The Eastern Sea Road or Tokaido runs from Kyoto to Edo close to the Pacific Ocean. Organized and administered by the central government in the 7th century, the road was usually easier to travel than the Nakasendo, except that its rivers were often more difficult to cross, and was the more important communication route during the Edo period. In the modern era, the Tokaido has seen heavy development as a transportation corridor, industrial belt and the most heavily populated area of Japan.
