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After leaving Nagaoka the road runs over a distance of 3 ri through tolerably flat land, the hills enclosing us at a distance from all sides, and the circle narrowing as we advance; afterwards, at Miokin, the road begins to ascend very steeply. Between Nagaoka and Miokin rice and corn are cultivated, and the country has generally a prosperous aspect; but the road is not wider than 10 or 12 feet, excepting some parts where it was in the course of being widened in an entirely unnecessary degree.

From Miokin the Shinanogawa valley is followed along the slopes of the hills, in which the road is cut out, having no mere width than a footpath; two or three times, indeed, it passes under the straw pent-house of a coolie’s tea-house, the outside uprights of which stand on the edge of the steeply descending mountain slope. The valley is picturesque, the river winding its way in the depth between gravel and pebble-banks, and forming waterfalls everywhere.