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Hagiokan Road was established by the Mōri clan in 1604 (Keichō 9) after the construction of Hagi Castle, serving as the Onarimichi (official route) for their alternate attendance (sankin kōtai) to Edo. The road connected Hagi (Hagi City) on the Sea of Japan side and Mitajiri Port (Hōfu City) on the Seto Inland Sea side in a nearly straight line, with a total length of approximately 53 km.
For commoners during the Edo period, Hagiokan (Hagi Road) was an important “Yin-Yang Connecting Route” linking the San'in and San'yo regions. In the late Edo period, it played a significant role in history as a route frequently traveled by the samurai of the Meiji Restoration.
Hagiokan Road still retains remnants such as ichirizuka (milestones) necessary for the movement of people and horses, tea house ruins, and the remains of kōya (checkpoint stations) that monitored travelers. Although most of the route is now used as national highways, prefectural roads, and public roads, some of the more rugged mountainous paths have become abandoned routes. In recent years, efforts have been made to preserve and maintain these paths to pass them on to future generations.
In 1996, Hagiokan Road was selected as one of the “100 Best Roads in Japan”, and in 2004, it was chosen as one of the “100 Beautiful Walkable Roads in Japan”.
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