Usui

Usui lies on the mountain frontier between Kōzuke and Shinano. The Nakasendō crossed Usui Pass here, a difficult ascent between the post towns of Sakamoto and Karuizawa. A checkpoint at Yokokawa supervised movement along the road, while smaller resting places offered travellers relief on the climb. Daimyō processions, merchants and other travellers passed through the narrow mountain corridor on their journeys between Edo and the interior.