“Michi” (The Road)
Roads are a means of travel for people, information, and civilization.
Each element that finds itself on the road swells and expands wherever culture and industry develop, making those points the flashpoint for great amounts of energy. Driven by a connection to the road, this energy again works its way down the line, leading to greater movement and prosperity.
Roads also offer a connection between the past and the future, allowing us to take our history wherever we go.
Born from the progress of humanity, the road known as Gin no Bashamichi became the war path of warriors in the Middle Ages and later, in the halcyon times of peace, the origin of many prominent figures and events. In modern times, this road allowed Japan to catch up with Western powers by laying the foundation of the country’s development in modern times, and even today still provides a prominent footing.
Indications of the changing times are hard to spot, but the road has kept renewing itself with times and people who lived with fervor.
The Hyogo Heritage Route, which sees travelers come and go under an undeniable sense of wonder, examines both the mysteries and the weight of eras past.
Each region along the Hyogo Heritage Route has its own tale to tell, but the larger narrative created by the connections between each story transcends time and space, connecting not only the hearts and minds of those whose tales have been told but also all those whose tales have yet to be told.
And that leads us to today.
As the torch bearers of this era, our task is to keep the road alive by revisiting the footsteps of the past and experiencing those stories full of charm and wonder.
We must do all that we can for the future of our road. We do this so that the paths of those that come after us will shine even brighter.
