2009
22m

Summary Modern day road trip along the Tokaido between Tokyo and Kyoto. It is contrasted against the woodblock series the 53 Stations of the Tokaido by Hiroshige, one of Japan's greatest artists, who traveled the Tokaido in the early 1830s. View more details

Documentary

2009
22m

Tokaido

Directed : Unknown

Written : Unknown

Stars : John W. Vermilye

All cast & crew

Details

Genres : Documentary

Release date : Jul 18, 2009

Countries of origin : United States Belgium

Official sites : Official site

Language : Japanese

Filming locations : Japan

Production companies : MN Productions VC Studios

Documentary

Details

Genres : Documentary

Release date : Jul 18, 2009

Countries of origin : United States Belgium

Official sites : Official site

Language : Japanese

Filming locations : Japan

Production companies : MN Productions VC Studios

Photos

Episodes

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Episode 1 • Dec 31, 1969

Episode #1.1

A serious of old etchings inspired the Belgian documentary maker to plan a journey along the ancient route between the imperial and shogun's capitals, visiting depicted monuments and registering how the country changed. Day 1 starts in modern capital Tokyo (feudal name Edo), the country's largest metropolis, which received regular visits from the 'daimyos', regional vassals. The area is rich in temples but also public executions sites for criminals condemned to decapitation of even crucifixion. Nex stop, Kawasaki. The first day ends reaching Yokohama, Japan's second port.

Episode 2 • Dec 31, 1969

Days 2&3: Yokohama - Odawara

Days 2&3. From Yokohama, the road follows the old coast, which was thoroughly altered, winning land at the expense of idyllic bays for the expanding megalopolis. The railroad has overtaken the tokaido as national transport mode and road R-1. On some minor rest till Odawara, Japanese commoners, a developer and a Flemish fake priest elaborate on the housing options, sense of formality and religious tolerance as well as health caring and ever costlier world-record aging.

Episode 3 • Dec 31, 1969

Day 4&5. Yumoto - Yoshiwara.

Past Yumoto, the road leaves the greater Toky megalopolis. This region used to be idyllic, but even her much has changed. So the famous view from mount Fuji, Japan's most popular landmark, has actually changed a lot, but the tourists flood keeps growing.

Episode 4 • Dec 31, 1969

Days 6&7. Fuji City: Kanekagawa

Past Fuji City, a visit to the paper wares convention. Although more of the landscape is preserved in this mountainous region, the cities were mostly bombed and rebuild hastily, not restored. The curator of a museum dedicated to the artist supports the theory that his inaccuracies suggest he may never have traveled along the tokaido. Scenes from the harmonious life between the peaceful country-folk and its most helpful police, also social workers in all but name, resulting in record low crime statistics. A visit the the provincial capital castle from which the first shogun ended the feudal warring states period and were he retired with a shadow government after abdicating in favor of his son. A period inn still serves the same local yam delicacy, using the traditional recipe.

Episode 5 • Dec 31, 1969

Episode #1.5

Day 8&9. Okabe - Kakegawa. Some minor stuff of the old tokaido is preserved between Okabe and Kakegawa, including a legendary rock where a traveler would have had Japan's first Cesarean. We visit a school and contemplate the group-oriented Japanese education, next its impact even in individual sports like traditional archery, just as in school fanfares and formal team sports like baseball, both Western imports.

Episode 6 • Dec 31, 1969

Days 10&11. Kakegawa - Futagawa.

Between Kakegawa and Futagawa, the road crosses larger rivers, so instead of porters the shogunate had to allow boats to perform ferry services. Closer to Edo, there was a ring of castles, where strict searches were done, also for cross-dressing females trying to escape their hostage duty when their daimyo master left. A look at modern fishery.

Episode 7 • Dec 31, 1969

Days 12&13. Toyohashi - Okazaki

As the tokaido moves from Toyohashi to Okazaki, now closer to Kyoto, we consider the often unsatisfactory results of hasty (re)construction after the devastating war, resulting in poor urbanization. The fate of rest stop comfort girls, often sold by poor countryside families, some even committed suicide. In the first shogun's birth castle, as bonsai exhibition inspires contemplating the overpopulated country's aesthetic escapism.

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Tokaido

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