The Many Routes of the Saba Kaido

The Saba Kaido, often translated as Mackerel Road, was not a single road but a branching network of routes connecting Obama on the Sea of Japan coast with Kyoto. During the Edo period, salted and fermented mackerel from Wakasa was carried overland to the capital some 72 kilometers away. The busiest route passed through Kumagawa-juku post town over the Hozaka Pass and down through Kutsuki and Ohara. Other branches connected to Tanba and Lake Biwa. Experienced porters could complete the journey in a single day. The haiku poet Yosa Buson wrote about the road, describing the people of Wakasa as well accustomed to moving through the summer mountains.