Kamakura Kaidō

The nihongo|Kamakura Route|鎌倉街道|Kamakura Kaido is a route that leads to Kamakura, Japan. During the Kamakura Period, there was not a single road as it followed multiple routes from different parts of the central and eastern Japan that converged on the ancient political capital of Kamakura. This ancient route is known today as nihongo|Old Kamakura Route|旧鎌倉街道|Kyū Kamakura Kaido and was used for official, military, commercial, and private purposes. Today, modern paved roads that approximately follow one of the routes of the Old Kamakura Route are named "Kamakura Kaido" such as Tokyo Prefecture Machida Route 18.

The exact routes of all portions of the Old Kamakura Kaido are not known. As Kamakura declined in importance following the end of the Kamakura Shogunate, the route was neglected in places and the space put to other uses.

References

Kamakura Kaido (in Japanese)