain home and am missing you. You must be going across the mountain covered with long, white clouds today.
The song composed by Kasano Kanamura who was asked to compose this by a family of an attendant when he visited Kinokuni with Emperor Shomu in October of the year 724.
MeaningMy dear husband who went on a trip with the Emperor along with many servants must have gone across Mt. Matsuchi by now, as he watched Mt. Unebiyama from the Karu road and stepped into the Kii road where I dream to go to. I somehow know that you must be enjoying your trip as you feast your eyes on the view of the falling autumn leaves, forgetting all about my face you have been familiar with all those days and nights. That doesn’t stop me from having so many thoughts of me getting up and chasing after you, but I’m just a helpless woman so I wouldn’t know what to say when the keeper at the Sekisho (checkpoint) confronts me. I got up and tried to go after you, but my legs won’t move.
MeaningIt is painful to be left behind in the city and missing you. I might as well be Mt. Imoseyama laying peacefully in Ki no Kuni so all this pain goes away.
MeaningIf I follow the path where he went through, will the keeper of Ki’s Sekisho stop me?
The three songs composed by Isonokami Otonomaro when he was being exiled to the Tosanokuni (Kochi prefecture).
MeaningMr. Otomaro Isonokami was tricked by a graceful and gentle woman, roped like a horse, surrounded by bows and arrows like a deer, and will banished to a country far, far away under the command of the Emperor. I just wish he will come back from Mt. Matsuchiyama.
MeaningMt, Matsuchiyama is shining bright like a white cloth. When I try to cross the river that flows through Mt. Matsuchiyama, my horse stops and hesitates to cross the river. My family must be missing me.
* “Matsuchi no Yamagawa (the Yama river of Matsuchi)” is the river flowing through the skirts of Mt. Matsuchiyama and is the river currently called Ochiai-gawa. The prefectural boundary between Wakayama and Nara lays here. It is not a big river, but if you go right up close to this river where it flows into the Kinokawa river, you can see that the people back in the old days had a very hard time crossing it. You will be surprised by the deepness of the ravine and will surely be able to understand how difficult it must have been to cross. In this poem, the poet sings that his horse had stopped because it couldn’t cross the river. He assumes that his family who are waiting for his return at home are missing him very much.
Read Aloud
MeaningBest friends are those who are as familiar as a cloth washed and dyed with sawtooth acorns.
Read Aloud
MeaningNow, my horse, quicken you pace! I want to go across Mt. Matsuchiyama as fast as I can to see my wife who should be longing for me.
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