Walking the Tōkaidō – Meiden Nagasawa to Okazaki

Back in 2022 I walked three sections of the Tōkaidō from Arimatsu to Atsuta Shrine, Toyohashi to Meiden Nagasawa, and also a small section between Kameyama and Seki, but the huge gap on the map between Meiden Nagasawa and Arimatsu was bothering me. So yesterday I boarded an early train, braved the morning rush hour, and headed east to continue the walk.

It’s interesting how guidebooks so often glorify these old routes as part of Japan’s charm, when half of yesterday’s walk was ugly and noisy. Yes, there were quiet temples and shrines, pine-lined avenues, and the occasional moment of solitude. And to be honest, that solitude — even the uncomfortable, slightly exposed kind you get when walking alongside trucks and factories — is part of why I enjoy these walks. It’s rare to move through a place at walking speed and feel completely anonymous, almost invisible, drifting through the edges of everyday life. Nobody notices you trudging along at the side of the road.

I saw few people. Well, there were people — but most were in cars or busy working with little time to say hello. At one point, for the love of God (!), I saw a high school girl cycling on the hard shoulder of National Route 1 while using her smartphone. I wanted to shout at her to get off the road but realised she was probably there because I was occupying the narrow bridge at the time, forcing her outwards — even though I was forcing nobody to do anything.

Eventually I chose to embrace the ugliness of the walk. Why not? There was nothing else to do, and honestly it has more value than the picture-postcard scenes in tourist guides. It’s real, everyday life in motion. And as usual for this time of year in Japan, the light was great.

I reached Okazaki and immediately jumped on a train home — I was on daughter pick-up duty and had to be back by 4:30 p.m. Okazaki will have to wait for another day, when I have the time to appreciate its rich history properly.

#aichi #japan #nagawasa #okazaki #tokaido #walking