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At Kidzu, to which place the road ascends with a steep incline, (as may be seen in the above-mentioned itinerary) a small tea-house is situated on a beautiful spot, where ice-cold water is to be had from a deep well. From here to Kawakuchi is 112 ri, at which place the Owedagawa flows into the Shinano; this Owedagawa is the. principal right tributary to the Shinanogawa; it is navigable for small boats up to Muikamachi, at which place it alters its name to Owonogawa.
Kawakuchi is the first place along this road where silk-industry is again met with, and from here throughout the way till Takasaki, it seems to be the chief traffic of the population.
After crossing the Owedagawa at a little distance above Kawakuchi by means of a ferry-boat, a steep hill, called Tobisaki, is ascended; the slopes of this hill are grown with beautiful sugi-trees, and on the top are two very good tea-houses, from whence the road descends to Horinooji. This is a very prosperous looking and nice place with broad streets; it is situated at a little distance from the left Owedagawa bank; the valley is principally cultivated with rice; and the narrow road leads through the paddy-fields, and being unshaded and rugged, it is rather uncomfortable. But the Japanese were hard at work to improve it, every village having to provide the necessary coolies for the part of the road lying within its limits.
From distance to distance parties of from 20 or 30 people were met with, consisting of men, women and girls who were repairing the road by filling up the numerous gaps with the clay from the adjoining paddy-fields, burying under it the blocks of stone which now formed part of the rugged road, and widening it to about 9 to 12 feet. Besides the spade, every workman or woman was invariably provided with a fan, which gave them a very quaint aspect; to shelter against the burning sun, instead of being naked, they wore a kind of dress; commonly their legs were enwrapped with cotton and over their kimonos they wore the ordinary straw rain-coats.
After leaving Horinooji, over a distance of 112 ri the
