A Honjin inn in Toride - The last shogun and his father stayed
Toride City was developed as the 6th post town from Edo on Mito highway and river port town on the Tone river. In Edo period, there were large or small official’s and feudal load’s special inns, so called “Honjin”, in which to spend the night while their traveling, such as alternate attendance. Former Honjin inn in Toride post town, one of larger class Honhin inn, is still there, today.
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| A Honjin inn in Toride post town, established in 1687 by Mito Domain, and built current building in 1795 (C)JAPAN a while ago |
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| The entrance of the Honjin inn, former Someno house, noble getting off their palanquin or car in here without walking (C)JAPAN a while ago |
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| The suite room for feudal lords, at the Honjin inn (C)JAPAN a while ago |
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| A monument of Nariaki's Haiku, presented by Mito Domain to the Somenos (C)JAPAN a while ago |
In 1687, Mito Domain designated Someno family, a village headman in Toride, as a hotelman in this post town. Then, the Somenos established a Honhin inn and started serving over 10 feudal loads and their officials who was traveling by Mito highway and water transport on the Tone basin. But against Mito-Tokugawa family’s and their hotelman’s expectations, the shogunate assigned Mito Domain to remain permanently in Edo as most nearly Tokugawa clan family domain. So, after the 2nd the lord of Mito Domain, one of the first user of this Honjin inn and the vice-shogun Mitsukuni Tokugawa, the most successive load of Mito Domain didn’t stay at this Honjin inn, but the others lords stayed. Except, the 9th lord of Mito Domain Nariaki Tokugawa stayed some time when he came and went. By inference from some Haiku, Nariaki composed at this Honjin inn, he loved it probably.
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| The gate of the Honjin inn, the last shogun walked through, they say (C)JAPAN a while ago |
All things must have an end. In 1867, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, the last shogun born in Mito and a son of Nariaki, decided restoration of imperial rule. In April of following year, he was encouraged self-restraint in Mito because of defeating civil war and surrender of Edo castle. On the road to his home town Mito, he stayed at this Honjin inn. In generally, nobles arriving Honjin inn, they drew their palanquin or car up to the entrance without their walking. But then, according to oral history in Toride, in case of Yoshinobu, ex-shogun, stopped his palanquin in front of inn gate, and walked into the inn like a commons. After soon, the inn was ended its original role, and turned as a post office by Meiji new government.
