Wonderful bike & train tour in Fukushima 福島大好きおじさんの自転車・鉄道旅日記 Following Basho’s track in Sukagawa, May 20, 2017 （芭蕉の須賀川路を追って２０１７年５月２０日）

Following Basho’s track in Sukagawa, May 20, 2017 （芭蕉の須賀川路を追って２０１７年５月２０日）

Leaving Shirakawa, Basho traveled to Yabuki and then to Sukagawa. Photo above is a set of statues of Basho and his talented disciple Sora at Kagenuma Swamp Site. They visited this place in Kagamiishi Town on the way to Sukagawa. The site was no more swamp today but the surrounding area was all but beautiful rice fields.
白河を出て、芭蕉は矢吹、そして須賀川へと旅しました。写真は、途中のかげ沼での、芭蕉とその門人の曽良（そら）の像です。須賀川への途中の鏡石（かがみいし）町にあります。現在、この地は沼ではありませんが、周りは全て美しい田んぼで囲まれています。

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After leaving Shirakawa, the two walked along the old Oshu Highway. Today, only a small part of the road retains the atmosphere of that day. For example, the old road which runs through Gohonmatsu district of Yabuki Town shows similar view of that day as shown above except the paved surface. The panel tells us that two old tea houses used to host travelers with good water and rest.
白河を出た後，二人は旧奥州街道を歩きました。現在、この道には、昔の面影がほんの少し残っています。例えば、矢吹町の五本松地区を走る旧道は、写真のように舗装面を除いて昔と似ています。説明板には、茶屋が２軒あり、旅人に良い水と休み処を提供したとあります。

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Photos above show today’s view of Kagenuma Swamp Site, where the statues of the two are located, and the history description.
写真は、現在のかげ沼と、その歴史の説明板です。

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Then I stopped at another historic place called Serizawa Falls Site, where the two Haiku poets visited. Today, only a board describing history of the site and a memorial remain at the site as shown in the pictures above. The board tells us the waterfall was full of water at the time of their visit.
そのあと、芹沢の滝跡と呼ぶ、もう一つの史跡に寄りました。今は、石碑と説明板のみですが、芭蕉と曽良が訪れたときは、大きな水量の滝だったとのことです。

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Entering Sukagawa along the old Oshu Highway, there was a historic milestone site called Sukagawa Ichirizuka Site as shown above. A couple of boards described the structure and the history. Mounds with trees on both sides of the road in the view show a set of milestones placed every 4km in the old days. This is a national historic site.
旧奥州街道に沿って須賀川に入ると、須賀川の一里塚と呼ぶ史跡があります（写真）。説明板は、その構造と歴史を説明し、道の両側に対になっている塚と木が一里塚になっています。国指定の史跡です。

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Basho and Sora finally arrived at the center of Sukagawa post town, which was called Motomachi. A man named Tokyu welcomed them and the two stayed in this town for as long as eight days. The house they stayed was gone but a sign board shown above told us the exact location. They also visited a simple house called Kashin-an shown above, which was owned by a friend priest of Tokyu. All these were located within a small historic area called Motomachi.
芭蕉と曽良は、須賀川の中心の本町（もとまち）に着きました。そこの等躬という方に出迎えられ歓迎を受け、ここに８日間いることになります。等躬の家は、今はもうないですが、その跡が写真のように残っています。その間、近くの可伸庵という家も訪れており，その名残が写真のように残っています。これらの史跡は、全てこの小さな本町の中にあります。

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I found an interesting picture in a corner, which showed his popular Haiku poem “Furyuno Hajimeya-okuno Taue-uta” created during this visit.
そこに、芭蕉が須賀川で詠んだ有名な俳句、「風流の初やおくの田植うた」がのった、写真の絵がありました。

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There also was a small museum in the same area as shown above called Bashokinenkan or Basho Memorial Hall which was dedicated to Basho. Staff members can provide detailed information and brochures free of charge.
また、本町には、芭蕉記念館という小さな資料館もあります。芭蕉の情報や資料など、提供してくれます。

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At last I visited Junenji Temple shown above, where Basho also visited while in Sukagawa. The temple was established in 1593. (Basho traveled in 1689.)
最後に、写真の十念寺に行きました。１５９３年開山のお寺で、芭蕉も訪れています。

I stayed tonight near Motomachi area of Sukagawa and my bike trip continues tomorrow.
今夜は、本町に近くの宿に泊まり、明日またその先を続けます。

The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。