The Tōkaidō (東海道) was one of two Tokugawa-era roads connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendo, the Tōkaidō travelled along the east coast of Honshu, hence its name, which means "East Sea Road." The famous artist Hiroshige depicted the Tōkaidō in his work, and the poet Basho travelled along the road.
Today, the Tōkaidō corridor is almost certainly the most heavily travelled transporation corridor in Japan, connecting Tokyo (Japan's capital and largest city) to Nagoya and Osaka (Japan's third and second largest cities respectively) via Kyoto. The Tokyo-Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka route is followed by the Tokaido Main Line (railway line) and the Tomei and Meishin Expressways, as well as the Tokaido Shinkansen.