Station #17: Entertainers traveled the Tokaido without a passport. Here we see two sumo wrestlers and the porters struggling to move them to the next station. Sumo tournaments were originally held at Shinto Shrines during festivals to praise the gods. It was lucky for the porters that they only carried their loads between two stations. They would then wait for a return fare. Kabuki actors, Bunraku puppet troupes, and musicians all traveled the Tokaido to provide entertainment at the big cities and stations large and small along the route.

Image Copyright: Minneapolis Institute of Art