Greetings.
I am a man in a suit who has fallen into the world of Minecraft.
But the route to that inn is still only a steep stone stairway and a gravel path.
This time, I turn it into a post town road that feels ready to welcome travelers!
Turning the Steep Route into a Stone-Paved Road
I stand in front of the inn and look along the old route toward town.
Now that the inn is here, I want the walk to it to feel pleasant from the very first step.
From the edge of town, the old stairs drop straight down.
It is a hurried little descent for anyone making their way to the inn.
From below, a sharp step waits at the end of the stairs.
That would be awkward for a traveler carrying a pack, I think.
Beyond the stairs is a gravel road beside the stable and inn.
I will turn this stretch into a stone-paved route with a proper post town feeling.
First, I dig up the gravel with a shovel.
This small step before laying a road takes longer than it looks.
I lay a broad path from stone brick, cobblestone, and andesite.
With Azuki the horse nearby, the road in front of the inn already feels more settled.
Partway along the stairs, I make a landing where travelers can pause.
It makes a nice place to catch a breath and look over the road below.
From below, the stairs now have a landing and stone railings!
The rushed old route is beginning to look like a road that belongs beside the inn.
A Signpost, Notice Board, and Gate for the Post Town Entrance
At the foot of the stairs, I place a signpost.
It points toward the castle town, the inn, and the southern road, so even first-time travelers should find their way.
Beside the road, I raise the posts for a notice board.
Even the simple row of wooden posts makes this roadside spot feel as though it has a purpose.
With a roof and stone lanterns in place, the notice board is complete.
The messages for travelers bring a little everyday life to the post town road.
The notices mention fire safety and point travelers in the right direction.
There is even an introduction to Ojiya Inn, so a night’s lodging is easy to find.
Seen from the landing, the notice board has become a marker for the road.
The small lamp at my feet should be a gentle guide when evening comes.
At the road entrance, I set thick posts and a crossbeam to make a wooden gate.
Once the frame stands, the boundary between town and post town becomes clear.
Double doors and hanging lanterns complete the gate.
At night, I can close it and let the post town rest quietly.
Outside the gate, I add another set of stairs with a landing.
Following the stone railings upward leads toward the inn and castle town beyond.
Lanterns, Pines, and a Road Leading to the Inn
Beyond the gate, I make a dirt road through the grass with my shovel.
Its softer surface flows naturally away from the stone paving and farther down the road.
I line the road with low stone lanterns and pines.
Looking back toward the inn, it begins to feel like a road that has been here for years.
I need water for a trough beside the stable, so I fill a bucket from the inn’s front pond.
A place for Azuki to drink belongs at a post town stop as well.
Azuki stands beside the water troughs.
With a drinking place beside the stable, it is easy to picture horses resting here on the road.
I walk from the stone paving through the gate and toward the southern road.
One connected route makes the castle town feel a little wider than before.
At dusk, lantern light leads from the gate toward the inn.
It feels different from the daytime paving: like a warm light showing the way home.
When night comes, I close the gate.
The lanterns on either side make a fitting end to a quiet post town evening.
From the southern road, the gate, inn, and castle keep line up in one view!
What began as steep stairs and gravel has become a small post town road leading into the castle town.
One final bow in front of the completed gate.
Next, I would like to make the road beyond this post town into a place that travelers will want to visit.
That is all for this time.
Greetings.