{"id":106553,"date":"2025-09-09T13:43:51","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T04:43:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/?p=106553"},"modified":"2025-09-10T11:39:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T02:39:00","slug":"hagiokan-walk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/","title":{"rendered":"Hagiokan Walk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
While parts of the Hagi \u014ckan still retain their Edo-period stone paving, the path is well maintained, making getting lost a thing of the past.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
As you enter Hagi, the Sekish\u016b roof tiles, produced in the Iwami region of Shimane, become a common sight.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"
Along the route stands the reconstructed<\/em> Hinatase Stone Bath, modeled after an Edo-period bathhouse. An original <\/em>stone bath from that era still remains in the mountains near the Hinatase bus stop.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
At the Michi-no-Eki Hagi \u014ckan roadside station, you\u2019ll find a row of 10 bronze statues, all key figures of the Meiji Restoration with ties to Hagi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"
In the Sasanami settlement, tofu is made by soaking soybeans in water for 12\u201318 hours, crushing them in a mixer, and then straining them through cloth bags to extract soy milk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Once you see the Namidamatsu Remains and the monument inscribed with a poem by Yoshida Sh\u014din, you know that Hagi is finally close at hand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n



Above an Edo Stone Bridge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


My legs refuse to move. How far have we walked? How much farther do we have to go? Even the view of the farmland that felt so fresh at first has now become a norm. As we\u2019re about to cross another stone bridge without a second thought, our guide stops us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, let\u2019s take a quick pause here,\u201d says our guide. \u201cThis is the Ochiai Stone Bridge<\/a>, a nationally registered tangible cultural property. Notice how the supporting pillars on both banks jut out diagonally like beams, with flat stones laid across them? This stone hane-bashi style is unique to Yamaguchi and quite rare. Just imagine, people and horses crossing this very bridge in the final days of the Shogunate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bridge, now absorbed into the surrounding satoyama landscape, dates back to the Edo period. Suddenly, we\u2019re reminded. This isn\u2019t the kind of sight one should tire of so easily. Countless footsteps have traced this old highway for centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat farmhouse was built in the Meiji era. Not that old, really. There are still houses from the late Edo period standing around here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word \u201cEdo\u201d slips from our guide\u2019s lips frequently. In the distance, we can hear the sound of passing cars. As I gaze ahead, feeling caught in time\u2019s warping effect, the weathered road stretches toward the mountain pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Nature deepens soon after setting out from the Tengezaka entrance of the Hagi \u014ckan. It\u2019s an excellent route for long trail lovers, though you\u2019ll encounter few other walkers. A walking event is held here every March.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n



Follow the Mossy Brick Road<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


The Hagi \u014ckan<\/a> is a roughly 53-kilometer highway that connects Hagi and H\u014dfu, running almost in a straight line through Yamaguchi. Its origins date back to the early 17th century, when the M\u014dri clan\u2014reduced in rank after their defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara\u2014built Hagi Castle and developed this route as an official lord\u2019s road (Onari-michi) for their regular obligatory journeys to Edo. Once a vital artery linking the San\u2019in and San\u2019y\u014d regions, the road is still walked today as part of school events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we\u2019re going to Hagi,\u201d we agreed before this trip, \u201cwe gotta walk the Hagi \u014ckan from Yamaguchi.\u201d The roughly 30 km journey takes less than an hour by car, but we decided to spend two days and one night walking it instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The journey begins at the Tengezakaguchi entrance. From here to the boundary between Yamaguchi and Hagi lies the steepest stretch of the route. In just 2.5 kilometers, the path climbs 500 meters in elevation. The wide stone underfoot carries a certain charm, but this section is known as Ichi-no-saka Shij\u016bni-no-Magari\u2014\u201cOne Slope, Forty-Two Turns\u201d\u2014and is considered one of the toughest parts of the entire route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The starting point at the Tengezaka entrance of the Hagi \u014ckan. There\u2019s a parking area nearby, along with the scenic Kinkei Waterfall<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After pushing up the steep incline, just as we\u2019re thinking it\u2019s time for a break, the path opens up. Perfect timing. This is the Ichi-no-saka Tateba Site (also known as the Rokken Chaya Site)<\/a>, once a major rest stop for the long processions of feudal lords on their journeys to Edo. Historical records note that these processions could number as many as 1,663 people, and the resting quarters for chief retainers (kar\u014d) and their attendants have been restored here. The Hagi \u014ckan was built with a generous width of about four meters to accommodate the four to six men who had to carry their lord\u2019s palanquin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Ichi-no-saka Tateba Site (Rokken Chaya Site) appears just when fatigue begins to set in. Perhaps the timing for humans to rest has remained universal throughout the centuries.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The trail has its ups and downs, but is well maintained for easy walking.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At 537 meters, the highest point of the Hagi \u014ckan is the Itad\u014d Pass. This marks the boundary between Yamaguchi and Hagi (in earlier times, between the provinces of Nagato and Su\u014d). Once known as the B\u014dch\u014d Kokky\u014d, the site is marked by a stone monument erected in the early 19th century. It\u2019s easy to imagine this place witnessing the passage of historic figures, such as Sakamoto Ry\u014dma, who worked tirelessly for the Satsuma-Ch\u014dsh\u016b rebellion alliance, or Takasugi Shinsaku, a leader of the movement to overthrow the shogunate, and even novelist Doppo Kunikida, who commuted between Hagi and Yamaguchi as a student. Did they, too, feel a chill in the rugged underbrush of the Ch\u016bgoku Mountains? A nearby sign warns of wild bears, a reminder that the wilderness remains, well, wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other remnants bring the past to life. Near the Itad\u014d Pass stands the Kaminagase Ichirizuka<\/a>, one of the original distance markers set every four kilometers along the route. This one has survived since the Edo period. Further along, you\u2019ll find a reconstructed Hinatase Stone Bath, considered a prototype of the traditional bathhouse, and close to that stands the Kubikire Jiz\u014d, a statue tied to a local tale of vendetta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final highlight of the first half of the journey is the Sasanami settlement, reached after passing through terraced rice fields. Designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, this former post town still retains the look and feel of early modern Japan, with roofs, both thatched and tiled, lining the streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Beyond the terraced rice fields, houses with Sekish\u016b tile roofs come into view.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Kokasha<\/a> is the perfect place to restock snacks for the journey.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n



Edo Craftsmanship and the Ch\u016bgoku Mountains<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


On the second morning, the post town with its charming tiled roofs quickly fades into the distance behind us. Surprisingly, we don\u2019t feel as fatigued as we expected. Maybe it\u2019s thanks to the all-tofu dinner at Hayashiya Ryokan<\/a> in Sasanami. From tofu-wrapped tempura to tofu steaks, it\u2019s a full eight-dish course that celebrates every texture of tofu. Its silky smoothness comes from a method passed down since, you guessed it, the Edo period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sasanami tofu is said to have been a favorite of It\u014d Hirobumi, Japan\u2019s first prime minister and a native of Ch\u014dsh\u016b.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWatch your step,\u201d the guide calls out, moments after we hit the mountain path. \u201cCareful, now. I almost stepped on it\u2026 Look, that\u2019s fukinot\u014d (butterbur sprouts).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ch\u016bgoku Mountains are rich in wild snacks. Spring brings wild strawberries, and in autumn, you can even find chestnuts. Though it\u2019s supposed to be uninhabited terrain, there\u2019s an unmistakable trace of human presence here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFarmers must have lived here long ago,\u201d the guide says. \u201cSee how small that stone wall is? That wasn\u2019t built by a stonemason. My guess is that they were rice terraces, and people planted trees here after the rice fields were abandoned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listening to the guide\u2019s explanations, we cross the Ochiai Stone Bridge and continue past spots like the Chikurin-no-Shichiken (Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove) Viewpoint and the K\u014dshin-zuka Mound. From the lookout, I search for Hagi, but the castle town remains hidden behind the ridges of the Ch\u016bgoku Mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
On a clear day, walking the Hagi \u014ckan is a delight, with pleasant paths stretching afar, making for an easy, steady pace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom here, the next three kilometers through the Issh\u014d Valley are one of the toughest stretches of the Hagi \u014ckan,\u201d the guide warns. \u201cA stone path with a 300-meter drop in elevation. Don\u2019t expect cell reception here, either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sign bluntly reads \u201cCell Phone Dead Zone\u201d\u2014a four-word phrase you rarely see these days. Hard to believe there\u2019s still a place that\u2019s not even a mountain peak where your phone won\u2019t work. As we descend the steep slope, the only sound is the murmuring of a stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
\u00a0Old maps and drawings also depict the Hagi \u014ckan and the town of Hagi. As a route linking the Sea of Japan with the Seto Inland Sea, it once played a key role in distribution and trade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n



The Post Town Before the Castle Town<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


A beautiful townscape of Sekish\u016b tile roofs comes into view again. But this isn\u2019t the Sasanami settlement we left behind this morning. Below the descent through Issh\u014d Valley lies Akiragi, another post town overflowing with its own charm that once flourished along the Hagi \u014ckan. As the last stop before Hagi, there is no doubt that it saw plenty of merchant traffic. It was revered as a lively market town, along with Sasanami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTravelers who couldn\u2019t make it into Hagi by nightfall would spend the night here at Akiragi,\u201d the guide explains. \u201cThe great gate at the entrance to Hagi Castle Town was closed once the sun went down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Hagi has a deep connection with camellias (tsubaki), which can be seen along the route. Some neighborhoods in the city are even named after them, such as Tsubaki-higashi and Tsubaki-nishi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Leaving Akiragi behind, we pass through the darkness of the Kasezuid\u014d Tunnel and emerge to find a modern rest area, the Michi-no-Eki Hagi \u014ckan<\/a>, just ahead. Cars speed toward Hagi along the route we spent two days walking, and the sudden contrast of light and darkness leaves us momentarily disoriented, as if time itself has shifted yet again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From here, it\u2019s only about five kilometers to the starting point of the Hagi \u014ckan, the site of Karahi Fudaba. We gradually come across residential housing more frequently, and citrus trees, like summer mikan and yuzu, stand out along the way. Before long, the Namidamatsu Ruins and the monument inscribed with a poem by Yoshida Sh\u014din<\/a> come into view. This is where the great thinker and educator of the Edo period composed a farewell verse before leaving his hometown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It means the town of Hagi is just ahead. Where is Mount Shizuki, the symbol of the castle town? I want to see it as soon as possible. My legs are still going strong. On the Hagi \u014ckan, I feel as though I could walk forever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Hagi \u014ckan offers something beautiful to see year-round, like plum blossoms.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

YAMAGUCHI  Guide<\/h5>\n\n\n\n


Hayashiya Ryokan<\/a><\/strong>
2660 Sasanami, Hagi, Yamaguchi
TEL\uff1a0838-56-0007<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Are we part of an Edo feudal lord procession?
\nOr perhaps samurai revolutionaries in the last days of the Shogunate?
\nBreathless, we climb the moss-covered stone path of Hagi \u014ckan\u2014the old highway stretching from H\u014dfu, through Yamaguchi, and on to Hagi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":106565,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,121],"tags":[9186,9534,9105,9184,9109,9535],"place":[244],"writer":[],"class_list":["post-106553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-guides-en","category-trip-en","tag-hagi","tag-hagiokan","tag-issue-72-en","tag-walkable","tag-yamaguchi","tag-yoshida-shoin","place-yamaguchi-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHagiokan Walk - PAPERSKY<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Hagi \u014ckan is a roughly 53-kilometer highway that connects Hagi and H\u014dfu, running almost in a straight line through Yamaguchi. Its origins date back to the early 17th century, when the M\u014dri clan\u2014reduced in rank after their defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara\u2014built Hagi Castle and developed this route as an official lord\u2019s road (Onari-michi) for their regular obligatory journeys to Edo. Once a vital artery linking the San\u2019in and San\u2019y\u014d regions, the road is still walked today as part of school events.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hagiokan Walk - PAPERSKY\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Hagi \u014ckan is a roughly 53-kilometer highway that connects Hagi and H\u014dfu, running almost in a straight line through Yamaguchi. Its origins date back to the early 17th century, when the M\u014dri clan\u2014reduced in rank after their defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara\u2014built Hagi Castle and developed this route as an official lord\u2019s road (Onari-michi) for their regular obligatory journeys to Edo. Once a vital artery linking the San\u2019in and San\u2019y\u014d regions, the road is still walked today as part of school events.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PAPERSKY\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/papersky\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-09-09T04:43:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-10T02:39:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Akira\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@paperskyonline\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@paperskyonline\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Akira\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"28 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Akira\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/7f7d2856215ca469e9a7515ab0df97fe\"},\"headline\":\"Hagiokan Walk\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-09T04:43:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-10T02:39:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/\"},\"wordCount\":1860,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"hagi\",\"hagiokan\",\"issue 72\",\"walkable\",\"yamaguchi\",\"Yoshida Sh\u014din\"],\"articleSection\":[\"LOCAL GUIDES\",\"TRIP\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/\",\"name\":\"Hagiokan Walk - PAPERSKY\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-09T04:43:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-10T02:39:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"The Hagi \u014ckan is a roughly 53-kilometer highway that connects Hagi and H\u014dfu, running almost in a straight line through Yamaguchi. Its origins date back to the early 17th century, when the M\u014dri clan\u2014reduced in rank after their defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara\u2014built Hagi Castle and developed this route as an official lord\u2019s road (Onari-michi) for their regular obligatory journeys to Edo. Once a vital artery linking the San\u2019in and San\u2019y\u014d regions, the road is still walked today as part of school events.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Hagiokan Walk\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/\",\"name\":\"PAPERSKY\",\"description\":\"A DIFFERENT WAY TO TRAVEL\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"PAPERSKY\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/JapanStories_logo_small.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/JapanStories_logo_small.jpg\",\"width\":2518,\"height\":960,\"caption\":\"PAPERSKY\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/papersky\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/paperskyonline\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/papersky_store\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/KneeHighMediaJapan\/playlists\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/7f7d2856215ca469e9a7515ab0df97fe\",\"name\":\"Akira\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0aef751bbb54d5643dde10435ffa10c19ea8275f4e7d4e377f907fbeacd600cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0aef751bbb54d5643dde10435ffa10c19ea8275f4e7d4e377f907fbeacd600cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0aef751bbb54d5643dde10435ffa10c19ea8275f4e7d4e377f907fbeacd600cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Akira\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/author\/akira\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hagiokan Walk - PAPERSKY","description":"The Hagi \u014ckan is a roughly 53-kilometer highway that connects Hagi and H\u014dfu, running almost in a straight line through Yamaguchi. Its origins date back to the early 17th century, when the M\u014dri clan\u2014reduced in rank after their defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara\u2014built Hagi Castle and developed this route as an official lord\u2019s road (Onari-michi) for their regular obligatory journeys to Edo. Once a vital artery linking the San\u2019in and San\u2019y\u014d regions, the road is still walked today as part of school events.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hagiokan Walk - PAPERSKY","og_description":"The Hagi \u014ckan is a roughly 53-kilometer highway that connects Hagi and H\u014dfu, running almost in a straight line through Yamaguchi. Its origins date back to the early 17th century, when the M\u014dri clan\u2014reduced in rank after their defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara\u2014built Hagi Castle and developed this route as an official lord\u2019s road (Onari-michi) for their regular obligatory journeys to Edo. Once a vital artery linking the San\u2019in and San\u2019y\u014d regions, the road is still walked today as part of school events.","og_url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/","og_site_name":"PAPERSKY","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/papersky","article_published_time":"2025-09-09T04:43:51+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-09-10T02:39:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Akira","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@paperskyonline","twitter_site":"@paperskyonline","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Akira","Est. reading time":"28 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/"},"author":{"name":"Akira","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/7f7d2856215ca469e9a7515ab0df97fe"},"headline":"Hagiokan Walk","datePublished":"2025-09-09T04:43:51+00:00","dateModified":"2025-09-10T02:39:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/"},"wordCount":1860,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg","keywords":["hagi","hagiokan","issue 72","walkable","yamaguchi","Yoshida Sh\u014din"],"articleSection":["LOCAL GUIDES","TRIP"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/","url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/","name":"Hagiokan Walk - PAPERSKY","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg","datePublished":"2025-09-09T04:43:51+00:00","dateModified":"2025-09-10T02:39:00+00:00","description":"The Hagi \u014ckan is a roughly 53-kilometer highway that connects Hagi and H\u014dfu, running almost in a straight line through Yamaguchi. Its origins date back to the early 17th century, when the M\u014dri clan\u2014reduced in rank after their defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara\u2014built Hagi Castle and developed this route as an official lord\u2019s road (Onari-michi) for their regular obligatory journeys to Edo. Once a vital artery linking the San\u2019in and San\u2019y\u014d regions, the road is still walked today as part of school events.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg","width":1200,"height":800},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/hagiokan-walk\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hagiokan Walk"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/","name":"PAPERSKY","description":"A DIFFERENT WAY TO TRAVEL","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#organization","name":"PAPERSKY","url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/JapanStories_logo_small.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/JapanStories_logo_small.jpg","width":2518,"height":960,"caption":"PAPERSKY"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/papersky","https:\/\/x.com\/paperskyonline","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/papersky_store\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/KneeHighMediaJapan\/playlists"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/7f7d2856215ca469e9a7515ab0df97fe","name":"Akira","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0aef751bbb54d5643dde10435ffa10c19ea8275f4e7d4e377f907fbeacd600cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0aef751bbb54d5643dde10435ffa10c19ea8275f4e7d4e377f907fbeacd600cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0aef751bbb54d5643dde10435ffa10c19ea8275f4e7d4e377f907fbeacd600cf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Akira"},"url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/author\/akira\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC03508_01.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106553"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":106980,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106553\/revisions\/106980"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106553"},{"taxonomy":"place","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/place?post=106553"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/writer?post=106553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}