Imperial Post Road
The Imperial Post Road runs the length of Shinkoku. It passes through flat coastal lands for much of its length, staying mostly on the southern side of the central mountains. A series of post houses are stationed approximately every 20 miles, providing refreshment for imperial couriers and other traffic. This is the longest and best-kept road in the country.
The Post Road skirts the mountains, but seldom goes far into their heights. This has never been necessary, since most Kozakurans live in valleys near the coast, and mountain roads are hard to maintain and easy prey to bandits. Imperial troops are stationed at 100 mile intervals. They are expected to patrol the road and prevent bandit attacks.
The Post Road crosses the Dragon's Spine in two notable places. In the north, it cuts inland from the Jodo Plain, skirts Satoyama, then continues its path on to the northern side of the mountains. In the southwest, a recent addition to the road cuts over the mountains at Chimotoge (Chimo Pass). This is sometimes called the Renkyu Road, and connects the capital with the naval base and economic center of Renkyu. The road is in poor and dangerous repair north of Todaijo, and most often raided by bandits along the new Renkyu Road stretch.
