Bring peace to the Middle East! 33: chain of retaliation 3 : in Syria and Lebanon

＊1


This time, I keep track of the chains of retaliations that happened in Syria and Lebanon.






<  2.  Countries during the conflict,  by Uppsala Conflict Data Program >

The green areas show countries during the conflict.
The line graph is a change of the number of conflicts. ( annotation 1)





<  3.  The death toll from conflicts, By Uppsala Conflict Data Program >


The size of circles is proportionate to total death tolls since 1989.
The line graph is a change of annual death tolls of conflicts.


Preface
Conflicts are now taking place in the world everywhere.
Therefore, one third of the world’s population lives in the disputed area, annual number of war deaths is 50,000-100,000, and forcibly displaced people worldwide amounts to 60 million people.

It is difficult to find only complete assailant in many cases of conflict.
In conflicts, a small collision escalates into military struggles while a quarrel continues.





In Syria
Current Syria is in a state of the civil war that "the Arab Spring" triggered in 2011, but hatred and discord had filled already.
President Assad (father of the current President) became irritated with a confrontation posture of "the Moslem Brotherhood" after 1970, performed many containment, and arrested one of the leader in 1976.
In 1979, when he died, the Islamic extremist attacked the Syrian military academy for a retaliation and killed 83 cadets. (Alawites, annotation 1).
In 1980, Syrian military forces raided a village and murdered more than 200 villagers.
In another district, they arrested 8,000 or more, and the commander shouted, "I keep killing 1,000 people per day until the Moslem Brotherhood disappears."

The same year, the Moslem Brotherhood planned an assassination of Assad, but it failed.
The Syrian military forces shot to kill approximately 1,000 people of the Moslem Brotherhood in a cell as retaliation for it.
This time, high government official in favor of
Assad was assassinated .
In 1982, the Syrian military forces killed 10,000-40,000 citizens in a main city of the Moslem Brotherhood. (Hama massacre)
The Moslem Brotherhood exploded a bomb in the capital against this holocaust, sacrificed 200 people, and started on terrorism that attacks citizen.

The Syrian government killed leaders of Muslim, citizen and labor union.
In 1982, the younger brother of President Assad who commanded many erasure boasted that he had been killing approximately 40,000 people.

The main point
While each massacre was repeated, it expanded, but this is a typical pattern of the world disputes.
To prevent a catastrophe, this initial stage of conflict is very important.






＊４


In Lebanon
In Lebanon, three groups of Islam and four groups of Christianity had coexisted till that time.

However, when Palestinian and PLO (annotation 1) flowed into Lebanon from Jordan because Israeli military forces had driven them away, a violence case happened by sectarian struggle in 1970.

In 1976, Syrian military forces invaded Lebanon by a request of Lebanese government, and repressed PLO of Sunnites to protect Shiites.
In 1978, the Syrian military forces in Lebanon cannoned and violated an agreement with Israel, which was triggered by the provocation of a school of Christianity (Maronite Church).
Israel was hostile toward it, and Israeli military forces invaded Lebanon, but the collision of these two countries was avoided by the good offices of the United States.

In 1982, a radicals attempted to assassinate an Israeli ambassador to Great Britain. (annotation 2)
Taking this opportunity, Israeli military forces again invaded Lebanon as retaliation for PLO.
This was a plan Israel had warmed up for a long time.
Thus, only for ten weeks, Lebanon was destroyed thoroughly, and 20,000 people of Lebanese and Palestinian were murdered.
The war was stopped by the good offices of the United States, and PLO left from Lebanon.

After that time, a radical young man in favor of Syria assassinateｄ a Lebanese President in favor of Israel with bomb.
And, militiamen of the Maronite Church slaughtered nearly 3000 people of Palestinian refugees camping in Lebanon under the supervision of Israeli military forces. (Sabra and Shatila massacre in 1982)

The main point
Finally, Lebanese Civil War became mired in involving neighboring countries due to the war between Israel and Palestine.



Summary
A conflict only begins from a trifling collision accident, but after all it expands a war by mere revenge and breaking.
In the background of many cases of conflict of the Middle East, various sectarian conflicts and interstate confrontations cause serious harm to it.　

This continues the next time.



注釈１
紛争は「国家暴力＝state-based violence」「非国家暴力＝non-state violence」「一方的な暴力＝one-sided violence」に分けられている。

注釈２
アサド大統領はシーア派の一派で、少数派のアラウィー派に属している。

注釈３
PLO＝パレスチナ解放機構。
パレスチナ人とPLOはイスラム教スンナ派です。

注釈４
この犯行グループのリーダーはかってPLOに属していたがアラファト議長に除名されると、PLO要人の暗殺を行い、イラクやリビアの手先としてテロを行っていた。

南信州を訪ねて ４： 満蒙開拓平和記念館

＜　１．満蒙開拓平和記念館　　＞

今日は、満蒙開拓平和記念館を紹介します。

念願かなって、満州移民の実情を知ることが出来たことは幸いでした。

満蒙開拓平和記念館について

http://www.manmoukinenkan.com

満州移民の実態がわかりやすく展示されています。

また全国で、この種の展示はここだけですので、非常に貴重です。

私達が訪問した時は、多くの人が来ておられました。

しかしこの場所はわかりにくいので注意してください。

＜　２．阿智村と満州　＞

上の地図：　赤丸が阿智村、赤枠がかっての満州、満蒙開拓団の地です。

下の図：　県別の開拓移民数。

全国の開拓移民数２７万人に対し、長野県は断トツに多かった。

長野県は満蒙開拓青少年義勇軍１０万人でも、最大の送り手だった。

＜　３．満蒙開拓民の現実　＞

この３枚の写真は満州の記録写真です。

館内は撮影が出来ませんので、ＨＰから転載しました。

上の写真：　記念館の入場券。

中央の写真：　１６～１９歳の青少年からなる満蒙開拓青少年義勇軍。

下の写真：　記念館内の展示。

＜　４．　満蒙開拓平和祈念館　　＞

館内は大きくないが、要点を絞ってわかりやすく展示している。

また、学芸員が質問に丁寧に答えてくれ、多くの疑問が解消した。

展示内容

＊満州移民の歴史

＊満州での開拓団の映像

＊入植地図や満州の生活。

＊敗戦と逃避行。

＊引揚げと再出発。

＊引揚げ者のコメントと証言ビデオ。

＊中国残留孤児と帰国支援事業。

など

＜　５．　満蒙開拓のポスター　＞

参考に、当時の満蒙開拓民募集のポスター。

＜　６．　満蒙開拓民の所在地　＞

参考に、当時の開拓民の所在地。

満蒙開拓平和記念館に思う

満蒙開拓は満州事変と共に始まり、農民は国の移民奨励を疑わず希望を抱き海を渡った。

しかし、現実の暮らしは劣悪で、その本当の狙いは軍主導による人間の盾でした。

農民はそれを奥地への配置と敗戦時の置き去りで身をもって知ることになった。

そして長野県の未帰還者は４９％に上りました。

その後の引揚げも遅々として進まず、さらに引揚げ者の多くは故郷に帰れず、全国各地の未耕作地に割り当てられた。

さらに二つの事実も忘れてはならないでしょう。

それは当時の長野県の自治体と教育者が積極的に移民に関与したこと、満州の中国人がさらに過酷な目にあったことです。

ここで不思議に思うのは、長野県は社会運動が盛んな土地柄でしたが、治安維持法などで反戦派が潰されると、対立する好戦派が攻勢に出た感があることです。

ここが開館したのは最近の２０１３年で、民間施設では日本ではここだけです。

なぜなのか？

それはこの地が長野県でも最大の移民者を出し、悲哀を味わったこともあります。

しかしそれだけではありません。

現在、「戦争する国」の悲劇を伝える語り部、引揚げ者の高齢化が進んでいます。

この地の人々は危機感を持って平和と中国友好に向けて行動したのです。

次回に続きます。

Bring peace to the Middle East! 32: chain of retaliation 2 : What is bad?

＊１

Here, we get back to a basic theme.
Why is a soldier and terrorist to kill citizens bad ? 
There is no longer any doubt about it, but it has an important meaning.







<  2.  Srebrenica massacre. Annotation 1. >


Terrorism is a crime!
The World Trade Center bombing in September 11, 2001 gave a serious shock to the whole world.
As a result, the U.S. President immediately declared, "this is war!", and began the war on terrorism with enthusiastic support of the people.
This case well shows that massacring citizens produces bigger hatred.

Well then, in the Yugoslav wars, what kind of a reaction did the world show to the slaughter of Bosnian citizen performed by military?  ( annotation 1)
In 2016, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia pronounced a judgment of 40-year imprisonment to the ex-President who commanded the slaughter.
In fact, this person was a hero for Serbian citizens, and the extradition did not advance for 13 years.

By the way, it is fairly recent that all the world other than the countries concerned came to
judge war crimes after the war in this way.




What is important?
War is the largest disaster that the human race brought, but, on the other hand, the human race has brought about various policies that prevent conflict and war in a long time.

One of the policies is the application of the war crimes including “ crimes against peace” “crimes against humanity” after the World War II.
This progress occurred only half a century ago while the history of war for 5,000 years,

More important is the human race continues bringing about preventive measures strenuously.







＊３

What is a meaning of judging it by war crimes (law)?
In fact, most of law has been created to prevent conflict.

In prehistoric times, a taboo and custom were created for prevention of conflict, and ritualized fighting grew, a council of elders was created for to avoid expansion of struggles  as a reconciliatory role.
Those rules bore fruit in "Code of Hammurabi" or "the Ten Commandments" before long.

At this point in time, these had to depend on authority of God.

In more recent years, human society came to aim at having consistency in the system of law  by a concept of "justice".





＊４


What is justice?
In fact, this is a difficult problem, but there is one thing it is sure.
It is that the human race can decide "justice" by ourselves now.

I assume, " Justice is a judgmental standard that a society judges whether a human act is right or bad" .
Seeing it from a viewpoint of conflict, I can say, “ a bad act is an act to cause a conflict, and to spread it”.

One of the bad acts to cause a conflict and to spread it is to increase people's hostility and hatred to extreme.

At last we can see what is bad.

“You must not bomb a hospital ship.
You must not abuse a captive.
You must not use cluster bomb or poisonous gas.”

These produce the massacre of noncombatants and citizen, the people feel strong hatred for it, and will accept the retaliation of the further massacre.
By punishing such war crimes, our world becomes preventing the harshness of war and the civil war.



At the end
What is the terrorism that the Middle Eastern extremists perform in the world?

This only drives people around the world to hate for the Middle East, Arab and Islam, and rather the extremist’s hope only more goes away.
Already, the world as well as the Middle East is filled with hostility, and it bring a vicious circle that puts the Middle East in a difficult spot moreover.
Their terrorism is unlike past terrorism in one country as for making enemies of the world, and the result is greatly different.

I wish that the extremists, neighboring people, and particularly Islamic leaders think about a series of the human wisdom .

This continues the next time.





注釈１
１９９５年、ボスニア・ヘルツェゴビナ内のスルプスカ共和国のカラジッチ元大統領がスレブレニツァでボスニア系民間人８０００人の虐殺を指揮した。
セルビアのミロシェヴィッチ元大統領も同様の戦争犯罪で裁判中、病死した。

注釈２
その端的な例が北米先住民にあります。
部族内で殺人が起きると、部族が穢されたとして部族全員で厄払いの儀式を行った。
そして犯人は追放されるが、数年して犯人は自身の請願により復帰した。
ここでは、両親族間で生じる復讐心を儀式と追放で抑制している。
人類は、意識するしないに関わらず、紛争防止の巧みな策を設けて来た。

南信州を訪ねて ３： 阿智村

＜　１．　馬の背から北側を見た　＞

中央の高い峰は標高２８４１ｍの南駒ヶ岳で、手前一帯が阿智村の範囲です。

馬の背は下の地図の番号５です。

今日は、長野県南部にある阿智村を紹介します。

私達は、ここで様々な感動に巡り合えました。

 

＜　２．　阿智村　＞

両地図共、上が北側です。

上の地図：　阿智村と訪問地を示します。

阿智村の境界は茶色の折れ線です。

赤い点や丸が訪問地です。

黄色い線は中央自動車道で、左端は恵那山トンネルになります。

番号１：　満蒙開拓平和記念館。

番号２：　宿泊地の昼神温泉。朝市も楽しみました。

番号３：　阿智神社奥宮。古代のロマンを感じました。

番号４：　高原「ヘブンスそのはら」で星空を堪能した。

番号５：　治部坂高原近くの「馬の背」から眺望を楽しんだ。

下の地図：　黄色の枠が阿智村。

中央遠方の雪を頂いた峰々は、最高峰の奥穂高岳３１９０ｍを含む北アルプスです。

その手前右側は、最高峰の駒ヶ岳を含む中央アルプスです。

その右側に伊那盆地が広がっています。

阿智村について

阿智村は長野県の南、伊那盆地の南の端に位置し、山深い谷間にあります。

ここはちょうど中央自動車道の高架下のような所で目立ちません。

ここを訪問した主な目的は、園原高原から「日本一の星空」を見ることでした。

そして昼神温泉を中心に観光し、この山深い所ならではの自然、作物、歴史を感じることが出来ました。

 

＜　３．　阿智村の中心部　＞

国道１５３号線から阿智村役場の方を見下ろす。

上の写真：　東側を望む。ここを行くと塩尻です。

中央の写真：　眼下の盆地に阿智村役場と満蒙開拓平和記念館がある。

下の写真：　西側を望む。この山間を行くと昼神温泉、左に折れると山越えで名古屋に至ります。

 

＜　４．　ある農家　＞

治部坂高原に行く途中、私達は観光農園を探して、この農家を訪問しました。

残念ながら観光農園はもう止めていました。

このような山深い畑で多くの野菜を育てておられました。

中央の写真には、トウモロコシ畑があり、この地方の名産です。

この高地の寒暖の差が甘味のあるトウモロコシを造るのだそうです。

帰りに、たくさんのキュウリを貰いました。

この山深い村だからこそ、担う歴史の重みがあり、また必死に村起こしに挑んでいる。

そんな人々の心意気を感じる旅でもありました。

次回に続きます。

Bring peace to the Middle East! 31: chain of retaliation 1 : in the end

*1

We looked at some assassinations, terrorism and the background till now.
From now on, we examine a chain of retaliation taking place in the Middle East, such as massacre repeated.
This time, I explain the final stage that a society arrives at when assassinations and terrorism rage, through the history. 


What there is in the end of assassinations and terrorism?
Looking around the world, the assassinations and terrorism were a desperate resistance of weak group, or an initial state of revolution.
Even the American constitution predicates a citizen fights with a weapon.
( annotation 1)

The situation starts with assassinating a influential person or a leader of an opposition group, but will invite a chain of genocide and the retaliation adversely.
Thus, massacre and violence spread, and more terrible tragedy will attack the society.

I explain the examples.





*2

In the case of Japan
Rightly, the situation were same as 1920s and 1930s in Japan. (annotation 2)

In those days, the extensive people's movement had happened, so the government ruled by local military groups by central figures of the Meiji Restoration was finished, and party politics began to move for the first time.

However, the unripe government was attacked by the growing disparity caused by a military-first policy, several depressions, and an aftermath of the Communist Party revolution.
The domestic situation became turbulent, the protest movement became harsh, and the government began to oppress it by the military and police.
At last, the assassination of a leading figure continued by young officers or right wing and the society was unified.
Thus, Japan became a complete military affairs autocracy again.

In the background, there was an important change that the Japanese society became affirmative for war and violence, while the Japanese military had steadily advanced an invasion in the continent for preparing for a potential threat from imperialism Great Powers, Europe and America, or Russia.





*3

In the case of Germany
The situation were same as 1920s and 1930s at the birth of Nazi government. (annotation 3)

The society and the economy got into the worst situation by suffering the aftereffects of the World War I.
The people lost sight of the future of own country, and various policy opinions (including socialism and communism) were in conflict.
At first, they were aimed at a socialist state, but the military authorities having taken a place in the World War I came to rule the politics before long.

The unemployment rate became 30%, so the young men who lost a job formed radicals group and repeated fighting in city and each place.
Nearly 100 people died only for one month in Prussia, and the injured person surpassed 1,000 people.
Under such circumstances, an violence revolution attempt that Hitler participated in in Munich occurred.
They attacked the capital of Prussia by weapon of the military authorities and aimed at to usurp political power.
The people felt hopeful about the proposal of Hitler, the revival of empire,  the nationalism (anti-emigrant and anti-Semitism), and the totalitarianism (fascism).

After this, the Nazi that Hitler led was received enthusiastically by people, and a dictatorial regime was born.





*4

What was taking place there?
These two examples have a certain thing in common.
Firstly these societies deepened confusion and stagnation, and the demonstration for reform and dissatisfaction escalated into violence cases.
As a result, the people wanted to quiet the confusion and clung to a stronger power to step forward powerfully.
And two fascism shook the world.
But it doesn’t always occur on the end of the confusion of the assassination and terrorism.
(annotation 3)

An important thing is to create more powerful military power finally, even if the violence was a small blow at first.
One of these may be Islamic nation (ISIL).

Unfortunately the power having the powerful armaments often becomes tyrannous, and it becomes the thing unlike the hope of the people.
I can say the reason is "It takes a thief to catch a thief."






*5

Thing we must not overlook
In either case, a violence produces many violence, and people will be trained to accept abnormal circumstance before long.

In the Middle East, the family is subjected to violence and killed, the town is destroyed, people suffer a difficult life even to live, and such a state continues for half a century.
Will the children grow up in a normal way?
The dilapidation of people's mind is imperative.
Where does the future of this society go toward?

This continues the next time.





注釈１
１８世紀後半に制定された合衆国憲法修正第２条。
「規律ある民兵は、自由な国家の安全にとって必要であるので、
人民が武器を保有し、携帯する権利は、これを侵してはならない」

注釈２
私のブログ「社会と情報：戦った報道　１～２６」に詳しい。

注釈３
私のブログ「戦争の誤謬　：　ヒトラー総統の誕生　１、２」「図解　ヒトラー総統の誕生」「ナチスの亡霊」に詳しい。

注釈４
日本とドイツは、社会の混乱時に独裁者を求める傾向が世界で最も強い。
これはエマニエル・トッドが指摘するように、両国が直系家族の文化だからです。
この文化は、遺産分配や兄弟関係の有り様から、「権威と不平等」を受け入れます。
したがって、中国、ロシア、中東またはフランス、米国では異なった反応が起こるでしょう。

Visited a southern part of the Shinshu region 2: Komagane highland

<  1. A dry riverbed >


Today, I introduce Komagane highland.
We played with our grandchildren in this dry riverbed.



Komagane highland
There is this highland in front of where a river flowing from Mt. Komagatake in Kiso Mountains ( the central Alps) joins Tenryu River.
This highland is 800m above sea level at the maximum in Ina Basin.
Here is a ropeway for climbing on the mountain, ski areas and hotels, and it becomes a huge resort area.






<  2.  Arrived at the destination  >


It was fine weather, and the sunlight was strong.






<  3.  Walking the suspension bridge  >





<   4.  Views from the suspension bridge  >


Upper photo:  upstream direction.
Lower photo:  downstream direction.
We can see Ina Basin in the back, and beyond it, see Southern Alps.




<  5.  going down to the dry riverbed  >

Many families enjoyed playing in the water.





<  6.  On the dry riverbed  >


The water of the river was not so cold  because probably it was shallow.
Our grandchildren touched with nature and were joyful.
We were having happiest moment.

This continues the next time.

Bring peace to the Middle East! 30: about terrorism 10 : fight of believer

中東に平和を！　３０：　テロについて　１０：　信者の戦い

<  1.  Japanese-Russo War  >


We can understand "God and heaven" that a suicide bomber of the Middle East wrote, by knowing how believers confronted own massacre.





<  2.  Siege of Drogheda >


Certain Christian
“I believe firmly that this is a righteous judgement of God on these barbarous wretches, who had imbrued their hands with so much innocent blood.”

This is a sentence of the report at when British Cromwell (1599-1658) suppressed rebel armies in Ireland. (Siege of Drogheda in 1649)
At this time, the citizens and monks in the city were almost slaughtered as well as  combatants.
He justifies own act as Protestant provided justice to Catholic.

The example of such a justification is also seen in the Crusades.
This increased participants in the Crusade, and on the other hand, it caused plunder and massacre to increase.





<  3.  armed priest >


Certain Buddhists
At previous night of all-out attack of the Russo-Japanese War (1904), a Japanese army Buddhist priest told to believers.
“This war doesn’t contradict Sessho-kai (a Buddhist precept of the prohibition of killing living things.), and rather this is a battle for peace."
And soldiers of the believer charged ahead with saying "Namuamidabutsu (Buddha in paradise)" all together.

In the Russo-Japanese War, this denomination (Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism) thought a national feeling of unity is necessary, and encouraged the believers to accepts military service.
Since a long time ago, the believers of the denomination performed against samurai groups  fierce fights with weapon of farming implements on several occasions, and they kept self-government.





< 4. the yellow turban rebellion >
＜　４．黄巾の乱　＞

Originally, the Buddhism had a prohibition of indiscriminately killing living things and a non-war.
But Japanese large temples had employed armed priests since a long time ago.
The Buddhist fought in Korean Peninsula, China, and Southeast Asia.
In Goguryeo (kingdom of Korea）, armed priests in the Korean Peninsula had fought against a great number of invaders of China and nomads with a weapon for defending own country.
In China, a certain school of Taoism caused the yellow turban rebellion, and the Three Kingdoms period began(184 - ).
Next a certain school of Buddhism caused a rebellion, and it led the birth of the Ming (1368 - ).
In China, a large group of farmers that were led by religious organizations caused many revolutions many times.





< 5. Crusade >


Fight of believer
Looking around the world, it may be said that there was not the religion that did not ever fight.
The enemy was a pagan (sect), devil, unbeliever, in addition an invader and plunderer.
Many widely accepted religion universally has Love and mercy in the doctrine, and infrequently includes the abstinence from taking life.

Why do these believers perform fierce fights in violation of the fundamental creed?
At many fact pattern, religious organizations greatly had influenced it.
It may be said there was a result that the sense of unity and infallibility of the religion was raised by the organizations.

It isn't a problem usually, but when our society begins to become confused and corrupt, it will bring a bad habit.




Is there a thing you can understand? 
The Palestinian suicide bomber wrote about "God and heaven" in his farewell note.
Because he can go to heaven, did he practice the terror?

As those facts of the world show, first there were necessity for the fight, and the people  alleviated a conflict of own death and murder with resorting to God and Buddha.

In world history, many religious organizations have permitted fighting, but Jesus and Buddha will grieve at this.
Probably, I think that Mohammed points out the mistake if he see the present confusion of the Middle East, too.

It isn't limited to Islam that suicide bombers talk about "God and heaven".
It is only one of the light and shade that religion brings.

This continues the next time.

Visited a southern part of the Shinshu region 1: Narai-juke, a post town

< 1. Narai-juke >

From now on, I introduce a Southern part of Nagano prefecture that we traveled in summer.

Today, I introduce the Narai-juke that is a one of old post towns.

Abut this trip

We went round each place by our car.

The period is from August 19 to 22, 2016.

I can’t introduce the sightseeing of the 20th due to a drizzle.

But it was fine weather every day except for the day.

<  2.   visited places   >

Upper side of the photo is the north side.

No. 1:  Narai-juke.

We walked around the old post town.

No. 2:  Komagane highland.

We played with our grandchildren in the riverbank.

No. 3:  Achi village

We visited the Peace Memorial Hall for Volunteer Pioneer of Manchuria and Mongolia, and the inner shrine of Achi-jinja Shrine.

We stayed at Hirugami Onsen, a hot spring resort and went to the morning market.

No. 4:  “Heavens Sonohara” , a plateau.

We had gazed at the star-sprinkled sky while sitting on the plateau at the night.

No. 5:  Jibusaka Kougen, a plateau.

We enjoyed a view from the peak called a horseback.

< 3.  Maps of Narai-juke  >

Upper photo:  the five land traffic routes in the Edo period.

Nakasen-do Road is indicated in a brown line connecting between two red points, and connected Edo and Kyoto.

Central photo:  upper side of the photo is the north side.

A elongated town is Narai-juke, and if you go to the right-hand road, you can arrive at Edo.

Lower photo:  the expansion of Narai-juke.

We parked our car in a parking area B and crossed a big bridge.

we started to take a walk from the east end S, and turned back at the west end E.

Narai-juke

Narai-juke was one of the post towns on the Nakasen-do Road, and was flourished by travelers who prepared crossing the “Torii Pass” which was hardest pass on the Kiso.

In addition, Narai-juke is at the highest altitudes in the Nakasen-do Road, and the town having approximately 1km long is the longest post town in Japan.

Narai-juke was established as a relay station in 1601, and there were 8 various accommodations for samurai and average people.   

Narai-juke was famous for the wood industry such as lacquerware and hair comb, and these were popular as a souvenir of travelers.

Nakasen-do Road connected between Edo and Kyoto, and passed through mountain area unlike Tokai-do Road passing along sea shore.

In despite of flat road, Tokai-do Road had defects such as getting stuck at swollen rivers, and strict controls.

Thus, 67 post towns and Narai-juke on Nakasen-do Road prospered in the Edo period.

<  4.  parking area B  >

Upper photo:  Kiso-Ohashi bridge.

this is a largest class in wooden bridges which don't have a supporting beam.

Central photo:  I saw the east side from the top of the bridge.

Going this direction, the road goes through Shiojiri and reaches Edo.

Lower photo:  I saw the west side from the top of the bridge.

There is Torii Pass in this side and the road reaches Kyoto.

<  5.  finally enters the post town >

Upper photo:  the east end S.

Lower photo:  the street.

There is a water fountain at the near left side.

These were 6 water fountains for travelers passing through Narai-juke.

<  6.   appearance of the street, 1  >

<  7.   appearance of the street, 2  >

<  8.  inside view of 3 houses >

Upper photo:  a shop of folk art object.

Central photo:  a shop of lacquerware. 

Lower photo:  a Japanese inn.

There are some inns, ryokan and minshuku opening now.

<  9.  I reach the west end soon  >

Upper photo:  a temple.

Central photo:  a Shinto shrine was seen at the back of the street.

Here is the west end E.

Lower photo:   Kosatsu site（street bulletin board）.

This is the site that Shogunate and feudal lords wrote a law and rules to the board and put up it here.

<  10.  at the west end of the post town  >

Upper photo:  I see the Shinto shrine from the street.

Lower photo:  I see the street from the Shinto shrine.

There is a water fountain and Kosatsu site at the near left side.

This continues the next time.