The end of Tokaido. The gate is the symbol of the end of the traditional route from Edo to Kyoto. It was when the capital of Japan was in transition from Kyoto to present day Tokyo [(Tōkyō: tō (east) + kyō (capital)].
This is the largest Torii in Japan.
Ando Hiroshige's 53 stops on the Tokaido - A traditional set of Japanese prints first introduced to me in Japan during a visit in 1995.
There are 55 prints in the collection. It is historically significant and a part of Japanese history. The traffic on this road was tightly regulated and women were not permitted to travel alone. If a woman were to travel, she needed an escort, carried in a Kago (see link below), and have special travel documents from the Shogun's office in Edo. While there are 53 stops, the prints include the point of origin and the final destination.
A brief history of Tokaido
Link to Genko-an Temple, featuring a picture of a Kago used in Kyoto
As you turn around from the tremendous gate above, you can see the Emperor's Heian-jingu Shrine.
Kyoto Travel: Heian Shrine
My blog entry on my visit to Heian-jingu Shrine (Kyoto)
