49th Station: Tsuchi-yama

Tsuchiyama, situated in the mountain forest, was known for its plentiful spring rainfall and there was even an old, popular song written about the heavy rains in the area. This view depicts the vanguards of a daimyo procession, walking with heads down in a heavy downpour. Making their way across a small bridge over a rushing brook, they advance toward the village, hidden in a grove of trees.

During the Edo period the post town flourished because of its location at the entrance to the Suzuka Pass (Suzuka Toge) as did Sakanoshita at the opposite side. Here too, the Suzuka Pass was the reason for the post town's decline in the Meiji period due to the difficulty of laying rail lines down. The ruins of the honjin, an ancient milestone and a row of pines can still be visited today.