is one of the main roads leading westwards out of Tokyo. It begins in Shinjuku, passes through Ōme, and ends in Kōfu, Yamanashi.[1]
The road was originally developed in 1606 to transport lime from Ome during the land reclamation efforts in Edo during the Tokugawa era and was known by different names in different eras and regions over the course of time, as "Ogawa-michi" and "Hakonegasaki-michi" in Edo, "Afume-michi" or "Mitake-michi" in Ome, and "Haraedo-michi" in Hakonegasaki. It was identified as 'Ōme Kaidō' on a survey map created in 1880 and formally designated as such in 1962.[2]
The Ōme Kaidō overbridge in Shinjuku currently serves as the eastern terminus of the Ōme Kaidō, approximately 560m (1,840feet) northwest of the historical starting point at the intersection of Meiji-dōri and Shinjuku-dōri.
The Chuō, Saikyō, Shōnan-Shinjuku, and Yamanote train lines pass over the highway, with 10 lanes of roadway and sidewalks beneath.[3]
It is frequently featured in popular culture as the unofficial western gate to Kabukichō, most recently featured in the opening titles of Midnight Diner on Netflix.
There are 9 post stations along the Ōme Kaidō. They are listed below with the corresponding modern-day municipality listed in parentheses.