The Tokaido, or East Sea Road, was the major highway that connected Edo and Kyoto during the Edo Period. It followed the sea coast of Eastern Honshuu and originally had 53 government rest stations where travelers had to present traveling permits. It was the most important of the five major roads of the Edo Period in Japan, started by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1601 in order to consolidate his power over the country.