The peaks of northern Kyoto are crisscrossed with roads and trails that wind through valleys and over mountain passes to Fukui Prefecture and the Japan Sea. Since at least the Heian Period (794-1185), the mountain passes have connected the imperial capital to the port of Obama City, which was a hub for marine goods. The Saba Kaido (kaido 街道 usually translates to “old road”) that connected these ancient areas…
